Cardiff University Kazakhstan – Cardiff University's first overseas branch campus and the only current Russell Group campus in Central Asia, is officially open.
The opening ceremony, attended by key figures from the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan alongside senior leaders from Cardiff University and Cardiff University Kazakhstan took place in Astana today (Wednesday 3 September 2025).
Cardiff University's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Wendy Larner said: "I was delighted to officially open our branch campus in Astana – our first international branch campus of Cardiff University.
"We look forward to welcoming our first cohort of academically excellent students later this month [September 2025]. We are the UK's first Russell Group university to open a campus in Kazakhstan marking an important step in our future global ambition.
"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 opening is the culmination of a huge collective effort across the University - a fact not lost on Cardiff University's Chief Operating Officer, Dr Paula Sanderson.
"This really is a milestone worth celebrating, with over 300 students already enrolled, which is an astonishing feat, particularly as this project began less than a year ago. This has all been down to the energy, expertise, and teamwork of colleagues across Cardiff," insists Dr Sanderson.
"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," she added.
Starting in 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 of the programmes span four years and include a Foundation Year focusing on either STEM or Business. The courses will be delivered in English by Cardiff University and Cardiff University Kazakhstan academics. The campus will operate under the direct governance of Cardiff University to ensure academic standards are maintained.
Students will also benefit from academic mobility opportunities across campuses and will be provided with modern student residences.
British Ambassador to Kazakhstan, Mrs Sally Axworthy MBE, who attended the launch said: "It is a great honour to be participating in the grand opening of Cardiff University here in Astana as one of my first engagements as British Ambassador to Kazakhstan.
"The opening marks 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."
The grand opening ceremony was accompanied by a cultural programme symbolising the exchange of traditions between Kazakhstan and Wales. Guests enjoyed national Kazakh and Welsh delicacies, listened to a performance of traditional Welsh harp music, and experienced cultural performances blending elements from both countries.
Efforts to develop Transnational Education (TNE), not just in Kazakhstan, but in countries such as China, India, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United States, are central to the ambitions of Cardiff University's strategy ' Our Future, Together ' and forms a key apart of the University's commitment to develop reciprocal, mutually beneficial relationships across the globe.
