As part of its steadfast commitment to world-class research, innovation, and societal impact, Nazarbayev University (NU) announces a global recruitment campaign to hire 15 Full Professors.
A Rising Hub for High-Impact Research
The 15 new research leaders will join an institution already performing at the highest level. In 2026, an impressive 81% of NU’s research outputs were published in top-tier (Q1) journals.
To deliver our potential and support Kazakhstan’s and the region’s development, NU is heavily investing in its academic infrastructure. Plans are underway for a new Doctoral Institute dedicated to nurturing next-generation researchers, alongside the development of the region’s premier Science and Technology Park to accelerate innovation.
Targeted Multidisciplinary Clusters
The new Full Professorship positions will be strategically embedded across three high-impact, multidisciplinary clusters:
- Engineering Sciences and Technologies
- Emerging Information Technologies
- Health Sciences and Medical Technologies.
This major hiring initiative follows a series of high-profile appointments to NU’s academic leadership team over the past year. Led by Provost Prof. Rehan Sadiq, the university’s new leadership structure now includes:
- Prof. Huck Hui Ng (Vice President and Dean of the School of Medicine)
- Dr. Gulmira Qanay (Vice President)
- Prof. Bjorn Birgisson (Vice Provost for Research and Innovation)
- Prof. Sam Smidt (Vice Provost for Academic Affairs)
- Prof. Riccardo Pelizzo (Dean, Graduate School of Public Policy)
- Prof. Atakan Varol (Inaugural Dean, School of Computing and Artificial Intelligence)
The university is also in the final stages of selecting new Deans for the School of Engineering and Digital Sciences and the School of Sciences and Humanities from a pool of highly qualified global applicants.
How to Apply
Nazarbayev University has partnered with executive search firm Odgers to lead this international recruitment drive.For detailed role descriptions and application procedures, please visit the official application portal here: Odgers Application Link
