Kazakhstan’s Top Three Universities Slip in QS Asia Rankings

Kazakhstan remained the only Central Asian country with universities in the top 100 of the latest Asian rankings from higher education analysts Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), although all three of its leading institutions fell. In the QS World University Rankings: Asia 2027, released on November 3, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University fell from 38th to 46th, L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University slipped from 61st to 62nd, and Satbayev University dropped from 79th to 89th. Kazakhstan’s representation rose from 44 to 51 universities, putting it 10th in Asia by number of institutions listed. The rankings covered 1,722 universities from 26 countries and territories, with the University of Hong Kong retaining the top spot. Of the 44 universities in Kazakhstan listed in both editions, 24 fell, 14 rose, and six held their positions. QS told Forbes Kazakhstan that 33 had improved their overall scores, explaining that universities can fall in the rankings when competitors make bigger gains. Sarsen Amanzholov East Kazakhstan University made the biggest gain among the country’s institutions, climbing 64 places to 618th. Nazarbayev University rose 62 places to tie for 139th. QS evaluates universities using 11 indicators, including academic reputation, employer reputation, research performance, and student exchanges. Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Science and Higher Education said the country’s universities scored above the Asian average on seven of those indicators. However, their average score for citations per paper, a measure of research impact, was just 3.8 points, compared with 35.2 across Asia, QS noted. The ministry said more than 30 foreign university branch campuses had opened in Kazakhstan, expanding opportunities for student exchanges and academic cooperation. Kazakhstan accounted for eight of the top 10 universities in QS’s Central Asia table, with its three leading institutions taking the top spots. Uzbekistan’s Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers National Research University placed fourth, and the National University of Uzbekistan named after Mirzo Ulugbek placed ninth. In the same regional table, Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University was Kyrgyzstan’s highest-ranked institution, placing 14th, followed by the American University of Central Asia in 15th. Tajik National University ranked 43rd. The separate QS World University Rankings 2027 included 18 universities from Kazakhstan. Al-Farabi Kazakh National University was the country’s highest-ranked institution, tying for 177th.