Nazarbayev University

On October 17, 2009, the strategy for the 2010–2012 university development was approved, during the first meeting of the New University of Astana's Board of Directors, chaired by Prime Minister Karim Masimov.[3]

In June 2010, in accordance with government decree, the university changed its name to Nazarbayev University.

In Fall 2010, admission to Nazarbayev University's Foundation Program began.

On December 22, 2010, Majilis approved a bill on Nazarbayev University's status.

On January 19, 2011, the President of Kazakhstan signed the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Nazarbayev University's status, Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools, and Nazarbayev Fund.

On June 15, 2011, Nazarbayev University changed its legal status and was renamed Autonomous organization of education Nazarbayev University. The university uses its own educational standards, and is not administered by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The activity of the university is regulated by the special Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Nazarbayev University's status, Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools and Nazarbayev Fund.

In 2012, Opening of the Graduate School of Education and the Graduate School of Public Policy.

In 2013, the launch of the Executive MBA program at the Graduate School of Business.

In June 2015, Nazarbayev University celebrated its first graduation ceremony. 380 Bachelor's Degree graduates and 142 Master's Degree graduates received Nazarbayev University diplomas.[4]

In September 2015, the Nazarbayev University School of Medicine opened with the first admission of students to its M.D. program.

On December 24, 2015, in accordance with Article 3 of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated February 18, 2011, "On Science", the Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated December 7, 2010 No. 1118 "On approval of the State of Kazakhstan education development program for 2011–2020," the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan autonomous organization education "Nazarbayev University" was awarded the research university status. Additionally, the university research development program autonomous organization of education "Nazarbayev University" for 2016–2020 years was approved.

In September 2017, School of Mining and Geosciences was opened.

Launch of Asian Universities Alliance was in 2017. European University Association's Independent external evaluation of NU was published in 2017.[5]

In 2019, the restructuring of the School of Engineering, School of Sciences and Technologies and the School Humanities and Social Sciences was implemented. New Schools were founded: the School of Engineering and Digital Sciences and The School of Sciences and Humanities.

In February 2020, BALEAP has affirmed full accreditation of NUFYP EAP program of NU Center for Preparatory Studies.[6] The Graduate School of Public Policy (GSPP) Masters programs are fully accredited by the European Association for Public Administration Accreditation (EAPAA) in 2020.[7]

Since opening in the Fall of 2010, The Nazarbayev University Library provides access to information, technology, reference help and programing to support the learning, teaching, and research of students, Faculty, and staff.

Access to information

Nazarbayev University Library provides access to a wide range of electronic and printed resources:

• Print Books and e-books
• Audiobooks
• Print periodicals and e-journals
• DVDs
• Encyclopedias
• Dictionaries
• Central Asian newspaper microforms up to 1860s

The Library supports the language of instruction of the institution by providing a mostly English language collection. To support local culture and interests, the library has a growing collection of Kazakh and Russian literature.

The Library develops the collection according to requests from the Nazarbayev University community and Subject Librarians. Nazarbayev University Library subscribes to more than 60 databases providing access to hundreds of books, thousands of journals and millions of articles. The University of Wisconsin–Madison provides an Interlibrary Loan service for Faculty to request materials not available through the databases.

Nazarbayev University Repository

Nazarbayev University Repository is an institutional electronic archive for long-term storage, accumulation and provision for reliable open access to scientific research results and intellectual products of the Nazarbayev University community. The Repository is an opportunity for faculty, researchers, and graduate students to increase the web visibility and citation count of articles and thesis.

Technology

The Library provides computer workstations, scanners, and assistive learning technologies (Magnifier, JAWS, Braille Translator) to community members with physical and learning disabilities. Also available are E-readers.

Subject and reference librarians

Assigned to each School and Research Center is a personal Librarian that acts as a liaison between the community and the Library. Reference Librarians offer workshops, classroom instruction, and LibGuides to promote information literacy, technology, database training, citations, plagiarism, and much more.

Programming

Throughout the year, the Nazarbayev University Library acts as a consulting and training center for Kazakhstani Librarians by offering workshops, training, seminars, and webinars. The Library holds an annual seminar as a part of Eurasian Higher Education Leaders Forum (EHELF). The Library is an active member of Kazakhstan Association of University Libraries and promotes professional development for Academic Librarians.

One of the strategic goals of Nazarbayev University (NU) is to build leading Research University, to give Kazakhstan and the world top level scientists, academics, leaders and entrepreneurs. NU aims to be a model for higher education reform and modern research in Kazakhstan and establish Nur-Sultan as an international research and innovation center. Research funding supported through internal research programs, sponsored funds, national and international grants. All faculty members are expected to be equally excellent teachers and world class researchers. Office of the Provost (OoP) is administrating Research Council and its 7 Committees, which serve as the advisory bodies on all research-related issues: Bio and Chemical Safety Committee (BCSC), Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), Institutional Research Ethics Committee (IREC), Intellectual Property Committee (IPС), Equipment Committee (EC), Research Space Allocation Committee (RSAC), Allocations Committee.

Research performance

The overall research performance of the NU faculty and researchers produced over the last 2011 to 2019 years:

• > 500 researchers (faculty and staff in research centers);
• 3358 publications during 2011-2019 (Scival);
• 919 publications in 2019;
• 226 publications by students in 2019 (individual and co-authored);
• 272 research and teaching laboratories;
• >70 patent applications;
• 3 signed license agreements;
• 48 patents.

In addition to the research conducted in the schools by faculty, staff and students, Nazarbayev University is home to:

• National Laboratory Astana (NLA)
• Nazarbayev University Research and Innovation System (NURIS)
• Institute of Smart Systems and Artificial Intelligence

The main goals of NLA is carrying out multidisciplinary basic and/or applied research in the field of life sciences, energy, and other interdisciplinary areas of science, as well as activities to establish a scientific laboratory, experimental bases, centers, institutes for the development and implementation of scientific, scientific and technical, educational programs and training.

NURIS is an Innovation Cluster of Nazarbayev University.

Institute of Smart Systems and Artificial Intelligence (ISSAI) was founded in September 2019 to serve as the driver of research and innovation in the digital sphere of Kazakhstan with the focus on AI research. Located at the C4 Research Building of Nazarbayev University, ISSAI conducts interdisciplinary research on machine intelligence for solving real-world problems of industry and society.

ISSAI aims to develop a national capacity for research in Artificial Intelligence incorporating the experience of exemplars from Asia, Europe and the United States.

ISSAI provides an agile framework for research, innovation and collaboration with national and international partners in education, industry and government and contributes to the digital ecosystem of Kazakhstan in the advancement of national development goals.[16]

In compliance with the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated January 19, 2011 “On the status of “Nazarbayev University”, “Nazarbayev Intellectual schools” and “Nazarbayev Fund”, the governance bodies of Nazarbayev University are as follows:

• Supreme Board of Trustees
• Board of Trustees of the University
• Executive bodies of the University

The Supreme Board of Trustees is the highest governance body of the University, Intellectual Schools and the Fund, which is headed by the Leader of the Nation, Nursultan Nazarbayev.

The competences of the Supreme Board of Trustees include the approval of a long-term development strategy and charter of the University, Intellectual Schools and the Fund; approval of a procedure for asset management; composing Boards of Trustees of the University, Intellectual Schools and the Fund.

The Board of Trustees of the University is the governance body that is in charge of general management of the University's activities.

NU governing structure[17]

President - Shigeo Katsu[18]

Board of Trustees of the University[19]

• 5444 students, 1077 staff
• Over 20 buildings in use
• Over 70 research and teaching labs
• Technopark