Important changes in Nazarbayev University schools’ structures

Beginning August 1, 2019, the structure of Nazarbayev University’s departments will be reorganized.  In particular, the departments of Computer Science and Robotics will be grouped with the departments of Engineering into a new School of Engineering and Digital Sciences.  The departments of Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics will be grouped with the departments of Social Sciences and Humanities into a new School of Sciences and Humanities.

It is important to note that these changes only affect the organization of the university for management and bureaucratic purposes; there will be no changes to the degree names, the content of the academic programs, the facilities, or the professors teaching in the programs.  For example, the Bachelor of Science in Biology is currently taught within the Department of Biology, which is currently part of the School of Science and Technology. In August, the Bachelor of Science in Biology will continue to be taught by the Department of Biology, but the Department will be part of the School of Science and Humanities.  There will be no changes to the Professors, laboratories, or course content. There will also be no changes to advisors, research projects, or laboratories that would affect graduate students.

The changes to the organizational structure are intended to create efficiencies for the University related to accreditation and business processes.  We expect that by reducing the number of Schools, we will create new opportunities for students and professors to work together in creative ways. The only changes that we expect students to experience are the names of the Schools that they join.