New grants and infrastructure projects: things prepared for students in 2024-2025 academic year

This year, more than 188 thousand graduates graduated from schools. It is expected that about 140 thousand of them will enter universities. Thus, the total number of students this academic year will amount to almost 650 thousand people, El.kz cites primeminister.kz.

Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek reported on the distribution of grants, readiness for admission of students, providing them with places in dormitories at the Government session chaired by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov.

According to him, the number of grants will increase from 2022. In addition, there are additional mechanisms to increase the availability of higher education. In particular, differentiated grants, soft loans, programs "National Fund for Children" and "Keleshek".

Currently, there are 120 higher education institutions operating in the republic. The Ministry has approved the state order for training for the next 3 academic years. A total of 94250 grants have been allocated for the 2024-2025 academic year. Of these, about 79 thousand - for bachelor's degree, more than 13 thousand - for master's degree and 2919 - for doctoral studies.

More than 181 thousand applicants, taking into account two attempts, took the UNT 326 thousand times. This is 20 thousand more than last year. 82% of candidates passed the threshold score. This year, 11 thousand more applicants participated in the competition for grants compared to last year. The decision to award grants was made by the Republican Competition Commission, and the results were announced on August 3.

For the first time in the last 3 years the state educational order was utilized by 99%. In particular, 412 children from socially vulnerable groups, 382 children with disabilities, 3,576 children from large families, 933 children from single-parent families and 437 children from families raising children with disabilities received grants based on the results of the contest.

This year, for the first time, thanks to a change in the admission procedure, 1604 Kandas received grants. Previously, they took UNT in 5 subjects, but from 2024 - only in 3 subjects (reading literacy and 2 profile subjects), and no threshold score requirements are set for them.

100% of the targeted grants for youth from western and densely populated regions of the country were utilized. Due to the flooding in the country, we awarded a small portion of the grants to graduates from the affected regions - 5,112 grants. Of the more than 20,000 graduates from flooded regions, more than 10,000 qualified for the general competition.

"Although there were quotas for the affected regions, most applicants from these regions received grants through the general competition.Only 1,130 or 1.7% of the grants were utilized. To support them, they were given more time to prepare and submit documents for the competition, as well as the opportunity to present a certificate with the best results of the UNT," the Minister reported.

The grants for agriculture and veterinary medicine have been fully utilized. This year for the first time 300 differentiated grants were allocated. More than 31 thousand candidates applied for them.

More than 60% of the state order was aimed at training personnel in priority areas of the economy (engineering and construction, pedagogy, health care, information and communication technologies, agriculture, veterinary medicine).

According to UNT results, the highest competition was for training programs in dentistry (35 people for 1 place), international relations (12 people for 1 place), translation (10 people for 1 place), psychology (9 people for 1 place), law (8 people for 1 place), teaching of drawing (8 people for 1 place), and teaching of foreign languages (8 people for 1 place).

The least competition was for the transportation construction, mechanics, and animal science programs of study.

"In addition to the allocated grants, additional grants are also provided.At the moment more than 2 thousand grants have been allocated by local executive bodies. This figure will increase. In addition, there are grants from the KazEnergy association. The Republic of Turkey has provided 500 grants to study at the Yassaui International Kazakh-Turkish University. Freedom Finance Group yesterday provided 400 grants. International University of Tourism and Hospitality in Turkestan offered 800 targeted grants. The "Kazakhstan Khalkyna" Foundation has allocated 850 grants. In addition, 18 leading universities of the country also provide their rector grants.Among them are the universities named after S. Satpayev, Esenenov, and S. S. Gorky. Satpayev, Yesenov, Amanzholov, Toraigyrov, Turan-Astana and others provided more than 3 thousand grants. There is an opportunity to receive grants based on the results of the session. There are also grants from employers," the speaker said.

At the moment there are more than 8 thousand additional grants, this figure will reach at least 10 thousand.

One of the important issues for students at the beginning of the academic year is the issue of dormitories. The problem of their shortage remains only in Almaty and Astana. The Ministry is working on the introduction of public-private partnership mechanism to strengthen the infrastructure of universities. As a result, 126 objects for 27 thousand beds have been put into operation. In 2024 it is planned to put into operation 27 hostels for 10576 beds. Among them the largest object is the campus of the Eurasian National University for 2.7 thousand beds, in Petropavlovsk the hostels of Kozybaev University for 1.2 thousand and 306 beds.

"These mechanisms allowed to build dormitories with modern design, the concept of green campus and in the format of student residences student residence, corresponding to foreign standards. For example, a 424-bed NARHOZ dormitory will be commissioned in Almaty. In Astana and Almaty, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education is working to increase the size of the state order for the conversion of buildings into dormitories. Since a significant arrival of students is expected at the beginning of the academic year, especially in Almaty and Astana, our Ministry will organize a single call center and situation center," Sayasat Nurbek reported.

Also, situation centers to assist students in accommodation in dormitories will work in all universities until mid-September. Issues on all facilities are under constant control.

From June 1 to August 15 of the current year, repair works were planned in the universities. At present the number of administrative and educational buildings is 508 units. In 20 of them major repairs are being carried out, in 79 - current repairs. In 14 higher educational establishments major repairs are carried out, in 63 higher educational establishments current repairs are carried out. Besides, libraries and canteens are under major and current repair. All works will be completed by August 25.

The Minister of Science and Higher Education also reported on the implementation of the Head of State's instruction to open branches of leading foreign educational institutions in the country. Works on their development continue at an intensive pace.

In Almaty it is planned to open 5 large campuses, the works are underway. In Astana 2 leading British universities plan to open campuses. In Turkestan, a leading Korean university of technology is opening a large branch.

In general, 27 branches of leading foreign research universities are being opened. This year, 1.8 thousand grants were provided for studying in them. 1,014 grants have been utilized, but the competitive procedures have not been completed.

Now the Ministry has a big task to transform higher education institutions into a research format. This large-scale work starts this year. It is planned to take advantage of close cooperation with foreign universities, as well as foreign students studying in Kazakhstan. Thus, the academic strategy is being put into practice.

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