Contract Research
Satbayev University today serves as the primary bridge between scientific research and large-scale industry in Kazakhstan. The university has shifted its focus from the traditional model of “science for science’s sake” to applied research aimed at addressing specific challenges faced by industrial enterprises and extraction sites.
The effectiveness of this transformation is confirmed by statistical indicators: over the past five years, trust in the university’s scientific developments among business representatives has increased sevenfold. In 2025, the volume of orders received from industrial companies reached a record level of 2.016 billion tenge.
Alignment of University Projects with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
For our work, it is critically important that scientific developments not only generate economic returns but also contribute to improving quality of life and sustainable development. The main projects of Satbayev University are distributed across the relevant Sustainable Development Goals as follows:
- Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (SDG 9): 35 projects. Development of new technologies for major industrial players, including KAZ Minerals Aktogay, ERG, and Karazhanbasmunay.
- Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7): 12 projects. Supporting KazTransOil in transporting resources more efficiently and with reduced losses.
- Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12): 10 projects. Implementing “green” technologies in collaboration with Kazgeology and Meerbusch.
- Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6): 6 projects. Exploring and protecting groundwater resources together with Ken-Sary.
Investment Dynamics in Satbayev University’s Scientific Initiatives
- 2020: 276 million tenge — the initial stage of applied project development.
- 2023: 1.6 billion tenge — a significant increase in investments, with 63 major contracts executed.
- 2025: 2.016 billion tenge — a historic peak in financial support for research.
Every tenge invested by industrial companies in the university’s research translates into new patents, the creation of jobs, and the implementation of environmentally sustainable production solutions. This approach demonstrates that Kazakhstani science can be simultaneously economically effective and socially significant on a global scale.