Open House Day: 18,000 Guests and New Grants for Rural Students
Nazarbayev University (NU) has announced the launch of new grants designed to support rural high-school students from socially vulnerable groups. The initiative was unveiled on September 27 at the “NU Fest: Knowledge Race” Open Day, which drew 18,000 visitors — parents, schoolchildren, students and others curious about cutting-edge education.
Visitors learned about NU’s admissions process, explored its new academic programs, met professors and alumni, toured high-tech laboratories, FabLab, TechnoPark and startup centers, attended trial lectures and excursions, and spoke with career-guidance specialists. A showstopper of the day was the display of a real Formula 1 race car.
Today NU comprises eight schools and nearly 8,000 students across engineering, natural and social sciences, medicine, business, education and public policy. Ninety-eight percent of its graduates are employed, with the majority staying in Kazakhstan.
“It’s not easy to gain admission to NU, but the opportunities it opens are invaluable. This year NU received a record number of applications — more than 10,000 — and admitted about 3,000 students. While government grants are limited, we’re ready to welcome more students who qualify on a tuition basis. We’re also launching new joint programs with leading global universities, including a master’s program in Global Relations and Eurasian Studies with the SОAS, University of London, and a dual bachelor’s degree in business with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. We plan to expand this approach to include future programs in physical sciences, computer science, engineering and medicine,” said NU President Professor Waqar Ahmad.
The surge of interest in NU at home and abroad mirrors its growing international recognition. According to the Times Higher Education rankings, the university is now in the top 24% worldwide, and its Graduate School of Education ranks among the top 200 globally. This reputation is drawing increasing numbers of international applicants: this year alone, NU received hundreds of applications from students in 44 countries, including China, Russia and the United States.
