Developing a new medical school at a new university in Kazakhstan

Abstract

Nazarbayev University (NU) was dedicated in June 2010 by Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev, with the mission of making the republic's 15-year-old capital, Astana, Eurasia's leading research and educational center. Each NU academic unit is paired with an international partner; instruction is in English. The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (UPSOM) was selected as NU's partner to develop the NU School of Medicine (NUSOM) based on a U.S. model. Combined with the six hospitals of National Medical Holding (NMH), also part of NU, and NU's Center for Life Sciences, NU plans to create Kazakhstan's first integrated academic health system.