NAZARBAYEV UNIVERSITY

Their core work

Nazarbayev University is Kazakhstan's flagship research university in Astana, established as a hub for international academic exchange and applied research. Within H2020, they contributed to materials science for medical applications (nanoporous sorbents for heavy metal and radioactive contamination cleanup), geohazard risk assessment and infrastructure resilience, and science diplomacy research. Their participation was primarily through researcher mobility exchanges (MSCA-RISE), serving as a Central Asian node connecting European research networks to Kazakh expertise in environmental remediation and engineering.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Their early H2020 engagement (2015-2016) centered on soft themes — science diplomacy, cultural exchange, and innovation leadership — reflecting an institution focused on establishing international visibility. By 2017-2018, their participation shifted decisively toward hard science: nanoporous materials for medical and environmental applications, and geohazard engineering modeling. This trajectory suggests a maturing university moving from reputation-building toward substantive technical research contributions.

Nazarbayev University is transitioning from a mobility-exchange participant toward applied research in environmental remediation and climate-resilient infrastructure — areas where Central Asian geography provides natural testbed advantages.

How they like to work

Nazarbayev University overwhelmingly participates as a third party (4 of 5 projects), meaning they join through researcher exchange and mobility rather than as full consortium partners. They have never coordinated an H2020 project. Despite this peripheral role, they have connected with 73 unique partners across 32 countries, indicating they serve as a gateway institution linking European consortia to Central Asia through MSCA mobility schemes.

Remarkably broad network for a third-party participant: 73 unique partners spanning 32 countries, built almost entirely through MSCA researcher exchange programs. This reflects their function as a Central Asian mobility hub rather than a deep technical collaborator within individual projects.

What sets them apart

As Kazakhstan's premier research university, Nazarbayev University offers something rare in European consortia: a credible academic partner in Central Asia with genuine international ambitions and English-language research capacity. For projects needing geographic diversity, access to Central Asian testbed environments (seismic zones, contaminated sites from Soviet-era activities), or a bridge to the broader Eurasian research landscape, they fill a niche that few institutions can. Their third-party track record means low administrative overhead for consortia that want to include them via mobility exchanges.

Highlights from their portfolio

• NanoMed
  Most technically specific project — nanoporous sorbents for radioactive contamination and haemoperfusion, directly relevant to Kazakhstan's environmental legacy of nuclear testing.
• HERCULES
  Addresses climate-resilient infrastructure in geohazard-prone regions, an area where Central Asian geography provides compelling real-world case studies.
• EL-CSID
  Their only project as a direct participant (not third party), and their sole funded project (EUR 125,000), focused on science diplomacy — a topic that mirrors the university's own institutional mission.