L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, an acknowledged academic, research, social and cultural centre, was founded in 1996 by the Decree of N.A.Nazarbayev, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The core reason for establishing this higher education institution was the idea of Eurasian Union. The university, which plays an important role Eurasian academic area, has itself initiated the process leading to the achievement of this goal.
Today the ENU is a university with special status acquired under the Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and with sufficiently high international authority; it is an implementer of academic innovative technologies and continuer of the best research traditions.
The main achievements of the ENU activities during the period of 1996-2012 are as follows:
Membership in international organisations - since 2000 the ENU has been a member of the International Higher Education Academy of Science. In 2002 it was accepted by the Eurasian Universities Association and the International Research Association of the CIS and the Baltic countries. Since 2004 it has been a full member of the European Association of Universities. In 2005 the ENU signed the Magna Charta Universitatum (Magna Charta of European Universities) in Bologna (Italy).
International recognition - the ENU was awarded the prestigious international medal “United Europe” (Oxford, 2005), the International Socrates award for its contribution to the intellectual development of modern society (Oxford, 2006), and the golden star “The CIS Best Company” (Moscow, 2007). It was accredited by the Supreme Committee for Non-Jordan Higher Education Institutions Accreditation (the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, 2009). Six programmes in engineering developed at the ENU were accredited by the Association of Engineering Education (Russia, 2011). 10 educational programmes of ENU (Bachelor and Master Degrees) were accredited by the Institute of Accreditation and Certification and Quality Assurance ACQUIN and assigned the European quality label (Germany, 2012). ENU has taken 1st tier in general rankings arranged by Independent Kazakhstan Quality Assurance Agency for Education (IQAA) (2012). It was the first among Kazakhstani higher education institutions to enter the list of the Top 400 (369th place) world universities according to the QS World University Ranking (2012). The English version of the University website took the 4th place at the world-class exhibition “QS APPLE 2010” and the ENU website took 2317th place in Webometrics Ranking of World Universities (2012).
International cooperation is conducted by virtue of 130 agreements with foreign institutions, think tanks and other research organisations of the countries of the EU, USA and Oceania, Asia and Africa, the CIS, and with international research and education foundations, embassies and representation offices in Kazakhstan. In 2001 the Kazakhstani branch of L.V. Lomonossov Moscow State University was opened at the ENU.
The ENU was the first Kazakh University to launch double-diploma Master’s degree within the Net University of the CIS countries and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) University.
Professional training at undergraduate and postgraduate levels is implemented in 13 faculties. Training is conducted in Russian and Kazakh languages only under the full time study that allows providing high quality of education. Reception in L.N.Gumilyov ENU is carried out on the basis of the state educational grants and on a contractual basis. University has the Military Department which is carrying out preparation on two military-registration specialties.
The ENU is firmly in the lead among Kazakhstani universities in the number of state education scholarship holders (72% of the total number of students), the owners of the breastplate “Altyn belgi” and winners of the international and republican Olympiads.
The research and education activities are implemented by highly qualified faculty staff: more than 60% are members of the research and sectoral academies, Doctors and Candidates of Science, Professors, Associate Professors, PhDs, and holders of honored prizes.
Research activity is carried out at the research institutions, centres, and laboratories. Research activity is directed at developing the fundamental science and applied research in the priority areas. Under the order issued by the Committee for Science, the RK MES in 2011 the ENU received a certificate about state accreditation as an entity with research and research technical activity.
The research works correspond to the main directions recommended by the Supreme Scientific and Technical Commission: nuclear and space technologies, bio-and nano-technologies, new technologies for hydrocarbon, mining and smelting industry, and the study of the scientific and methodological basis for forming nation-wide ideas.
According to modern requirements for a scientific management of preparation of bachelor, masters and PhDs the leading scientific countries in partnership with well-known foreign scientists from scientific research centres of science and world universities are involved. Under the programme “Attraction of foreign experts to the RK higher education institutions” foreign Professors and experts from 40 countries visit the university to deliver lectures and conduct research consultations. The unique event was a visit of four Nobel laureates in 2011.
One of the ENU’s priorities is taking measures to educate youth with high civil and moral principles, a sense of patriotism and a social responsibility. To this end, the Centre for Youth Politics was established and annually considerable quantity of university activities is conducted.
With a view to maintating a friendly environment and corporate culture, the following ICT opportunities are provided at the ENU. The Student's philharmonic society operates in following directions: theater-studio, choreography, a vocal, dombra, KVN, image-group. The fully equipped radio and television studio facilities at the university allow students hands-on experience in producing a variety of video and radio-TV programs. Students interested in print and broadcast journalism can work for the university newspaper “Eurasia-Akparat”, university Website, be involved in producing weekly television program “Eurasia TV”, and online radio “Eurasia FM”.
It is given particular importance to formation of health culture for preventive maintenance of a healthy way of life among students, faculty staff and employees of university. Annually corporate activities take place among the faculty staff, and employees. Many students who enthusiastically are engaged in sports sections, participating in competitions of the international level and achieving big successes, bringing glory native alma-mater, the capital, and whole country.
