Feasibility Study for KAIST Branch Campus in Alatau City Presented in Astana

The project is one of the tangible outcomes of the Alatau City International Roadshow held in Seoul in October 2025. During the event, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, KAIST and Alatau City Bank signed a Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate on the establishment and development of the new university in Kazakhstan. 

The presentation was attended by Sayasat Nurbek, Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Jeong Kee Hong, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Korea to Kazakhstan; KAIST’s leadership and expert team; as well as representatives of the Alatau City Project management company and its investors.

The KAIST team presented the completed feasibility study for the Qazaqstan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (QAIST). The study outlines the academic concept and institutional model of the future university, identifies priority research areas, defines the structure of its faculties and academic programmes, and provides an assessment of the project’s economic viability and potential implementation risks.

The completion of the feasibility study marks an important milestone in the joint initiative between Kazakhstan and the Republic of Korea. The project envisions the creation of a modern academic ecosystem in Alatau City, integrating world-class education, advanced research and technology commercialization. 

The establishment of QAIST will play a key role in positioning Alatau City as an international science and technology hub for Central Asia. The university will educate globally competitive engineers, advance cutting-edge research, accelerate technology commercialization, and strengthen Kazakhstan’s cooperation with leading international scientific and academic institutions.

Reference

KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) is the Republic of Korea’s leading research university, established in 1971. It was the country’s first university dedicated exclusively to science, technology, engineering, and research.

Its main campus is located in Daejeon, within the Daedeok Innopolis science and innovation cluster, while a second campus operates in Seoul. English serves as the primary language of instruction. KAIST comprises five colleges, seven schools, 13 graduate schools, and 27 academic departments. Today, the university has approximately 12,000 students and more than 1,000 faculty members and researchers.

KAIST is consistently ranked among the world’s leading universities and currently holds 65th place in the QS World University Rankings. The university is internationally recognized for its excellence in engineering, information technology, artificial intelligence, robotics, natural sciences, and other high-tech disciplines.

Source: www.gov.kz