While browsing content on the Internet, I came across an article addressing the notable development of the higher education system in Kazakhstan. It explained how this Central Asian country is positioning itself as a new educational hub in the Eurasian region. This approach struck me as particularly interesting in the context of international academic cooperation and the growing role that universities play in diplomacy and global innovation.
To learn firsthand what lies behind these ambitions and what opportunities might arise for Spain, I spoke with His Excellency Mr. Danat Musayev, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to our country.
Question: Mr. Ambassador, in recent years there has been increasing talk that Kazakhstan is emerging as a new educational center in Eurasia.
Answer: At the core of the transformations that Kazakhstan is undergoing lies a very clear conviction: education is a strategic resource for sustainable development. We consider higher education not only as a mechanism to train highly qualified professionals, but also as an essential tool to consolidate the scientific and innovative base of the country.
For this reason, the internationalization of our educational system has become a state priority.
Kazakhstan aspires to consolidate itself as an educational and scientific hub of Eurasia. Our privileged geographical location, at the crossroads of important commercial and logistical routes, as well as our expanding infrastructure, reinforce this vocation.
The number of international students choosing Kazakhstan continues to rise. Last year we reached a record figure of 31,500 foreign students. And by 2028, we have set an ambitious, yet realistic, target: to surpass 100,000. It is not only about quantitative growth but also qualitative growth: we are betting on high-quality international programs, academic mobility, scientific exchange, digitalization and the development of research platforms.
Q: How is Kazakhstan achieving these advances? What is really behind these figures?
R: We are acting with a long-term strategic vision. One of the fundamental pillars has been the implementation of the state initiative “Study in Kazakhstan,” whose objective is to position the country among the reference points of the global education system. This strategy includes a wide range of measures: from scholarship programs and financial aid, to academic mobility initiatives, bilateral agreements, and support for international partnerships. Thanks to this, we have launched dozens of new cooperation programs and have significantly increased recognition and trust in Kazakh education.
Another key aspect is demographic potential. Only between 2020 and 2022 were nearly 1.5 million children born in Kazakhstan. In the neighboring Central Asian countries, more than one million children are born each year, and in Pakistan about 5 million. In India, there are currently approximately 650 million people under 25 who will need access to higher education in the coming years.
According to UNESCO’s latest data, of the planet’s 8.2 billion inhabitants, only 254 million have full access to higher education. This means that more than 8.0 billion people lack sufficient opportunities or do not have real access to a complete academic environment. The gap is immense, and the global education market, consequently, is too.
In this context, Kazakhstan is positioning itself as an increasingly attractive option for international students: we already host students from regions as diverse as Central and South Asia, the Middle East, China, Turkey, Russia, Azerbaijan, Africa, and other countries. This trend reflects the growing interest in our academic offer and the confidence in the educational model we are building.
Q: What role do foreign universities play within this strategy?
R: A fundamental role. Kazakhstan aims to consolidate itself as a key platform for transnational education. We currently collaborate with more than 40 countries and are facilitating the opening of campuses and branches of prestigious international universities. Just in the last two years, centers of institutions such as Cardiff University, Coventry University, Woosong University, Arizona State University, Gazi University, as well as several leading universities from China, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States, etc., have been established in our country.
We offer a highly competitive environment for these projects: tax incentives, already developed infrastructure, grant programs, and solid institutional and administrative support. Moreover, we approach each initiative in a personalized way, which is highly valued by foreign universities seeking to expand their presence beyond traditional markets and connect with a young, dynamic, and expanding student population in Central Asia and neighboring regions.
Q: As I understand, the city of Almaty plays a special role in the country’s educational system.
R: Indeed. Almaty is, historically, the intellectual and academic heart of Kazakhstan. It hosts some of the country’s most emblematic higher education institutions, such as Kazakh National University named after al-Farabi, Abai National Pedagogical University, and Kazakh National Agrarian University, all with a history of more than a century. Moreover, Almaty is positioning itself as an international platform for scientific, educational, and cultural dialogue.
On August 3, 2025, in the presence of the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, the Regional Centre for the United Nations SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) for Central Asia and Afghanistan was inaugurated in this city. This initiative, which strengthens my country’s international vocation, was supported by 152 member States, including Spain, which acted as co-authors of the resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly on March 4, 2025. This marks a milestone that underlines Kazakhstan’s growing recognition on the international stage, not only as a regional partner but also as an actor committed to global sustainability.
Furthermore, Kazakhstan and Spain maintain a Strategic Partnership Agreement, covering key areas such as education, science, and culture. Additionally, my country is part of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with the European Union, which provides a solid legal and institutional framework to continue deepening academic, research, and cultural ties between our nations.
Q: What opportunities can Kazakhstan offer Spanish universities and why is it important to seize them now?
R: Kazakhstan represents today a unique proposition, combining academic quality, accessibility, and growth potential. Our country has an increasingly competitive university landscape, an expanding scientific ecosystem, and growing international recognition, which makes us an attractive and reliable educational partner.
Moreover, my country concentrates around 80% of all foreign direct investment that reaches Central Asia, which demonstrates the high level of trust it inspires among global economic actors. Trade relations between Kazakhstan and Spain are steadily growing, and more and more Spanish companies are expanding their presence in the Kazakh market. This creates a natural basis to also reinforce cooperation in the academic, scientific, and technological spheres.
On the other hand, Kazakhstan offers highly favorable living conditions for international students: quality education at competitive prices, a cost of living considerably lower than in most European countries, affordable housing, cheap transportation, and affordable health services. All of this creates a safe, comfortable and stimulating environment for study, research and university life.
Q: What forms of cooperation do you consider most promising with Kazakh universities?
R: Undoubtedly, double degree programs. Currently, Kazakhstan has more than 245 such initiatives, in collaboration with universities from the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, China, South Korea, among other countries. It is a highly beneficial model for all parties: students obtain international training and a real competitive edge in the global job market; Spanish universities reinforce their international visibility and guarantee a steady flow of international students; and Kazakh universities gain access to methodologies, experiences and top-tier academic resources.
So far, our cooperation with Spain has been channeled mainly through multilateral programs such as Erasmus+, student exchanges, and short-term stays. These formulas have yielded good results, but the time has come to take a step further: move toward deeper collaboration through stable and sustainable bilateral programs. This would also enable the creation of joint research teams, drive shared innovation, and raise the academic prestige of our institutions in international rankings.
The next natural step would be the opening of full academic subsidiaries of Spanish universities in Kazakhstan. My country is ready for this: we have the experience, the appropriate legal framework, and, above all, the institutional and governmental will. We can offer land, modern infrastructure, tax incentives, and subsidies aimed at training and housing. Conditions are in place to start an ambitious and lasting project.
Q: Do these initiatives receive government support?
R: Full support. The Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan leads an active internationalization policy: from scholarships for foreign students to the creation of international campuses and technology centers. In 2024 alone, we invested in laboratories with KAIST, artificial intelligence programs with Google and Huawei, and in the SciCity technology city in Alatau, designed as an ecosystem for education, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Also in force is the Bolashak program, through which more than 12,000 students have been trained at the world’s top 250 universities. Added to this are bilateral scholarships, research stays and joint PhD programs (Split PhD), which open great opportunities for Hispano-Kazakh academic projects.
Q: And what specific benefits can Spanish universities obtain?
R:
- First, it is economically profitable. The average tuition in Spain is 3,000 to 7,000 € per year. Even with only 100 students, additional revenue is obtained without major investments.
- Second, it represents an improvement in international reputation. Joint programs, exchanges and research projects raise prestige in global rankings such as QS and THE.
- Third, opportunities for scientific cooperation open up. Kazakhstan prioritizes areas such as sustainable energy, artificial intelligence, green hydrogen, and rare minerals. These are fields where Spanish institutions could actively collaborate.
- Fourth, there is a growing cultural and linguistic interaction. The demand for Spanish in Kazakhstan is on the rise. There are already joint programs for teaching Kazakh and Russian in Kazakhstan and Spanish in Spain for Kazakh students. Language summer camps are also popular, where youths learn Kazakh, Russian, English and Chinese, preparing for their international training. Therefore, opening departments of Spanish, translation, international relations and Latin American studies at Kazakh universities is a logical and mutually beneficial step.
Q: Finally, what is your main message to Spanish universities?
R: My message is clear: do not see Kazakhstan as a distant country, but as a strategic partner with a future-oriented vision. We are constructing modern infrastructure, facilitating access to a talented youth, and offering an environment of stability, security and institutional cooperation.
In my country, the university is not just a place of academic training: it is a key actor in innovation, social development and economic growth. Therefore, I invite the Spanish university system to join this transformative dynamic, from academic dialogue to structural collaboration.
Welcome to Kazakhstan.
