Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools

What Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools does

Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools (NIS) is an autonomous educational organization headquartered in Astana, Kazakhstan, founded in 2008 under the auspices of the First President of Kazakhstan. It operates a network of 22 specialized secondary schools distributed across all major Kazakh cities and regional centers, serving 17,884 students enrolled in the 2024-2025 academic year, of whom approximately 11% come from rural areas and 38.4% from underprivileged families. The organization delivers trilingual education (Kazakh, Russian, English) through its proprietary NIS-Programme developed in collaboration with the University of Cambridge, alongside International Baccalaureate (IB) and Cambridge A-Level/O-Level pathways, and maintains a substantial digital ecosystem including the Virtual School (online preparation platform), NIS Lab (virtual chemistry, physics, and biology labs), NIS Textbooks, Beyim Ustaz (teacher training platform), and the KZWorld Kazakhstan studies portal.

The underlying technology stack is built around four wholly-owned operational centers: the Educational Programs Center, Pedagogical Mastery Center, Pedagogical Measurements Center, and IT and Services Center, supplemented by BeyimTech (an EdTech subsidiary). NIS holds 220 copyrights in mathematics, IT, and programming, and 65 utility model patents in chemistry, nanotechnology, and biology, reflecting significant in-house R&D output. The organization runs an accredited scientific research apparatus (accredited as a scientific and technical activities entity in 2023) and operates the Research Portal coordinating Action Research dissemination. Teacher quality is a documented strength: 43% of the 2,702 teachers hold Master's degrees (12% from Nazarbayev University's Bolashak program), 33% are certified trainers, 10% of English teachers hold CELTA/DELTA certifications, and 70% of subject teachers are trained in CLIL/STEM methodology.

NIS is funded primarily through the 'Orken' Presidential educational grant, which underwrites tuition for grant-selected students admitted via competitive selection at 7th grade. A secondary fee-based admission track exists for non-grant students under multi-year contracts. Additional revenue streams include corporate fund support, sale of NIS textbooks and educational materials through the NIS Education Store, accreditation services for secondary education organizations, professional retraining courses and seminars, and functional literacy enhancement programs. The broader revenue picture is supplemented by international partnerships (University of Cambridge, Nazarbayev University, OECD, EARLI, IAEA) and a growing partner-school network (39 schools reached via the NIS/SHARE Action Research project).

Name

Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools

Legal name

«Назарбаев Зияткерлік мектептері» дербес білім беру ұйымы

Website

https://nis.edu.kz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools operates 22 specialized secondary schools across Kazakhstan, delivering trilingual education (Kazakh, Russian, English) through a proprietary curriculum developed with Cambridge University, serving 17,884 gifted students admitted via competitive selection and training 348,465 educators nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Secondary Education (K-12)

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Support Services (611710), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International/Global Curriculum Schools (IB, Cambridge, etc.) (EDAJABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Curriculum, Lesson Planning & Instructional Content Platforms (EDAJAMAD), Virtual School Course Providers (Single-Course/Part-Time Enrollment) (EDAJADAE), K–12 Digital Curriculum & Interactive Lessons (EDAGAEAA)

Keywords

• K-12 education services
• Trilingual secondary schools
• Teacher professional development
• Educational assessment services
• International baccalaureate programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Astana

HQ country

Kazakhstan

HQ region

Asia

Offices21 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Educational Grants: Funded by 'Orken' Presidential education grants for student education; operates as autonomous educational organization under Kazakhstan government support
2. Corporate Fund Support: Corporate fund supports school operations, development initiatives, and special programs
3. Fee-Based Programs: Paid admission process for certain categories of students outside grant-funded positions
4. Educational Products and Services: Sale of NIS textbooks, educational programs accreditation services, professional development courses, seminars, and training for external educators; functional literacy enhancement programs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools is an autonomous educational organisation that operates a network of 22 secondary schools across Kazakhstan, delivering trilingual education (Kazakh, Russian, English) through its proprietary NIS-Programme. Beyond K-12 schooling, it sells International Baccalaureate and Cambridge A-Level programmes, online learning platforms (Virtual School, NIS Lab), teacher training (Beyim Ustaz), standardised testing services, and electronic textbooks through the NIS Education Store.

Product overview

Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools (NIS) operates as a unified educational ecosystem comprising a network of 22 schools across Kazakhstan, multiple specialized centers (Educational Programs Center, Pedagogical Mastery Center, Pedagogical Measurements Center, and IT Services Center), and a portfolio of digital platforms and services. The core educational product is the NIS-Programme — a trilingual education program developed with Cambridge — alongside International Baccalaureate (IB) and Cambridge A-Level/O-Level pathways. NIS offers digital learning tools including Virtual School (online preparation), NIS Lab (virtual science laboratories), Beyim Ustaz (teacher professional development platform), Trial Testing, and the Research Portal for pedagogical research. The organization also provides accreditation services, anti-bullying programs, teacher training courses, seminars, and serves as the WRO National Operator for Kazakhstan. The NIS/SHARE project promotes action research methodology among teachers across Kazakhstan.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NIS-Programme: The first trilingual educational program in Kazakhstan, developed in collaboration with Cambridge University, combining world practices with national values as an alternative to A-Level, IB and O-Level programs.
• NIS/SHARE
• Виртуалды мектеп / Виртуальная школа (Virtual School)
• Каникулярлы мектеп / Каникулярная школа (Vacation School)
• BeyimTech
• Beyim Ustaz
• NIS Lab
• NIS Conference
• NIS Education Store
• «Өркен» грант

Products and services

• NIS-Programme (Trilingual Secondary Curriculum) Proprietary trilingual secondary-school curriculum (Kazakh, Russian, English) delivered across NIS's 22 schools in Kazakhstan, designed to international standards and aligned with OECD benchmarks. Targeted at school-age students and their families seeking high-quality secondary education.
• International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme IB Diploma Programme offered at NIS as an internationally accredited upper-secondary qualification preparing students for admission to leading global universities. Targeted at NIS upper-secondary students.
• Cambridge A-Level Programme Cambridge International A-Level qualification offered at NIS as an internationally recognised upper-secondary pathway, delivered in partnership with Cambridge University. Targeted at upper-secondary students seeking UK-aligned credentials.
• Virtual School Online preparation platform that helps prospective students prepare for NIS entrance assessments remotely. Targeted at applicants and families preparing for NIS admission.
• Vacation School In-person intensive preparation programme for prospective NIS students, complementing Virtual School for entrance assessment preparation. Targeted at NIS applicants seeking in-person preparation.
• NIS Lab Virtual laboratory environment that supports NIS students in conducting science experiments and practical work online. Targeted at NIS secondary students needing remote lab access.
• Beyim Ustaz Teacher Development Platform Online platform delivering continuous professional development for teachers, including pedagogical methodologies aligned with NIS-Programme standards. Targeted at Kazakhstani teachers and school leaders.
• Trial Testing Service Standardised trial assessment service administered through the NIS Pedagogical Measurements Centre, allowing students to practice under test-like conditions. Targeted at NIS applicants and students.
• NIS Textbooks / NIS Education Store Online retail portal offering NIS-authored electronic textbooks and educational content for purchase. Targeted at students, parents, and educators needing NIS-aligned materials.
• Pedagogical Retraining Courses Structured retraining programmes for teachers and pedagogical staff, designed to align educators with NIS-Programme and national curriculum standards. Targeted at practising Kazakhstani teachers and methodologists.
• KIVA Anti-Bullying Programme Anti-bullying and school-wellbeing programme operated by NIS as the national operator in Kazakhstan, rolled out across participating schools. Targeted at schools and students nationwide.
• WRO National Operator Services National coordination services for the World Robot Olympiad (WRO) in Kazakhstan, organised by NIS. Targeted at school-age robotics teams across Kazakhstan.
• Functional Literacy Enhancement Programme Programme designed to strengthen functional literacy outcomes (reading, mathematics, science) for NIS students through targeted instructional interventions. Targeted at NIS students and educators.
• Berik Otbasy Family Programme Family engagement programme run by NIS to strengthen parental involvement in student learning and home-based educational support. Targeted at NIS parents and families.
• System-Methodological Complex (SMC) System-methodological complex that provides structured instructional resources and methodology guides supporting NIS-Programme delivery in schools. Targeted at NIS teachers and methodologists.
• Seminars and Training Workshops Scheduled seminars and training workshops delivered by NIS covering pedagogical best practice, curriculum updates, and educator upskilling. Targeted at teachers, school leaders, and education stakeholders.
• BeyimTech Educational Technology Products Education-technology product line developed and commercialised by NIS's BeyimTech subsidiary, supporting digital learning and instructional delivery. Targeted at schools and educational institutions seeking ed-tech solutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 91.8% of graduates become state/university grant holders; 60% achieve IELTS 7.0+
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of CambridgecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Long-standing partnership for NIS-Programme development; collaboration with Cambridge Faculty of Education on NIS/SHARE Action Research project; teacher training and pedagogical methodology exchange; international conference participation
• Nazarbayev UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner5,285 graduates (25.4%) admitted to Nazarbayev University; research collaboration through Research Department; joint conference organization (NIS Conference); joint educational initiatives
• University of Turku (UTU)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational university partnership for academic exchange and collaboration
• Cambridge AssessmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on assessment system modernization; bringing Kazakhstan's evaluation system in line with updated educational content; training on test development
• OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipation in 'Future of Education and Skills: Education 2030' project; curriculum content mapping; international comparative analysis; expert collaboration with Andreas Schleicher and international experts
• Cambridge University Faculty of Education (Colleen McLaughlin, Kate Evans)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIS/SHARE project trainers; Action Research methodology training; school transformation support; international conference presentations (ECER, WALS, CARN)
• Central Eurasian Studies Society (CESS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIS/SHARE project presented at CESS 2026 conference at Nazarbayev University; collaborative academic exchange
• International Association for Educational Assessment (IAEA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational conference participation; assessment methodology exchange; professional development awards recognition
• European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational conference participation (ECER); research methodology exchange; professional awards recognition

Scale indicators10 records

Direct peers

• Miras International School: Network of IB World Schools across Kazakhstan (Almaty, Astana, Shymkent) delivering international curricula to Kazakhstani students. Direct competitor in the elite private K-12 segment with similar trilingual and global university preparation focus.
• Astana International School: International K-12 school in Astana offering IB and Cambridge programs with a similar trilingual/multilingual emphasis. Serves the same elite student pool in Kazakhstan's capital with comparable university placement outcomes.
• Haileybury Astana: Elite British-curriculum private K-12 school in Astana operating as part of Haileybury's international network. Directly competes with NIS for gifted students in Kazakhstan's capital and offers comparable IB/A-Level pathways with international university placement focus.

Broad incumbents

• GEMS Education: Global K-12 private school operator with presence across the Middle East, Asia, and expanding into Central Asia. Competes in the premium international curriculum segment and offers a comparable breadth of IB and Cambridge programs at scale.
• Nord Anglia Education: Global operator of premium international schools with over 80 campuses worldwide. Competes with NIS for elite international students in CIS and offers IB programs with strong global university placement track records.
• Nazarbayev University: Kazakhstan's flagship research university established alongside NIS by the First President. While a higher-education institution rather than K-12, it is the primary destination for NIS graduates and a strategic partner in the broader Nazarbayev educational ecosystem.

Others

• Cambridge International Education: Curriculum and assessment provider (Cambridge Assessment) that co-developed the NIS-Programme with Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools. Functions as both strategic partner and enabling platform whose standards underpin NIS's academic model.
• International Baccalaureate (IB): Global provider of IB curriculum frameworks (MYP and DP) that NIS delivers at designated schools. While not a direct competitor, IB is an adjacent curriculum standard whose adoption trends shape NIS's positioning.

Emerging players

• BeyimTech: Wholly-owned EdTech subsidiary of NIS developing digital educational solutions. Comparable to other emerging Central Asian EdTech ventures building trilingual learning platforms and teacher training tools, but with the institutional backing of the NIS ecosystem.

Regional players

• Harrow International Schools: Premium British-curriculum international school network with presence in Asia and considering CIS expansion. Represents an emerging competitive threat in Kazakhstan's elite K-12 segment with comparable premium positioning and boarding-school heritage.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/official_nis
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@nis_qazaqstan
• Facebookfacebook.com/OfficialNIS
• Instagraminstagram.com/nis_qazaqstan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries6 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 Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools