The development of science and higher education is among the strategic priorities defined by the Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. In the President’s instructions, special attention is paid to improving the quality of education, strengthening scientific potential, developing applied research and its connection with the real sector of the economy. Key tasks remain the training of in-demand specialists, the introduction of innovations and the formation of a knowledge-based economy.

From August 1 to 10, a decade dedicated to Abai Day will be held in Kazakhstan. The ideas of the great poet and thinker about enlightenment, science and self-improvement remain relevant and are reflected in the development of higher education and science as the foundation of the country’s economic modernization and technological progress.

Kazakhstan is forming a unified ecosystem that combines personnel training, scientific research, innovation and international cooperation. Priorities remain attracting foreign universities, supporting young scientists, digitalization and commercialization of developments.

The ongoing reforms increase the accessibility of quality education, stimulate investment in science, strengthen the positions of domestic universities at the international level, and create conditions for training specialists who meet the requirements of the knowledge economy.

Key changes in the field of science and higher education are covered in the review by the editorial office of PrimeMinister.kz.

Science as a Strategic Resource for the Country’s Development

Against the backdrop of global technological competition, scientific research is acquiring strategic importance for sustainable economic growth, industrial renewal and the formation of a knowledge-based economy. Kazakhstan is consistently modernizing the scientific sphere by improving legislative mechanisms, approaches to financing and the management system. Special emphasis is placed on the practical return of research, commercialization of developments and deepening interaction between scientific organizations and enterprises of the real sector.

One of the most notable results of the ongoing work has been a significant increase in the volume of funds allocated to research and development (R&D). Since 2023, internal expenditures on R&D have more than doubled — from 121.5 billion tenge to 260 billion tenge by 2026. This makes it possible to expand the range of research topics, update the material and technical base, support promising developments and create conditions for the introduction of domestic technologies into production.

At the same time, the personnel potential of the industry is being strengthened. In 2025, the number of specialists engaged in research and development reached 28,374 people, increasing by almost a third compared to the figure four years earlier. About half of the scientific community consists of young scientists, which indicates an influx of a new generation of researchers and the gradual formation of a sustainable personnel reserve for the further development of domestic science.

Simultaneously, a more holistic legal system is being formed that regulates scientific activity and provides additional guarantees for the research community. At the legislative level, the concepts of “scientist” and “scientific worker” have been established, the institution of the Commissioner for the Rights of Scientists and Scientific Workers has been created, additional conditions have been created for PhD graduates, and measures of professional support have been strengthened.

Special attention is paid to young personnel: the age limit for this category has been increased to 44 years, which makes it possible to cover a larger number of specialists at the stage of active scientific and career growth with state measures.

New approaches are also being introduced into the financing system. Along with traditional grant mechanisms, support is provided for experimental design work aimed at creating prototypes, experimental samples and ready-made technological solutions. This format makes it possible to shorten the path from a scientific idea to practical application and increase the demand for domestic developments in industry. Priority in the distribution of funds is given to projects focused on solving the country’s strategic scientific and technological tasks and achieving a specific economic effect.

Business participation in financing science is being strengthened. Co-financing mechanisms are being expanded for industrial partners, and tax incentives, including super-deductions for R&D expenses, create additional conditions for investment in innovation and the introduction of new technologies.

In addition, the role of the regions is increasing. Local executive bodies have received the right to finance scientific research, and plans have been developed for the regions taking into account their scientific and technological specialization. A separate area is the creation of science-intensive territories in Almaty, Kurchatov and Astana, where universities, scientific organizations, high-tech business and innovation infrastructure will be united.

Digital Transformation and Commercialization of Scientific Developments

Digitalization of the scientific sphere continues. The unified information system “Kazakhstani Science” will combine information on projects, organizations, research results and volumes of financing, and the use of artificial intelligence will improve the quality of industry management.

The priority remains the commercialization of developments and their introduction into production. This contributes to strengthening interaction between science, education, business and the state and creates a basis for the country’s technological development.

Opportunities for the practical application of the results of domestic science are expanding. In 2025, more than 1,200 fundamental and applied studies were completed, while an increasing number of developments are focused on introduction into production and entry into the market. Within the framework of commercialization programs, hundreds of projects are being implemented, some of which have already attracted business investment. Today, 241 innovative projects are being implemented in the country. More than 30 domestic solutions have entered international markets, and individual technologies are already demonstrating significant economic effect and high export potential.

One of the vivid examples of successful interaction between science and production is the development of scientists from Satbayev University in the field of metallurgy. For the first time, a technology for obtaining high-purity technical selenium by the vacuum distillation method was introduced at a domestic enterprise. The purity of the obtained product was 99.5%, which made it possible to significantly increase the added value of the product and bring it to the export market.

Promising research is also being conducted in the field of new materials. Scientists from Nazarbayev University have developed a technology for obtaining precursors of cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries from domestic raw materials. The implementation of such projects opens up opportunities for Kazakhstan’s participation in global production chains of components for next-generation energy.

Formation of a New Generation of Researchers

Support for the new generation of researchers remains one of the priorities of state scientific policy. For the professional growth and career development of young specialists, “Zhas Galym” grants are provided annually, their projects are financed, and the system of personnel training in doctoral studies and under industrial PhD programs is being developed.

For the 2025–2026 academic year, almost 3,000 places have been allocated for the training of doctoral students, including under industrial doctoral programs focused on solving practical tasks of economic sectors. This mechanism makes it possible to more closely link scientific research with the needs of production and technological development.

Additional opportunities for international exchange are being created. Since 2021, more than 1,500 Kazakhstani scientists have undergone internships at leading foreign universities, laboratories and research centers, with a significant share of participants being young specialists.

Great attention is also paid to the social conditions of scientific activity. In 2023–2026, 760 young scientists received housing within the framework of state support measures. In addition, mechanisms for recognizing scientific achievements are being improved: the annual “Best Young Scientist” award has been established, and support for talented researchers through grant programs and scientific competitions continues. Such measures are aimed not only at preserving the country’s scientific potential, but also at forming a new culture of research activity, where the profession of a scientist becomes attractive for young specialists.

Accessible Education and International Cooperation

The system of state support for higher education is consistently expanding, providing an increasing number of graduates with the opportunity to receive education at the expense of budget funds. Over the past five years, the number of educational state grants has increased by almost 30,000 and in the 2025–2026 academic year reached 93,232. Of the total volume, 77,084 grants are provided for bachelor’s degree programs, 13,229 for master’s degree programs and 2,919 for doctoral programs. Additional opportunities for admission are created through grants from local executive bodies, industry associations, higher educational institutions and public foundations, which makes it possible to increase the coverage of applicants with educational support measures.

The growth of the state educational order is accompanied by the introduction of new financial instruments. Preferential educational lending is in effect in the country, and since 2025 — the “Keleshek” accumulation system, which allows families to form funds in advance for their children’s education with state support. Tens of thousands of families have already taken advantage of this opportunity.

International cooperation remains one of the key areas of higher education development. Today, branches of 32 foreign universities from the USA, the United Kingdom, China, Germany, France, South Korea, Russia and other countries operate in Kazakhstan. To attract leading world universities, legislation is being improved: procedures for opening branches are being simplified, uniform requirements for their work are being established, and state control is being strengthened. At the same time, a mandatory condition remains the preservation of the national educational component, including the study of the history of Kazakhstan and the Kazakh language.

Kazakhstani universities are also expanding their presence abroad. Branches of domestic universities have been opened in Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Russia, which contributes to the promotion of national education and the formation of a common academic space in the region. More than half of the country’s universities implement dual diploma programs jointly with 131 universities from 24 countries. One of the successful examples was the partnership of North Kazakhstan University named after Manash Kozybayev with the University of Arizona, within the framework of which the first graduation of students took place in 2026.

The growing quality of domestic higher education is confirmed by positions in international rankings. In the QS World University Rankings 2026, 20 Kazakhstani universities are represented, and in the Times Higher Education 2026, five universities of the country entered the number of the best in the world. Nazarbayev University for the first time took a place in the group of the top 500 leading universities.

An equally important area remains the creation of modern student infrastructure. In recent years, dozens of new dormitories have been commissioned in the country, thanks to which the shortage of places has been significantly reduced in most regions. Thus, in the period 2018–2025, 281 dormitories for 72,125 places were built, reconstructed and put into operation, including 182 dormitories for 51,323 places for university students and 99 dormitories for 20,802 places for college students.

The construction of new facilities continues — according to the Concept for the Development of Higher Education and Science for 2023–2029, the introduction of 70,000 new bed places in university dormitories is provided (10,000 places annually). Additional measures of state support are provided for socially vulnerable categories of students, including compensation for living expenses.

The measures being implemented form a holistic system for the development of higher education. Universities are becoming not only centers for training personnel, but also platforms for scientific research, international cooperation and the introduction of new technologies.

#Education #President's instruction #Science

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