Cardiff University have opened its first international campus in Kazakhstan.
Cardiff University Kazakhstan is currently the only Russel Group campus in Central Asia.
The opening ceremony, which took place on September 3rd 2025 in Astana, was attended by key figures from the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan alongside senior leaders from Cardiff Uni.
As of late September 2025, Cardiff University Kazakhstan will admit students to four-year undergraduate programmes – including BSc computer science, BSc business management, BEng civil engineering and BSc exploration geology.
Each programme includes a Foundation Year focusing on either STEM or Business, and will be delivered in English. Students will also benefit from the opportunity to study abroad at Cardiff campus and access new on-site accommodation.
The campus will operate under the direct governance of Cardiff University to ensure academic standards are maintained.
The grand opening ceremony included a cultural programme symbolising the exchange of traditions between Kazakhstan and Wales, Kazakh and Welsh delicacies, a performance of the traditional Welsh harp, and cultural performances blending elements from both countries.
Cardiff University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Wendy Larner said: “We share Kazakhstan’s ambitions to become an international education hub and expand higher education as key driver of the country’s future development and prosperity.
“The opening is the culmination of a huge amount of work. I am extremely grateful to my Cardiff colleagues, our colleagues in Cardiff University Kazakhstan, and our partners in QCEF.
“I am also incredibly thankful to the Government of Kazakhstan for its support in realising our shared ambitions. Our presence will hopefully mark the start of a long and prosperous relationship with Kazakhstan and its people.”
The move is part of Cardiff’s international strategy Our Future, Together and forms a key part of the university’s commitment to develop reciprocal, mutually beneficial relationships across the globe. Not only does this include Kazakhstan, but also in countries such as China, India, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United States.
British Ambassador to Kazakhstan, Mrs Sally Axworthy MBE, called the campus a “new chapter” in UK-Kazakhstan educational collaboration, “bringing more world-class British academic excellence to Kazakh students and strengthening further the ties between our countries. I look forward to seeing the fruits of this initiative.”
Cardiff University’s Chief Operating Officer, Dr Paula Sanderson, noted that over 300 students are already enrolled, less than a year after planning began: “This has all been down to the energy, expertise, and teamwork of colleagues across Cardiff.
“As a researcher in the field of Transnational Education I have rarely seen such an ambitious and holistic strategy as the one that has been brought to fruition in Kazakhstan.
“A strategy which positions Kazakhstan as a higher educational hub beyond the region, a critical enabler to the knowledge economy and thought leader in the field of artificial intelligence. We are proud to be a part of that strategy.”
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Featured image via Google Maps and Canva
