19.11.2025 года на медицинском факультете был проведен круглый стол «Патриотизм как научная и нравственная позиция Манаша Козыбаева», посвящённый дню читать далее
Quotation gallery
No matter how good teaching may be, each student must take the responsibility for his own education.
John Carolus S. J.
Faculty News
Круглый стол «Роль Манаша Козыбаева в развитии гуманитарного образования в Казахстане», посвящённый дню рождения выдающегося казахстанского учёного-гу читать далее
13 ноября 2025 года в группе Ин6-ВОП-24к прошёл кураторский час на тему «Вопросы профилактики ВИЧ-инфекции». Мероприятие провела старший преподаватель читать далее
Ethics in biomedical research: Professor Claudio's lecture from Italy At the Faculty of Medicine, within the framework of international coo читать далее
Yesterday, on October 31, 2025, Astana hosted the International Forum of Strategic Partners "Kazakhstan — the territory of Academic Education", at whi читать далее
On August 28, 2025, an important event dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan was held in the conference читать далее
On June 30, 2025, the Faculty of History, Economics and Law held the final meeting of the Faculty Council this academic year. The council summed up th читать далее
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
Кафедра «Казахский язык и литература» Института языка и литературы Северо-Казахстанского университета имени М. Козыбаева 19 июня 2025 года проводит Ме читать далее
Congratulations to Tamerlan Aikenov, a graduate of Economics, on his high sporting achievements! In April 2025, Tamerlan took part in the 2025 World читать далее
History of the university
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
Opening of the military training department.
- 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
Opening of four PhD programs and five Master’s programs.
- 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: