Nazarbayev University to offer Master degree programs in 2012

Master degree programs will be offered at Astana-based Nazarbayev University starting from 2012, the country’s Education Ministry responded to a question raised during the on-line conference with PM Kariam Massimov held at Zakon.kz July 15. According to the Ministry, the list of the postgraduate programs will be defined in 2012. Nazarbayev University – named after Kazakhstan’s president, Nursultan Nazarbayev – will teach only in English, and at the early stage all of its professors will be foreigners. The school is working closely to develop its programs of study with elite foreign universities. “Kazakhstan is capable to offer Bachelor and Master Degree programs locally. We have spent dozens of millions of US Dollars on foreign education, supporting foreign universities. Let us channel the funds to support domestic universities”, President Nazarbayev had said when speaking at the 1st sitting of the Board of Trustees at the Astana-based Nazarbayev University mid-June. From 1994 to 2010, 7611 students have successfully completed their studies at the most prestigious universities of the world in 33 countries under the Bolashak Scholarship Program. The program seeks to provide an opportunity for the most talented students from Kazakhstan to gain higher education at the best universities overseas. The bursaries depend on the host country and the university’s status and cover all education-related expenses. Upon completion of their programs, scholarship recipients return to Kazakhstan to work in different Kazakh companies, governmental structures and international organisations for a period of five years.