Dr. Suresh Garimella, President of the University of Arizona, paid an official visit to Nazarbayev University (NU). The delegation also included senior representatives responsible for international programs at the U.S. university, as well as officials from Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Science and Higher Education.
The University of Arizona has been steadily expanding its engagement with Kazakhstan’s higher education sector. In 2022, it established its first Central Asian micro-campus at Kozybayev University in Petropavl, where several dual-degree programs are currently offered.
During the visit, the delegation toured NU’s research infrastructure and flagship laboratories and discussed opportunities to expand academic and research collaboration between the two universities, including the development of joint PhD degree programs. Areas of mutual interest include artificial intelligence, medicine, engineering, sustainable natural resource management, mining, and collaborative research initiatives.
Dr. Garimella praised Nazarbayev University for its research achievements and expressed strong interest in building a long-term partnership with Kazakhstan.
“You are Kazakhstan’s leading research university. We seek to build deep and meaningful partnerships, and Kazakhstan is one of the countries where we see significant opportunities for long-term collaboration. We believe there is tremendous potential for joint academic programs and research,” said Dr. Garimella.
A key highlight of the visit was the delegation’s tour of NU’s Nanofabrication Facility, an advanced micro- and nanotechnology center equipped with internationally certified ISO Class 5–6 cleanrooms. The facility offers researchers a full range of capabilities for designing and characterizing micro- and nanostructured materials, including photolithography, thin-film deposition, etching, and high-precision characterization. Its infrastructure supports the development of advanced materials, sensors, microelectronics, and other high-tech innovations.
The delegation also visited the Human Microbiome Laboratory, where NU researchers are conducting Kazakhstan’s first comprehensive studies of the human microbiome. The laboratory focuses on population metagenomics, the development of functional foods and microbiome-targeted therapeutics, the establishment of a national biobank, and the translation of cutting-edge biomedical technologies into healthcare and industry.
The University of Arizona is one of the United States’ leading research universities, with an annual research portfolio of approximately $1 billion. It enrolls more than 75,000 students and is internationally recognized for its strengths in space sciences, optical sciences, medicine, artificial intelligence, water resources, and sustainable mining.
