In the year of University’s 90th anniversary and 125th jubilee of Kanysh Satbayev, Rector of Satbayev University reported on the work done
An annual reporting meeting was held at Satbayev University, at which University’s Rector Meiram Begentayev, held a speech, who reported on the work done over the past three years and on the prospects for evolving the country's oldest technical university for the next three years.
Three years ago, University, which at that time faced many problems with the infrastructure and organization of the educational process, set ambitious goals for itself and almost all of them were achieved and even exceeded. Thanks to University staff’s work with the support of State Head and Ministry of Science and Higher Education, University has achieved so much in a short time, restoring the attractiveness of engineering and technical specialties for young people.
Satbayev University immediately identified its main goal - to become a scientific, research, technical and educational center of the country. All the transformations and projects of University were somehow aimed at implementing the main mission of Satbayev University: "Science and education for the benefit of people." For the first time in many years, University's development program was approved by the decree of Government of the country. Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayassat Nurbek supports University’s transformation and ambitious plans, as well as its desire to contribute to the society’s sustainable development.
In August 2023, Satbayev University became the first and currently the only university in Kazakhstan to join UN Global Compact. University has become an official educational partner of SDG Ambition Accelerator program, basing its approach to achieving the sustainability goals on achieving 100% academic integrity and managing the sustainability projects, rejecting unethical practices in education and science. As a result, University's approach to achieving sustainability goals has been recognized by UN as a benchmark for the academic community of Central Asian countries.
Satbayev University has set a goal to become one of the 200 best universities in the world. University is still working towards the given goal, consistently improving the level of its educational activities and expanding its presence on the world stage.
University has increased the number of students to 12,670, of which 90% find work in the first year after graduation; 1,165 international students from 19 countries of Europe and Asia study at the university. University's goal - to train 20% of undergraduates and 10% of doctoral students is fixed in University's development program. In three years, the number of doctoral students' defenses has been increased 2 times, and with the purpose to increase them even more, a pilot Pre-Doctoral course has been launched.
University's academic activities are based on integrating the scientific research into the educational process, creating the individual trajectories of students' education and their acquisition of practical skills in the workplace. By May 2024, University has 32 departments at enterprises, 6 more will be opened in the near future.
University has more than 800 contracts with practice-based enterprises, so that students undergo practical training from the second year of study. By the third year, most of them already know where they will go to work after graduation. University actively attracts practical engineers to teaching, university teachers undergo internships at enterprises. As a result, graduates quickly adapt to real work processes, and teachers grow professionally: in 2023, 14 teachers of Satbayev University were awarded "Best University Teacher" title.
Satbayev University conducts an extensive program of digitalization of education, becoming the first university in Kazakhstan to receive a license for online education. University acquired 1000 licenses of the international educational platform Coursera. 885 students and 130 teaching staff received 5053 certificates of successful completion of degree programs in the field of information technology, robotics, machine learning, biomedicine and others. There are plans to scale digital educational services to the education market of Kazakhstan and Central Asia.
Separately, it is worth noting the joint project of Porsche Kazakhstan and Satbayev University, where 85 million tenge of investments were invested to create the VR laboratory.
Over the past three years, University has significantly increased its income from scientific activities: in 2023, University received four times more from contractual activities and grant funding. To date, Satbayev University scientists are working on 95 grant financing projects and 10 programs, including 2 mega-grants of program-targeted financing for almost 6.8 billion tenge. Revenues from contracts with enterprises increased 4 times - up to 2 billion tenge.
In 2024-2025, projects on creating the StroyTech technology park and development of energy generating technologies will be implemented within the framework of mega grants. As part of PCV programs, it is planned to open 2 laboratories: Gravimetric Laboratory and Artificial Intelligence Research Lab, as well as the modernization of Applied Machine Learning Laboratory.
During the summer period of 2024, it is planned to form the ecosystem of Fab Lab (Fabrication Laboratory), a branch of a worldwide network of laboratories with the most advanced equipment for digital production. To do this, University has signed an agreement with MIT Lab. This ecosystem for scientific creativity will open its doors to students, staff and teachers not only for Satbayev University, but also for colleagues from other universities.
Active work is underway on commercializing the scientific projects: in 2022, Science Foundation supported 13 projects within the framework of Competition for commercialization worth more than 3 billion tenge, University is executing 23 commercialization projects worth 7 billion 364 million tenge, with co-financing of 1 billion 776 million tenge.
Over the past 3 years, publishing activity has been growing at the university. University has developed a roadmap and began to pay additional remuneration to scientists for publications in highly rated scientific journals from 265 to 738 thousand tenge per publication. In 2023, scientists were paid remuneration for 72 publications.
Collaboration with foreign universities is part of a large-scale program to improve the quality of higher education and scientific research in Kazakhstan. With the support of Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Satbayev University has two new partners: CityU University of Hong Kong and Pennsylvania State University. Agreements have been concluded with both universities on dual degree educational programs, joint research is planned, and the exchange of scientists within the framework of the 500 Scientists and Visiting Professor programs. University thanks Minister Sayassat Nurbek, thanks to whose tremendous help this became possible.
Academic mobility programs have been launched together with Sungkyunkwan University (South Korea), University of Glasgow (UK), Hochschule Hof (Germany). There are already 10 students studying at Siam Railway Vocational Technical Institute (China). At the same time, 9 students from China study at Satbayev University in transport technology and engineering, digital logistics spheres.
University is working to increase salaries for teachers and staff: a lower income limit for teachers has been provided, which is determined owing to Minister’s decree. The upper limit is not restricted by anyone or anything, and depends on the demand for the skills and knowledge of employees.
University creates all conditions for advancing the students’ creative potential. To do this, students and the entire staff are provided with round-the-clock access to the university's infrastructure: coworking, libraries, concert and sports halls, rooms for rehearsals and meetings. With the support of investors and patrons, the existing infrastructure has been updated and additional creative spaces have been created, such as Ulykpan Sydykov Creative Center, Art Lab Student Theater, coworking and coffee rooms, open spaces and a comfortable environment.
All facilities have been upgraded in accordance with the principles of inclusion and accessibility. In the Almaty clinic student polyclinic, all interested students and staff receive medical services within the guaranteed volume of free medical care. Citizens actively use the services of UniHUB, where the dining room, coworking and library are located. 3 museums have been opened and renovated: Gallery of Minerals, Museum of Technology Development and Museum of Technology.
University is expanding the fund of dormitories and reducing the severity of the problem with the settlement and allocation of places in dormitories with the help of Dormitory information system. During the check-in period, "Operational Headquarters" works 24/7 to help students in close cooperation with Ministry's Situation Center.
Satbayev University has transferred to the student government a significant part of the university-wide management and self-organization system. Students have elected 21 student deans and chairmen of student councils, they themselves monitor the allocation of places in dormitories, order, and events at the university.
In three years, Satbayev University has created a solid foundation for future achievements. On behalf of State’s Head Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the team is working to create a research hub for new technologies in engineering education and science on the basis of Satbayev University.
Rector stressed that University staff, "Aksakaldar Alkassy" Council and Satbayev University Council of Rectors steadily support the program of work on the given ambitious goal.
