In his Address to the People of Kazakhstan on September 2, 2024, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the importance of internationalizing higher education and creating favorable conditions for international students:

“Currently, more than 31,000 international students are studying at universities across the country. This is a record figure for Kazakhstan. By 2029, we must increase their number to 100,000. To achieve this, it is necessary to simplify the visa regime and create the most comfortable conditions for international students to study in our country. In addition, an employment program should be launched so that the best graduates can stay and work in Kazakhstan.”

In line with the priorities outlined by the Head of State, International Engineering and Technological University (METU) places particular emphasis on the internationalization of higher education, attracting international students, supporting their academic and social adaptation, and creating a welcoming, open and multicultural university environment.

As part of this work, the METU Department of International Cooperation held its first event for international students of the 2026–2027 academic year — International Welcome Day «Welcome to METU».

The event brought together international students from across the University and provided a platform for meeting one another, receiving important information and engaging in an open dialogue at the beginning of the new academic year.

Currently, METU welcomes students from the United States of America, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Morocco, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Türkiye, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Russia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine. This broad geographical representation contributes to the development of an international and multicultural educational environment at the University.

Karlygash Nurlanovna Shokhayeva, Director of the Department of International Cooperation, delivered a welcoming address to the participants. She warmly welcomed the international students, congratulated them on the beginning of the new academic year and wished them academic success, new achievements and an active student life at METU.

During the meeting, Karlygash Nurlanovna introduced the students to the University and presented METU’s educational opportunities, modern infrastructure and laboratories. Particular attention was paid to the adaptation of international students and compliance with migration requirements.

Students were provided with important information regarding migration registration, timely preparation and renewal of required documents, compliance with established deadlines, and the rules governing the stay of foreign citizens in Kazakhstan.

The meeting was held in an open-dialogue format. International students actively asked questions related to the educational process, academic matters, migration procedures, cultural and recreational activities, and student life at the University.

The staff of the Department of International Cooperation also provided consultations on migration-related matters and introduced students to the opportunities available through academic mobility programs implemented by METU in cooperation with its international partner universities.

A separate part of the meeting was dedicated to introducing students to WING, the international student community operating under the Department of International Cooperation. Many international students joined WING and expressed their interest in actively participating in the University’s international, cultural, community and student activities.

International Welcome Day «Welcome to METU» marked the beginning of a series of events planned by the Department of International Cooperation for the 2026–2027 academic year. Such meetings help international students adapt more quickly to a new academic and cultural environment, meet fellow students, receive the necessary support and become active members of the METU community.

METU will continue its systematic efforts to expand the geographical diversity of its international student community, strengthen international cooperation and create a comfortable educational environment for students from around the world, contributing to Kazakhstan’s broader goals for the internationalization of higher education.