THE NUMBER OF FOREIGN STUDENTS STUDYING IN KAZAKHSTAN UNIVERSITIES REACHED 30 THOUSAND: THE NUMBER OF ARRIVAL FROM FAR ABROAD INCREASED

The number of foreign students studying in Kazakhstani universities has reached 30 thousand. The geography of the states from which people come to Kazakhstan to study has significantly expanded - there is an increase in the number of students from the USA, Africa, Russia, as well as from the countries of the Middle East.

In general, most of the students (64%) came from the CIS countries.

“Kazakhstani universities actively participate in various international educational exhibitions. For example, in November of this year, the Days of Formation of Kazakhstan were held in the cities of Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) and Tashkent (Uzbekistan). Thus, citizens of other countries learn about our universities. In addition, our universities attract foreign students by allocating special educational grants for them. Basically, foreign students choose such areas as "Medicine", "Pedagogical Sciences", "Business, Management and Law", "Social Sciences" and others ", - said Director of the Department of Higher and Postgraduate Education of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan Adlet Toybaev.

One of the mechanisms to stimulate the export of educational services is also the implementation of a scholarship program for foreign citizens. It was launched by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan in 2019. The program provides for the allocation of grants to foreign students, including persons of Kazakh nationality who are not citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In the first year of the launch of this program, 89 foreign citizens with high academic performance received the opportunity to study for free in Kazakhstani universities.

In 2021, this figure increased more than 2.5 times and reached 240 grants for all levels of higher and postgraduate education. It should be noted that a record number of grants - 56 thousand - were allocated for Kazakhstanis this year.

Along with this, in Kazakhstani universities there is an increase in the number of educational programs in English. Following world practices, universities attract qualified foreign specialists. They share their experience with leaders, teachers of Kazakhstani universities and teach students new technologies, methods of scientific research.

At the same time, Kazakhstani universities from year to year strengthen their positions in the international educational space. For example, 14 Kazakhstani universities are included in the QS ranking, and three universities are included in the Times Higher Education.