Deputies of the Senate and the Mazhilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan Met with the KazNARU Community

On January 9, 2026, a meeting was held at the Kazakh National Agrarian Research University with deputies of the Senate and the Mazhilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan — Zh. A. Zhorghenbayev, Z. P. Kuziyev, and Zh. S. Ashimzhanov. The event was attended by the university leadership, directors of research centers, deans of faculties, members of the academic staff, and young scientists.

The Chairman of the Board – Rector of the University, A. K. Kurishbayev, briefed the deputies on the scientific and innovative potential of the university and the progress in developing its infrastructure.

He highlighted the ongoing efforts to transform the university into an internationally competitive higher education institution, noting the establishment of a “Digital University” and the implementation of the “Green University” concept.

It was emphasized that over recent years the number of students has increased by 20 percent, and that nearly 1,000 international students from 20 countries are currently studying at the university. The average salary of the academic staff has increased threefold, and educational programs have been updated.

Funding for scientific research has increased fivefold, the commercialization rate of researchers’ scientific developments has grown 96 times, and the number of publications indexed in the Web of Science database has doubled.

As a result of large-scale digitalization efforts, students have gained access to educational opportunities through the “AI-Sana” and “Coursera” programs. In the current academic year, student enrollment was launched for the first time in a joint double-degree program in “Artificial Intelligence” with Zhejiang University of Technology (PRC).

In cooperation with China, research centers have been established in the areas of water resource management, climate change, agricultural drone training and research, as well as the veterinary field under the “One Health” initiative. Work is underway to open a branch of the Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers, the Kazakhstan-German Nexus Institute for Ecosystem and Biodiversity Protection, and a branch of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (USA).

Currently, the university has established partnerships with more than 200 foreign higher education institutions, research institutes, centers, and companies from the United States, the Netherlands, France, China, Malaysia, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and other countries. In addition, seven double-degree educational programs are being implemented in cooperation with leading international universities.

Four research institutes and one experimental farm of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan were transferred to the university’s management. Over two years of trust management, a number of positive results were achieved in cooperation with LLP “Kazakh Research Institute of Livestock and Feed Production,” LLP “Kazakh Research Institute of Fruit and Vegetable Growing,” LLP “Kazakh Research Institute of Agriculture and Crop Production,” and LLP “Kazakh Research Institute of Processing and Food Industry.” A total of 715 students completed dual education and industrial internships at the production and laboratory facilities of these research institutes, while 26 research staff members were involved in the educational process.

As a result of systematic efforts, in 2025 KazNARU entered the TOP 700 best universities in the world for the first time in its history according to the QS Sustainability Rankings, ranking 6th in Central Asia. In the prestigious Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026 (THE), the university was placed in the 1500+ category, joining the top five universities in Kazakhstan.

The Chairman of the Board – Rector of the University, Akylbek Kazhygulovich, also addressed key issues related to the training of agricultural specialists. He emphasized the need to increase the number of state grants to prepare qualified professionals for the agricultural sector and highlighted the importance of aligning student scholarship amounts with those provided in pedagogical and medical universities.

During the meeting, deputies of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan Zh. A. Zhorghenbayev and Z. P. Kuziyev, along with Mazhilis Deputy Zh. S. Ashimzhanov, highly praised the university’s achievements over the past three years, noting the quality and effectiveness of science and education. Particular emphasis was placed on the fact that students’ social and living needs are fully met, including the availability of dormitories, a stadium, a social store, a pharmacy, and a medical center.

The deputies also addressed issues related to improving the effectiveness of the country’s agricultural policy, emphasizing the significant contribution of university graduates to the development of the sector. They assured that they would assist in finding effective solutions to the issues raised by the university, submit parliamentary inquiries to the Government, and raise these important matters during parliamentary sessions.

By decision of the Academic Council, the Chairman of the Board – Rector of the University, Akylbek Kurishbayev, awarded Senator Zakirzhan Pirmukhameduly Kuziyev with the badge “For Contribution to Agricultural Education, Science, and Production” for his contribution to enhancing students’ professional skills and supporting their industrial training.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the deputies visited the university’s research and innovation centers, laboratories, and infrastructure facilities, and exchanged views with young scientists, master’s and doctoral students. They familiarized themselves with the university’s activities in developing scientific research, implementing innovative projects, and improving the quality of education, giving special recognition to youth-led scientific initiatives and practice-oriented projects. The deputies also expressed their readiness to support young scientists, promote the realization of their scientific potential, and contribute to the further development of the university, wishing success to the staff and students of KazNARU.

KazNARU Press Service