JOINT KAZAKHSTAN-CHINA COORDINATING COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION AND SCIENCE TO BE ESTABLISHED
On September 1, 2025, a delegation led by Akhylbek Kurishbayev, Chairman of the Board - Rector, President of the National Academy of Sciences under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, visited China Agricultural University (Beijing) and met with CAU President, Professor Sun Xixin.
CAU is a world-renowned public university founded in 1905, making it the oldest agricultural university in China. In addition to its specialized faculties (agronomy and life sciences, biotechnology, medicine, veterinary medicine and animal husbandry, agricultural engineering and automated systems science, resource and environmental science, computer science, marketing and social sciences, economics, marketing and management, law, etc.), the university has 14 colleges and 60 departments, where more than 20,000 students, including international students, are enrolled. The university is ranked 484th in the QS World University Rankings 2025 and 201st in the Shanghai ARWU 2024 Ranking.
Akhylbek Kurishbayev noted that international cooperation is a priority for the university, and to date, KazNARU has signed agreements with more than 40 leading universities in the People's Republic of China to implement educational programs and joint scientific research.
Over the past three years, KazNARU has proven its worth and earned a respected place in the international scientific community. According to the QS World University Rankings 2026, it is ranked among the top 500 global universities in the world based on three critical indicators. It also entered the top 6 best universities in Central Asia. This proves that our university has become an attractive academic center for international students as well.
"Today, KazNARU is one of the organizers of many significant international events. This is not only a recognition of the university in the academic community, but also a confirmation of the importance of strengthening integration between the countries of the region in the fields of science, education, and innovation. The recent initiative of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich Tokayev, which led to the decision at the 'Central Asia – China' summit to declare 2026 as the 'Year of Education and Science,' gives special significance to our meeting today. Now, we intend to further deepen the exchange of knowledge between the universities of the two countries and take scientific research to a new level," Akhylbek Kurishbayev emphasized.
Professor Sun Xixin, President of China Agricultural University, also noted that this meeting allows for a wide range of discussions on agricultural education, science, and innovation, which will give a new impetus to the mutually beneficial partnership between Kazakhstan and China.
The parties exchanged questions and opinions on mutually executed research projects and the prospects for their further expansion and practical implementation of the results.
● FIRST, the creation of a joint "Hub for the Development of Education and Science" at KazNARU, which will become a platform for the integration of international experience, technology transfer, and the training of highly qualified personnel capable of working effectively in the context of digitalization and sustainable agriculture.
● SECOND, the establishment of a "Technopark for the Implementation of Chinese Technologies" at KazNARU, to use practical achievements in the development of agriculture and the production of environmentally friendly products for export. The Technopark is also expected to become a demonstration site for innovative solutions, including robotic systems, smart greenhouses, biotechnologies, and digital platforms for agribusiness management. These technologies will be used both for educational purposes—to train students—and for improving the qualifications of farmers and industry specialists.
● THIRD, the parties agreed to initiate the creation of a joint Kazakhstan-China Coordinating Committee that will deal with issues of agricultural education and science. The new structure will be a mechanism for coordinating strategic areas of cooperation, monitoring the implementation of joint projects, and organizing regular expert meetings. The Coordinating Committee will include representatives of both universities, as well as relevant ministries and research organizations.
At the end of the meeting, the head of KazNARU, Akhylbek Kurishbayev, expressed gratitude to the Chinese side for the warm welcome and constructive dialogue, emphasizing that the agreements reached open up new horizons in the fields of science, education, and the agricultural sector in Central Asia.
"And, we must not forget that agricultural science and education carry a crucial humanitarian function. Universities in this system play the role not only of generators of ideas but also of bearers of responsibility to future generations," Akhylbek Kurishbayev concluded.
In turn, CAU President Sun Xixin also proposed to further expand the partnership in such priority areas as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, digital farming, sustainable livestock farming, and climate-adapted agricultural systems.
Thus, the visit of the KazNARU delegation became an important step towards forming a sustainable scientific and educational alliance between Kazakhstan and China, aimed at developing innovative agriculture and training a new generation of agricultural leaders.
KazNARU Press Service
