Astana IT University students are being encouraged to see themselves as digital age start-up founders, in the hope of propelling Central Asia’s economy into overdrive.

Astana IT University has launched a programme aimed at unlocking a generation of entrepreneurs capable of scaling up to global growth.

Courses are being taught in English, special courses from America’s world-famous MIT are being taught, entrepreneurship and AI components have been integrated into the curriculum.

Even the university’s lecturers are being sent on AI summer schools to ensure they’re up to speed on the latest developments.

The drive for AITU to act has come from the NNEF Public Foundation, supported by Timur Kulibayev and Dinara Kulibayevа.

They realised that building a sustainable startup ecosystem requires more than capital or isolated success stories.

The most successful economies in the world are anchored by institutions that develop founders early.

They promote the spirit of enterprise in education. And they connect local talent to global networks.

Central Asia has a golden opportunity thanks to its young population, improving digital infrastructure and growing investor interest.

Its governments are prioritising diversification, digital capability and innovation as engines of long‑term growth.

Venture capital investment across Central Asia has grown seven per cent to  $95 million in 2024,

 Kazakhstan accounting for $71 million of that pot - nearly three‑quarters of all regional deals.

Central Asia also benefits from a young, digitally connected population.

The median age is 26 and mobile internet adoption among youth in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan at 89–93%.

The challenge is no longer talent but conversion: turning skills into companies that create jobs, export ideas and compete globally.

AITU and the NNEF Network

AITU is part of the NNEF education network, which co‑owns and supports several of the country’s leading universities, including AITU, the International Information Technology University (IITU), the Kazakh‑British Technical University (KBTU) and the Almaty University of Energy and Telecommunications (AUES).

Together, this network educates more than 31,000 students and employs over 6,000 staff. It has become a model for modern technical education in Kazakhstan – combining innovation in teaching with strong graduate employment outcomes and international recognition.

In 2021, NNEF helped establish the University Alliance of Science and Technology, bringing together Kazakhstan’s leading universities to promote interdisciplinary teaching, scientific collaboration, digital innovation and academic mobility.

This partnership  of education, research and industry is critical in emerging ecosystems, where universities often provide the structure, credibility and continuity that first‑time founders need.

The Curriculum of the Future

AITU has taken a deliberate approach to entrepreneurship and technology within this framework.

All degree programmes are taught in English, with hands‑on project work from the outset, and entrepreneurship embedded as a core component of technical education rather than an optional add‑on.

NNEF‑affiliated universities were also the first in Kazakhstan to introduce dedicated artificial intelligence degree programmes at both bachelor’s and master’s level, alongside a Summer AI School for academic staff to ensure teaching quality keeps pace with rapid technological change.

AITU has gone further still by becoming the first university in Kazakhstan to join MIT’s GLEEN global innovation network, giving students and faculty access to leading entrepreneurship and AI programmes such as StartMIT, MIT Orbit and Jetpack AI.

These connections expose founders early to global best practice, helping ensure that companies built in Kazakhstan are internationally competitive while rooted in local context.