Kazakhstan to leave only 100 universities in 2 years

RoK Minister of Education and Science, Bakytzhan Zhumagulov. Photo: studlife.kzThe Ministry of Education and Science of Kazakhstan will continue its work on reduction of number of universities in the republic and we will have around 100 universities remaining in the nearest two years, reported Kazakhstan Minister of Education and Science Bakytzhan Zhumagulov at the government meeting on Tuesday.

“Currently we slashed the number of universities from 149 down to 136. The experience shows that the majority of the commercial universities are unable to provide education of the required quality. That's why we plan to slash their number from 66 to 30 in the nearest three years”, said Zhumagulov.“We do not preclude optimization of the public universities either, especially in the view of the President's instruction to focus on meeting the needs of the country's regions. In the end, the total number of the universities will make 100 in two years," Zhumagulov said at the government meeting.

"This will allow us to reach the universities/population ratio accepted in developed countries. In the end most of Kazakhstan regions will have one state and one major private university each," said the Minister.

 “We are conducting a detailed analysis of the material base, teaching staff, and demand for the graduates. And the sole purpose of this optimization will be ensuring of required quality of education”,- added the Minister. “Therefore, as the result of consolidation, the universities will substantially increase their potential and be capable of preparing competitive specialists”, clarified the head of Education and Science.

The key requirement, according to the Minister, is that”all students of consolidated universities should continue their education”.

azh.kz