Shakarim University

What Shakarim University does

Shakarim University (Шәкәрім Университет КЕАҚ) is a public higher education institution headquartered at Glinka Street 20A, Semey, East Kazakhstan region, founded in 1934 and named after the prominent Kazakh intellectual Shakarim Kudaibergenuly. The university serves approximately 4,301 students across 67 bachelor's programs, 49 master's programs, and doctoral offerings, and reports a 90% graduate employment rate. It operates two wholly-owned educational subsidiaries — Shakarim High School and Shakarim Higher College (Шәкәрім жоғары колледжі) — extending its footprint into secondary and vocational education. The institution holds accreditation-recognized status under Kazakhstan's Ministry of Science and Higher Education and is ranked 493 in Asia and 1401+ globally in the QS World University Rankings: Asia 2026.

The university operates an integrated digital ecosystem comprising Platonus (student information system), Shakarim Hub (student portal and learning management), a Moodle-based MOOC platform, AI-Sana (an AI agent platform with 11 agents and 5 deployed solutions), and AI-Sha (a role-aware conversational assistant). Additional specialized platforms include AgroHub (agricultural innovation), StudyInKZ (international student recruitment), a multilingual website supporting Kazakh, Russian, English, and Chinese, a mobile application, a virtual campus tour, and an alumni association portal. International academic mobility is delivered through partnerships with institutions in Korea (Konkuk Digital University), China (Lanzhou University, Xi'an Jiaotong University), Russia (MIFI), and the USA (Pittsburg State University), among others.

Revenue derives from tuition and educational services (subscription/recurring, with published price lists for domestic and international students) and from government-funded research and development projects administered through the Science Committee of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan. As a KEАҚ corporate entity, the university also accesses state budget allocations. Customer acquisition runs through a direct-to-consumer model anchored by an admission commission, supported by digital channels (Telegram bot, WhatsApp, YouTube, multilingual website) and outreach events such as subject olympiads. The institution is led by Rector Duman Orynbekov.

Name

Shakarim University

Legal name

Шәкәрім Университет КЕАҚ

Website

https://semgu.kz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1934

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Shakarim University is a public Kazakhstani higher education institution in Semey serving 4,301 students across 67 bachelor's and 49 master's programs, with integrated AI-powered student services platforms and international academic partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Research Universities with Multi-Campus Systems (EDAHAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Research Universities with Major Extension & Outreach Missions (EDAHAAAG)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• University degree programs
• Academic research services
• E-learning platforms
• International student recruitment

Headquarters

HQ city

Semey

HQ country

Kazakhstan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Educational Services: Revenue generated from tuition fees for undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs. The university publishes pricing schedules (preyskurant) for domestic and international students with various payment options.
2. Research and Development Services: Scientific research projects funded by government programs including the Science Committee of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Shakarim University is a public higher education institution delivering bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs across multiple academic schools, alongside scientific research funded by Kazakhstan's Ministry of Science and Higher Education. It also operates a wholly-owned secondary school (Shakarim High School) and a higher vocational college (Shakarim Higher College), and supports international academic mobility through exchange partnerships with universities in Korea, China, the U.S., and Russia. Supporting digital infrastructure includes AI-powered student assistants, a Moodle-based MOOC platform, student information systems, and a mobile application.

Product overview

Shakarim University operates a unified university ecosystem comprising specialized AI-powered platforms (AI-Sana, AI-Sha), academic management systems (Platonus, Shakarim Hub, MOOC), and specialized sector platforms (AgroHub, StudyInKZ). AI-Sana serves as the core AI agent infrastructure with 11 autonomous agents, while AI-Sha functions as the conversational interface for student and visitor inquiries. These platforms are complemented by student support services including a mobile application, virtual campus tours, and an alumni network portal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AI-Sana: AI assistant program with 11 AI agents, 5 ready solutions, and 6 in development
• AgroHub
• StudyInKZ
• Shakarim Hub
• Platonus
• Shakarim TOP-100
• Shakarim Media

Products and services

• Bachelor's Degree Programs (Bakalavriat) Four-year undergraduate degree programs offered across 67 academic disciplines, available to domestic Kazakh and international students at published annual tuition rates with scholarship and grant competition options.
• Master's Degree Programs (Magistratura)

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% graduate employment rate
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Farabi UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDomestic Kazakhstani university partner for academic collaboration and exchange programs.
• Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (ABU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Kazakhstani national university partnership for research and academic exchange.
• Konkuk Digital University (KDU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKorean university partnership for digital education and technology exchange programs.
• Auezov South Kazakhstan UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with South Kazakhstan university for academic programs and research.
• Kazakhstan National University named after al-Farabi (al-Farabi)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational university partnership for academic exchange and joint research initiatives.
• MIFI (Moscow Engineering Physics Institute)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRussian technical university partnership for engineering and physics programs.
• Pittsburg State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmerican university partnership for international exchange and academic collaboration.
• Lanzhou UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChinese university partnership for academic mobility and joint research, with active Xi'an Jiaotong University collaboration on civilization dialogue and scientific exchange.
• World Studies Group (WSG)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean studies group partnership for international academic collaboration.
• SE BTRZminorOthersRegional business and technology partner in Kazakhstan.
• Abai MuseumminorOthersMuseum partnership for cultural preservation and heritage education related to Abai Qunanbayuli.
• Dulati UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKazakhstani university partnership for academic programs and research collaboration.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Nazarbayev University: Kazakhstan's premier research-intensive university operating as a graduate-heavy, English-language institution with strong international partnerships. Competes with Shakarim for top domestic applicants and faculty, though at a different price point and research-intensity tier.

Emerging players

• Astana IT University: A named technology partner of Shakarim focused on IT and digital education. Competes for tech-oriented students and represents a more specialized, digital-native alternative within Kazakhstan's higher-education landscape.

Direct peers

• KIMEP University: Almaty-based private university offering multi-disciplinary undergraduate and graduate programs in business, social sciences, and humanities. Comparable in program breadth and degree-granting structure, though operates as a private institution rather than public.
• Al-Farabi Kazakh National University: Kazakhstan's flagship national research university and Shakarim's named academic-mobility partner. Both are comprehensive multi-disciplinary Kazakhstani universities offering bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs, making it the closest direct peer by mission, scale, and program breadth.
• L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University: Astana-based comprehensive public research university with a broad program portfolio similar to Shakarim's. Directly comparable as a multi-disciplinary Kazakhstani public university competing for national student placement and research funding.
• Kazakh-British Technical University: Almaty-based technical university offering engineering and STEM programs comparable to those at Shakarim. Overlaps directly on technical/applied programs and competes for the same pool of science-oriented domestic applicants.
• Auezov South Kazakhstan University: A named academic-mobility partner of Shakarim and one of Kazakhstan's largest regional multi-disciplinary universities. Directly comparable as a comprehensive public Kazakhstani university with similar program breadth and a large student body.
• Konkuk Digital University: A named Korean academic-mobility partner specializing in digital/online education delivery. Directly comparable as a partner in Shakarim's international digital-learning strategy and as a reference model for online-first higher education in Asia.

Regional players

• S. Toraighyrov Pavlodar State University: Pavlodar-based multi-disciplinary public university comparable in scale and program breadth to Shakarim. Both serve Kazakhstan's regional cities and compete for similar student demographics and faculty talent outside Almaty and Astana.
• S. Amanzholov East Kazakhstan State University: Also located in East Kazakhstan region, making it a direct regional peer. Both universities compete for the same domestic applicant pool in East Kazakhstan and serve similar regional industries, though Amanzholov has historically been a more pedagogically focused institution.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ShakarimUniversity-v4m/videos
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/shakarim-university

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shakarim University