Non-profit limited company
"Manash Kozybayev
North Kazakhstan university"
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When you know a thing, to hold that you know it. And when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it. This is knowledge.

Confucius
Faculty News
AF: Field Day

On June 26, 2025, a Field Day was held at the production sites of LLP "Service-ZHARS" (Kyzylzhar District, North Kazakhstan Region) on the topic: "Eff читать далее

ILL: Международная научно-практическая конференция, посвященная выдающемуся поэту и национальному интеллектуалу Магжану Жумабаеву

Кафедра «Казахский язык и литература» Института языка и литературы Северо-Казахстанского университета имени М. Козыбаева 19 июня 2025 года проводит Ме читать далее

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History of the university

First building of the Petropavlovsk Teacher-Training Institute (1937–1938)
First building of the Petropavlovsk Teacher-Training Institute (1937–1938)

The history of M. Kozybayev North Kazakhstan University is closely connected with the history of the Republic of Kazakhstan, its culture and education. The following milestones mark the development of one of the country’s oldest higher-education institutions:

  • 1937
    Founding of the Petropavlovsk Teacher-Training Institute by the Decree of the Council of People’s Commissars of the Kazakh SSR dated March 19, 1937. According to Order №835 of July 25, 1937, classes started on September 1, 1937 in two faculties: Natural Sciences & Geography, and History.
  • 1938
    Opening of the extramural (part-time) department.
  • 1939
    The institute was awarded state status.
  • 1945
    The state teacher-training institute was named after K. D. Ushinskiy, a renowned educator of the 19th century.
  • 1955
    Reorganization into the Petropavlovsk Pedagogical Institute.
  • 1978
    Reorganization of the Ural Polytechnic Institute’s Petropavlovsk general-technical faculty into the general-technical faculty of the Karaganda Polytechnic Institute (evening and extramural study).
  • 1982
    Establishment of the Petropavlovsk branch of the Karaganda Polytechnic Institute.
  • 1994
    A Higher Technical College was founded on the basis of the Petropavlovsk branch.
  • 1994
    North Kazakhstan University was opened on the basis of the Pedagogical Institute.
  • 1996
    Merger of North Kazakhstan University and the Higher Technical College into a single university.
  • 1998
  • 2001
    By Government Order №163 of January 31, 2001, the University received official state-university status; the institution successfully passed accreditation.
  • 2003
    By Government Order №497 of May 30, 2003, the University was named after Academician Manash Kozybayev.
  • 2005
    Certification of the quality management system for compliance with ISO 9001:2000.
  • 2007
    Opening of a diversified (multi-profile) college.
  • 2008
    Introduction of strategic planning elements; development and adoption of the University mission.
  • 2009
    Opening of the swimming pool. Successful unscheduled inspection for compliance with licensing rules and education law. Launch of the WAP portal.
  • 2010
    Institutional accreditation (National Accreditation Centre, MES RK) and successful state certification. Signing of the Magna Charta Universitatum.
  • 2011
  • 2012
    Reorganization as the Republican State Enterprise “North Kazakhstan State University named after M. Kozybayev”. Launch of the new official website.
  • 2013
    Opening of three new Bachelor’s programs; accreditation of three programs by the German agency ASIIN.
  • 2014
    Establishment of the University Science & Technology Park. Successful completion of institutional and specialized accreditation (34 programs, IAAR). Start of participation in the state program “Serpin-2050”.
  • 2015
    Accreditation of five programs by ASIIN and successful specialized accreditation of 19 programs (IAAR).
  • 2016
    Reformation of the organizational structure; re-establishment of the Institute of Retraining and Advanced Training; creation of the Foundation Faculty and the Supervisory Board. Adoption of Internal Quality Assurance and Academic Policies & Standards.
  • 2017
    Specialized accreditation of 14 programs (IAAR). 80th-anniversary events; national seminar on academic policy; 100% of programs accredited. Opening of the Dissertation Council for several programs; joining the EUA.
  • 2018
    Creation of the Faculty of Engineering & Digital Technologies, Faculty of Mathematics & Natural Sciences, Agrotechnology Faculty, and the High School of Medicine. Opening of the Career & Employment Center and the Student Service Center “QYZYLJAR”. Entry into the CIS Network University. Launch of 12 Bachelor’s, 10 Master’s, and 2 Doctoral programs. Joining the League of Academic Integrity.
  • 2019
    Opening of eight innovation laboratories, the Center for Italian Language & Culture, and the Alley of Students. Opening of Dissertation Councils in Electric Power Engineering, Mechanical Engineering; Radio Engineering, Electronics & Telecommunications; and Computer Science & Control.
  • 2020
    Opening of five new programs. On 01.07.2020 the State University was transformed into the Non-Profit JSC “M. Kozybayev North Kazakhstan University” (Order №315 of May 25, 2020).
  • 2021
    Opening of the Mediation Center and the 1C Certification Center. Structural transformation: creation of the Higher School of Social Sciences & Humanities and the Higher School of Technology & Natural Sciences. Trilateral cooperation agreement between the MoES RK, the University of Arizona, and NKU. Successful specialized accreditation of 10 programs (ARQA).
  • 2022
    Opening of a new educational & laboratory complex; certification center “Technology of Nutrition of Agricultural Plants”. Two branches of institutes of history and archaeology opened at NKU; IELTS Test Center launched; museum overhaul completed. The University celebrated its 85th anniversary.
  • 2023
    Launch of the MBA program. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited NKU. Successful completion of accreditation for 5 programs. Establishment of a Joint Agro-Competence Center within the Silk Road Alliance for Agricultural Education & Innovation. Opening of the Bachelor’s program 6B07107 Technical Operation, Maintenance and Repair of Railway Cars. Opening of the Dissertation Council for 8D07102 Chemical Technology of Organic Substances.
  • 2024
    A new organizational structure approved; Anti-Corruption Compliance Service, International Campus and “Serpin Qoldau” office created; Center for Inclusive Education opened. NKU became a founding member of AGUNE (ASIIN’s Global Network of Advanced Universities). A joint China–Kazakhstan livestock laboratory opened (Shaanxi). A modern Student House opened.

More details about the University’s history can be found in the following books: