Satbayev University rose in the international rating by 100 points and took the leading position in R&D in Kazakhstan
On 25 of November, the annual reporting meeting was held at Satbayev University, at which Iskander Beisembetov, the rector of the University delivered a speech. The managerial personnel of the university reported on the work done during the year and on the development prospects for the next year of the oldest technical university of the country.
In 2015, Nursultan Nazarbayev set up a target to create modern research technical university at the premises of the KazNITU (Kazakh National Research Technological University) named after K.I. Satpayev, in which they will not only teach students, but also generate scientific and technical projects.
Since 2016, Satbayev University had made a bet for the development of research projects, close cooperation with the business and manufacturing sector. At the end of the reporting year, the former Polytech (Polytechnic University) came out on top among all universities in our country.
"Over the past year, university scientists have won 6 targeted financing programs and 49 grant financing projects at republican competitions of scientific and technical projects. An additional point is that we won three strategically important competitions for the commercialization of the results of scientific and technological activities, including within the framework of the “Stimulating Productive Innovations” World Bank's program,” Iskander Beisembetov stated. In the reporting year, with the participation of the university, four new research and production structures were formed, including the International Atomic Industry Research and Education Center, created in 2017 in cooperation with Kazatomprom. This year, the second place was taken by the promising Institute of Digital Engineering and Technology, which won 4 tenders for IT development in its first year of work including two foreign tenders. The International Center for Field Analysis and Development, created jointly with the transnational Baker Hughes a GE Company, and a joint venture Satbayev University & ArcelorMittal Gas Production for the development and production of methane were opened in Karaganda region in 2018.
“It is very important to note that 48% of our professors and young teachers are involved in the implementation of the research and development projects ordered to us at the university,” the rector said. “Today, such indicators in Kazakhstan can be, perhaps, only at Nazarbayev University”.
As we expected, the increment in the intensity of scientific and technological work had a positive effect on the level of the educational process. "We constantly monitor the quality of work of our departments and we have our own showings, however, I will rely on third-party measurements for objectivity: the official external evaluation of educational achievements by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and on change in the rating of Satbayev University from independent agencies,” the rector stated.
As shown in the diagrams, the part of educational programs unsatisfactorily evaluated by the Ministry of Education and Science has decreased 10 times. There was an increase in both the average grade and the results in the exact sciences. The percentage of students who speak English at Intermediate B1 level increased from 0.3% to 24% with the introduction of intensive language training on September 1, 2016.
“For 2 years we have managed to modernize the educational environment, reorienting it to quality. Now all indicators should grow steadily, when they reach a tableland and stabilize in 2021. Although, even now our ratings have increased significantly. We have risen from 3rd place to 2nd place in the national rating of IQAA. As a result of the increase in research and in growth of key academic indicators in 2017, the university took 411-420 places among the 800 best universities in the world in the international QS World University Rating. Thus, in comparison with 2016, when the university took 551-600 places, there was a rise in the international ranking of more than 100 points,” the rector summed up.
Bagdaulet Kenzhaliyev, Vice-Rector for Research; Rinat Iskakov, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs; Murat Zhurinov, President of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Dosym Suleev, director of the Institute of Seismology; Bolat Kuspangaliev, Director of the Institute of Architecture, Construction and Energy named after TK Kuspangaliev had spoken at the meeting. Berik Mukhtybaev, the head of the Rector’s Office, presided as a chairman.
