Nazarbayev University and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have agreed to expand cooperation in research, formalizing their partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding and a Student Exchange Agreement. The documents were signed by the Presidents of the two institutions – Professors Waqar Ahmad and Jin-Guang Teng, during a visit by a Kazakhstani delegation to Hong Kong.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Times Higher Education Asia Universities Summit 2026, where NU was the only representative from Central Asia among leading Asian universities. The delegation also included NU Vice President Assel Uvaliyeva, Vice President and Dean of the School of Medicine Huck Hui Ng, and Alen Kuspanov from the Office of Internationalization.
A central focus of the discussions was the development of joint research initiatives. The two sides expressed readiness to expand collaboration in teaching, including the development of joint degree programs, research partnerships, and shared research funding initiatives.
Both institutions also emphasized the strong potential for launching dual degree programs, building on their complementary strengths in engineering, medicine, and medical technologies. Specific initiatives are expected to be further discussed at the next meeting in Astana.
Universities also agreed to work on academic mobility for students and faculty as a mechanism to strengthen research collaboration. Under the four-year framework, up to six students from each institution will be eligible to participate annually in exchange programs ranging from a summer session or a semester to a full academic year, depending on the host institution’s capacity.
Founded in 1937, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University is one of eight publicly funded degree-granting institutions in Hong Kong and consistently ranks among the world’s top 100 universities. It is renowned for high-impact innovation-driven research, industry-focused education, and a strong international outlook.
