Welcome to the Nazarbayev University School of Sciences and Humanities (NU SSH).

For many years, analysts have argued that we live in a VUCA world: volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. Pandemics, conflicts, natural disasters, climate change, leadership challenges and, more recently, the rise of artificial intelligence all deepen that volatility and uncertainty.

To meet these challenges, we need more and better education in the sciences, the social sciences and the humanities. Science helps us understand how the world works. The social sciences help us understand how societies change. The humanities help us understand who we are and what we value. Together, they teach people to think critically, ask better questions, and act with responsibility.

At NU SSH, students combine depth in their chosen field with broad intellectual training. We offer five undergraduate programs: Political Science and International Relations, Sociology, Linguistics and World Literature, Chemistry and Physics. We also offer five master’s programs, including the joint NU–SOAS degree in Global Affairs and Eurasian Studies (London–Astana). Our PhD programs in Eurasian Studies, Physics and Chemistry prepare researchers for careers in academia.

NU SSH has a particularly strong concentration of scholars with expertise and research interests in the Eurasian region, creating a unique center of excellence in the topic. Partnerships and academic mobility with leading universities and organizations extend learning beyond the campus. Our students graduate with the skills necessary to join the labor force in international or governmental institutions, or to pursue further education.

Whether you are choosing your first degree, deepening your expertise, or beginning a research career, NU SSH is the ideal place to study the social sciences and humanities, to be future-ready, and to become a transformational leader.

I invite you to explore our programs, meet our community, and join us.

Riccardo Pelizzo

Dean, NU School of Sciences and Humanities