Times Higher Education World University Rankings (THE WUR)
Nazarbayev University (NU) is ranked in the top 23% of international research universities according to the 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings (THE WUR). THE WUR is globally recognized as the leading ranking table of university performance.
NU has advanced into the 401–500 band, confirming its status as the #1 university in Central Asia and the Caucasus and among the leading institutions in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). THE WUR uses a data-driven methodology that comprehensively evaluates university performance, with a strong focus on research, which aligns particularly well with NU’s research mission. THE WUR uses Elsevier research performance data, reputation data based on peer reviews of active researchers, and self-reported financial and international outlook data to calculate teaching and research scores.
NU intends to reach the top 20% of global universities by 2030.
Times Higher Education Young University Rankings 2024
Nazarbayev University (NU) is ranked in the top 23% of international research universities according to the 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings (THE WUR). THE WUR is globally recognized as the leading ranking table of university performance.
NU has advanced into the 401–500 band, confirming its status as the #1 university in Central Asia and the Caucasus and among the leading institutions in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). THE WUR uses a data-driven methodology that comprehensively evaluates university performance, with a strong focus on research, which aligns particularly well with NU’s research mission. THE WUR uses Elsevier research performance data, reputation data based on peer reviews of active researchers, and self-reported financial and international outlook data to calculate teaching and research scores.
NU intends to reach the top 20% of global universities by 2030.
Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings 2025
NU is listed in the Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings for 2025, ranked 150 out of 853 institutions. The rankings for Asia utilize identical criteria for the THE World University Rankings, adjusted to suit the specific characteristics of Asian institutions. These rankings evaluate universities across the key missions such as teaching quality, research output, knowledge transfer, and international outlook, ensuring comprehensive and equitable comparisons among universities.
Check the detailed results on the website.
Subject Rankings
Nazarbayev University’s Subjects Break into the top 200 in the World University Subject Rankings 2025
NU demonstrates strong performance in the Times Higher Education subject-level global university rankings. Twenty-two subject disciplines are ranked in the 2025 edition, demonstrating the breadth and impressive quality of NU’s educational provision.
Key highlights of this year’s rankings are the impressive strides made in:
- Education, which has now entered the 176-200 bracket, a significant achievement for such a young university; and
- Clinical and Health, which has advanced into the 401-500 category.
Overall, five subject clusters – Engineering, Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences, Education Studies and Medical and Health – have been ranked among the top 500 in the world. Computer Science is ranked in the 501-600 bracket, while Business and Economics, Life Sciences and Physical Sciences are ranked in the 601-800 categories.
“This recognition reflects the University’s commitment to unwavering pursuit of academic and research excellence. It is a testament to the exceptional contribution and dedication of our faculty, researchers, students, and staff. While we take pride in these results, we will commit to building on these for the future”, said President Waqar Ahmad.
Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject, 2025
| Subject | NU's Rank |
|---|---|
| Arts and Humanities | 401-500 |
| History, Philosophy and Theology | |
| Language, Literature, Linguistics | |
| Business and Economics | 601-800 |
| Accountancy and Finance | |
| Business and Management | |
| Economics and Econometrics | |
| Medical and Health | 401-500 |
| Medicine and Dentistry | |
| Other Health Sciences | |
| Computer Science | 501-600 |
| Computer Science | |
| Education Studies | 176-200 |
| Education | |
| Engineering | 401-500 |
| Chemical Engineering | |
| Civil Engineering | |
| Electrical and Electronic Engineering | |
| General Engineering | |
| Mechanical Engineering | |
| Life Sciences | 601-800 |
| Biological Sciences | |
| Physical Sciences | 601-800 |
| Chemistry | |
| Geology, Environment, Earth and Marine Science | |
| Mathematics | |
| Physics and Astronomy | |
| Social Sciences | 401-500 |
| Communication and Media | |
| Politics and International Relations | |
| Sociology |
In addition, commissioned by the Shanghai Ranking, the Global Ranking of Academic Subjects included two disciplines from NU in its 2023 edition – Telecommunication Engineering, and Electrical and Electronic Engineering.
These results serve as a testament to the university’s competitive performance in a wide spectrum of disciplines on the global stage.
| Subject | NU's Rank |
|---|---|
| Electrical & Electronic Engineering | 401-500 |
| Telecommunication Engineering | 201-300 |
Nazarbayev University has been awarded institutional accreditation following a rigorous International Quality Review (IQR) conducted by the UK Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA).
This milestone confirms NU’s adherence to the highest international standards for quality and governance in higher education. It strengthens the university’s standing as a leading institution and reinforces the global recognition and value of a Nazarbayev University degree.
The accreditation is valid for a period of five years. The IQR Report, which highlights examples of good practice and outlines recommendations for enhancement, is available on the QAA website. NU has developed a comprehensive action plan to address the recommendations and uphold its exemplary practices.
The certificate of accreditation may be accessed via this link.
For inquiries related to accreditation or requests to use the accreditation badge, please contact the Strategy and Delivery Office at strategy@nu.edu.kz.
NU was engaged in the Institutional Evaluation Programme (IEP) of the European University Association (EUA) between 2017 and 2020 to obtain an independent external review of its academic quality, research, and strategic management practices.
NU successfully completed the initial and follow-up phases of the external evaluation and continues its efforts at self-improvement. Please read relevant reports on the IEP EUA website.
NU strives to achieve internationally-recognized academic excellence, and prioritize program accreditation through external bodies of the highest repute.
The Graduate School of Public Policy’s Master’s programs in public administration and public policy were successfully accredited by the European Association for Public Administration Accreditation (EAPAA) in 2019 and the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) in 2023.
The English for Academic Purposes program of the Centre for Preparatory Studies was accredited by the British Association of Lecturers in English for Academic Purposes (BALEAP) in 2020. NU is the first university in the CIS countries to gain BALEAP accreditation. The school is now preparing the BALEAP re-accreditation application.
The Graduate School of Business is pursuing the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation, and the Association of MBAs (AMBA) and the Business Graduates Association (BGA) joint accreditation for its programs. AACSB and AMBA are two of the three main global accreditation bodies in business education (the “triple crown”). The school is now engaged in the annual review process for AACSB accreditation and the assessment stage of AMBA & BGA joint accreditation.
13 programs of 3 NU schools – Schools of Engineering and Digital Sciences (SEDS), Mining and Geosciences (SMG), and Sciences and Humanities (SSH, STEM) – are in preparation for the application for the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accreditation.
The list of programs:
- BEng in: mechanical & aerospace engineering; chemical & materials engineering; electrical & computer engineering; civil & environmental engineering; BSc in: robotics engineering; computer science (SEDS);
- BSc in: geology; petroleum engineering; mining engineering (SMG);
- BSc in: physics; chemistry; mathematics; biological sciences (SSH).
The schools have revised their programs to align them with ABET accreditation requirements and are now engaged in the data collection process.
The School of Medicine is pursuing the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) accreditation through the Eurasian Centre for Accreditation and Quality Assurance in Higher Education and Health Care (ECAQA) for its Doctor of Medicine (MD) program. The school is finalizing its self-assessment stage.
The Graduate School of Education is progressing towards applying for the International Programme Accreditation (IPA) by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA). The QAA, an independent quality body for higher education in the UK, is one of the world’s experts in quality assurance.
The School of Medicine’s Doctor of Medicine (MD) program was successfully accredited by the Eurasian Centre for Accreditation and Quality Assurance in Higher Education and Health Care (ECAQA) in April 2024. This is a full, five-year international accreditation by an accrediting body recognized by the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME). It confirms that the MD program meets rigorous standards of quality and excellence in medical education.
