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Our Mission Statement

Purpose of the Kazakh-German University

• We are an international network university, inspired by Humboldt's idea of the university.

• In Central Asia, we integrate science, society, and culture in a unique combination of education, research, and transfer.

• We inspire students, teachers, and researchers to contribute to social and economic prosperity and sustainability in Kazakhstan and Central Asia.

• We are committed to our binational heritage and are an independent academic organization.

Based on a German-Kazakh intergovernmental agreement, we are a light house project for scientific relations between the two countries.

The Principles of DKU

1. Quality und autonomy

The university's structures are based on the German principles of university autonomy. These are not an end in themselves. Autonomy is granted to ensure that the quality of science at DKU can develop in the best possible manner. University autonomy and the highest possible academic quality standards are the basis of teaching, research, and transfer at the university:

  • We are a learning organization and continuously improve the quality of our scientific services. Our quality assurance system, accreditations and evaluations guarantee this.
  • We also set high standards for our services and base our quality standards on the best practice of excellent universities in Germany.

2. Responsibility for society

Without science, the societal challenges of the 21st century, brought about by climate change, digitalization, and globalization, cannot be solved, neither on a large nor on a small scale. The DKU is aware of this responsibility for a sustainable world.

  • The focus of education, research, and transfer at DKU is on social, economic, and technological change in Kazakhstan and Central Asia.
  • At DKU, scientists from diverse disciplines both teach and engage in interdisciplinary research, aiming to address various aspects of social, economic, and technological change in Kazakhstan and Central Asia.
  • Activities at the DKU are guided by the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations Agenda.

3. Kazakhstan and Germany

The binational heritage characterizes the university's activities. The DKU's governing bodies regularly consist of citizens from Kazakhstan and Germany. The university cultivates encounters between German and Kazakh culture and science. We form a bridge for scientific and cultural exchange between Germany and Kazakhstan:

  • Studies of foreign languages and the acquisition of intercultural skills are a central element of our university. Our focus is on German, English, Russian and Kazakh. The connection to the German language and culture plays a special role in this respect.
  • We promote the international mobility of our students and staff, in particular mobility between Kazakhstan and Germany.
  • We are supported by a consortium of German universities.

We work together with the German cultural institutions in Kazakhstan.

4. University culture

For students, researchers, teaching staff, administrative staff and governing bodies, working together at the university is not only governed by statutory regulations, rules and instructions but is also based on a shared understanding of values that are binding for everyone. We foster an open university culture:

  • Appreciation, respect, tolerance, honesty, and open-mindedness define the way we work together. To achieve our goals, we take joint responsibility for the development of our organizational and management structures.
  • Everyone who teaches, researches and studies at the university must observe the rules of good scientific practice.
  • We promote strengths and talents. We ensure equal opportunities and freedom from discrimination and pay attention to the health and safety of our students and staff. We are a responsible employer.
  • We ensure that there is no corruption at the university.
  • Together, we contribute to making the university campus an attractive place for learning, research, knowledge transfer, and dialogue with society.

5. Study and teaching

The study program at DKU is high-quality academic education according to German standards, whose curricula are developed together with German universities. Visiting professors and guest lecturers from Germany are involved in teaching at DKU. We provide our students with a high professional qualification according to German standards. Our degree program prepares students for professional success:

  • We teach intercultural skills and foreign language proficiency for employment in international professional fields.
  • We offer a double degree with German university partners in all our bachelor's degree programs and, in the future, also in the master's degree program.
  • We promote personal development and teach independent and responsible action as well as analytical thinking.
  • Perspectives on sustainable development are an integral part of the studies. Our students learn to think and act in an interdisciplinary way.
  • We are innovative in teaching. We regularly improve our teaching methods and develop new digital learning formats.

6. ​​​​​​​Knowledge triangle of education, research, and innovation

In research, DKU builds on its strengths as a network university. It works closely with German universities to develop its research potential. In terms of its social commitment, research at the DKU should evolve within the framework of the knowledge triangle encompassing education, research, and innovation.

  • Education, research, and transfer are three equal pillars of the DKU that are linked together. Research, education and innovation form a knowledge triangle at DKU.
  • The DKU initiates and designs platforms and networks with the aim of introducing and integrating Kazakh science into the German education and research area. Networking is based on strategic partnerships with Kazakh and German universities and research institutions.
  • To promote the next generation of scholars, DKU collaborates with research-strong and leading universities in Germany.
  • DKU contributes its expertise to society, engaging in dialogue and knowledge exchange with stakeholders in business, society, and politics, and collaborates with the industry in various projects.

UNIVERSITY DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY UNTIL 2028