NU first debuted in the THE World University Rankings 2024, entering the 501–600 band, which placed it among the top 30% of global universities. This year, NU has advanced into the 401–500 band, confirming its status as the #1 university in Central Asia and the Caucasus and among the leading institutions in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
The rise reflects improvements across multiple performance indicators, with NU particularly excelling in research quality (76.8), underscoring the global impact of its faculty and students. A total of 2,191 organizations from 115 countries and territories participated in the ranking.
“Our progress in the rankings brings great credit to the NU community. It reflects the hard work and dedication of our faculty, students, and staff, and reinforces our growing reputation on the global stage. We celebrate this achievement, but also recognize areas for further improvement. Our goal is to ensure NU receives the recognition it deserves as a world-class and proudly Kazakhstani university. As we celebrate this milestone, we look ahead with renewed ambition to advancing research, fostering innovation, and expanding our impact on the world stage,” said Prof. Waqar Ahmad, President of Nazarbayev University.
The THE World University Rankings is regarded as one of the most prestigious global benchmarks for research-intensive universities, making NU’s achievement especially noteworthy. The University’s improved standing reflects gains across all three core components of the ranking - teaching, research environment, and, most notably, research quality. These areas will be core to NU’s new institutional strategy, further reinforcing its growing reputation on the global stage.
The announcement coincides with Prof. Ahmad’s participation in the Times Higher Education World Academic Summit in Saudi Arabia, which is being held for the first time in the Middle East, in partnership with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), on 7–9 October. Delegates are convening at this flagship event to focus on the role of universities as active agents of progress and change.
This success carries added significance as NU marks 15 years since its founding. In August 2025, NU was awarded institutional accreditation following the International Quality Review (IQR) conducted by the UK’s Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), one of the world’s leading quality assurance bodies. This milestone confirms that NU meets rigorous international standards for educational quality.
The University’s growing reputation is reflected in a 34% rise in applications in 2025, exceeding 10,000, while its graduates achieve one of the highest employability rates globally, with around 98% securing positions across diverse industries. With faculty members representing more than 60 countries, NU fosters a truly international learning environment. As part of its commitment to teaching excellence, NU partners with Advance HE, a UK-based organization dedicated to enhancing quality, leadership, and inclusivity in higher education.