Summit in Baku: NU to Drive Impact Through Expanding Cooperation.
Nazarbayev University (NU) leadership joined more than 400 university leaders, policymakers, and researchers from over 60 countries at the Times Higher Education Eurasia Universities Summit in Baku. Co-hosted with Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Science and Education and the State Agency for Science and Higher Education, the event underscored the region’s growing role as a hub for research and innovation.
NU President Professor Waqar Ahmad and Dr. Aida Sagintayeva, Vice Provost for Academic Planning and Budget and Dean of the Graduate School of Education, took part in a high-profile panel with Dr. Elchin Babayev, Rector of Baku State University, titled “How Can Universities in Eurasia Make Research a Driver for Regional Development?” The discussion moved far beyond rankings to a bigger question: how universities can transform the region’s economy through science.
Panelists explored how Eurasian institutions can convert cutting-edge discoveries into context-aware solutions that drive socio-economic progress. NU held up its own model – a leading research-intensive university in Central Asia integrating education, research and innovation, as a roadmap for universities in the Global South seeking to shift from knowledge consumers to co-creators of globally relevant ideas.
“The summit provides a unique opportunity to exchange expertise and jointly advance science across the region,” said Professor Ahmad. “NU is more than a university. We feel a deep responsibility for the country and the region. By focusing on energy security, digital sovereignty, healthcare modernization, industrial competitiveness, strong governance, and business innovation, NU is tackling the most urgent needs of Kazakhstan and its neighbors.”
Dr. Sagintayeva highlighted the Graduate School of Education’s impact on higher education reform across Kazakhstan and beyond.
“We have stood alongside the government, supporting and contributing to transformation through academic programs. Our PhD graduates now serve as faculty members, policymakers, and institutional leaders. We have trained more than 500 university leaders from 29 universities, and our research directly informs policy reforms,” she said, emphasizing the dual role of universities and researchers, not only to impart knowledge but to shape leaders capable of guiding meaningful change.
Summit experts, including Dr. Babayev, stressed the importance of strengthening international cooperation—beginning with regional partnerships and steadily expanding outward.
During the trip, NU leaders visited ADA University and met with Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan and Ulkar Sattarova, Director of Azerbaijan’s State Agency for Science and Higher Education, to discuss cooperation with Azerbaijani universities in three areas: joint research, student and faculty exchanges and participation in international projects.
NU already partners with Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University and runs an exchange program with ADA University. These ties and those forged at the summit extend NU’s network and influence across Eurasia, positioning it as a catalyst for educational, research and socio-economic transformation.
