University of Arizona marks historic Kazakhstan commencement, expands national partnership

By Eric Van Meter, Arizona International

A University of Arizona delegation to Kazakhstan this month met with the country’s leaders to discuss opportunities for growing education, research and industry partnerships, and building on a dual degree initiative established with North Kazakhstan University in 2022.

University President Suresh Garimella led the delegation on July 9, meeting with Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov and other officials from Kazakhstan to establish a framework that leverages U of A’s research, educational, and innovation strengths in support of Kazakhstan’s national priorities.

The U of A was the first major international university to establish a comprehensive dual degree partnership in Kazakhstan. Since its launch four years ago, collaborations with the country have grown to include joint research projects and faculty and scholar exchanges. In discussions with Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek, Minister of Agriculture Aidarbek Saparov and Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, Garimella and Jenny Lee, U of A chief international affairs officer and dean of Arizona International, discussed developing a roadmap for jointly addressing resilient development in arid regions through an integrated approach to workforce development, research, industry engagement, and innovation. 

Garimella and Nurbek signed a memorandum of understanding during the visit that designates the U of A as Kazakhstan’s flagship strategic partner in higher education and joint research in agricultural productivity, water resources, inclusive education and sustainable tourism. The long-term vision for the partnership includes attracting international research partnerships, expanding industry engagement, accelerating technology commercialization, and establishing Kazakhstan as a key global partner for research and innovation addressing sustainable water management, food security and other challenges common to arid regions worldwide, Lee said.

U of A-NKU partnership celebrates first graduating class

The delegation’s visit was timed to coincide with North Kazakhstan University commencement ceremonies on July 11, at which Garimella and U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan Julie M. Stufft spoke. Thirty-one students became the first graduates of the NKU’s dual degree partnership with the U of A. Students in the program earn a U of A degree and an NKU degree simultaneously, with tuition fully funded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

“Four years ago, the University of Arizona and North Kazakhstan University made a decision to work together – to build something across our different countries, different languages and different educational traditions,” Garimella said in his commencement address, adding that the faculty and research collaborations arising from the partnership “are proof of what is possible when we connect higher education across borders.”

The U of A-NKU dual degree program launched in fall 2022 with two programs – applied biotechnology and information science – and in 2023 added a third program focused on inclusive education. By fall 2025, enrollment had grown to 368 students. 

“The success of this first graduating class is the strongest measure of our partnership. Their achievements demonstrate the lasting impact that international collaboration can have on students, their families, and their futures,” Lee said. “We are honored to have been part of that celebration and are deeply grateful to our partners at NKU and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan for making it possible.”

A dual degree Bachelor of Science in business administration is set to launch at NKU in fall 2026. Discussions are underway to develop dual degrees in environmental science and food science at NKU, as well as dual graduate degree programs with Nazarbayev University, Lee said.

Kazakhstan scholars at the U of A

Thirty students from Kazakhstan spent one semester taking classes on the U of A campus in Tucson in fall 2025 through the university’s Study Arizona program. The U of A College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences recently hosted four Bolashak Fellows for year-long research internships, fully funded by the Kazakhstan government, which created the initiative to build national capacity in priority economic sectors. 

The highly competitive program sends high-achieving students to a select list of top-tier global universities. The word bolashak translates to “future” in Kazakh, reflecting the initiative’s goal of developing the country’s future leaders. The U of A and Kazakhstan Ministry of Science and Higher Education seek to bring 25 additional Bolashak Scholars in 2026, Lee said. 

Originally published: https://news.arizona.edu/news/university-arizona-marks-historic-kazakhstan-commencement-expands-national-partnership