Exchanges, Bolashak and university ties between Kazakhstan and Israel

Education and science entered the treaty framework in 1995

On 30 August 1995, Kazakhstan and Israel signed a dedicated cultural cooperation agreement in Almaty. Its scope extended beyond culture. The parties agreed to develop education and science, direct contacts between educational institutions, exchanges of scientists, teachers and students, participation in conferences and seminars, and university programmes of joint research.

A separate science and technology cooperation agreement was signed on the same day. It established a more specialised framework for joint research, exchanges of scientists and specialists, and other forms of scientific and technological cooperation. It entered into force on 30 April 1998.

The 1995 agreements provided a treaty framework long before the current university memoranda.

Three distinct routes for education and research

The first route, Kazakhstan’s interstate educational and scientific programmes, primarily includes Bolashak and Scientific Internships.

The second route, MASHAV, is Israel’s agency for international cooperation. It mainly organises short professional programmes in applied fields.

The third route, direct ties between universities and research organisations, includes memoranda, academic mobility, faculty exchanges, joint research, invitations to doctoral students and partnership discussions.

The same person or university may appear in more than one route. Their figures cannot simply be added together.

Bolashak and internship programmes have supported 145 specialists

On 8 July 2026, Kazakhstan’s embassy and the Centre for International Programmes discussed expanding academic cooperation with Tel Aviv University and opportunities through Bolashak.

The embassy reports that, over the years of the Bolashak and Scientific Internships programmes, 145 Kazakhstani specialists have undertaken education or research internships in Israel.

The figure of 145 combines the results of two Kazakhstani state programmes as of the embassy’s report. It does not show how many students were in Israel in 2026.

The report also confirmed that Tel Aviv University was on Bolashak’s list of recommended foreign universities. The parties discussed expanding opportunities for Kazakhstani students and researchers at that university.

By July 2026, Tel Aviv University’s relationship with Bolashak had two distinct aspects. The university was already on the current recommended list; expansion of a specific bilateral partnership remained under discussion.

MASHAV training is counted separately from the figure of 145

Kazakhstan’s embassy states that more than 300 Kazakhstani specialists have trained in Israel with MASHAV’s support since 1993. Their fields included medicine, journalism, educational technologies, agriculture, small business and water resource management.

These are a separate set of programmes. The source does not define them as part of Bolashak, while publicly available information cannot rule out individual participants joining more than one programme. The figures of 145 and more than 300 cannot therefore be added into a new total of people trained in Israel.

Israel’s embassy in Astana lists MASHAV courses for 2026. Examples include Cyber & AI for Good, organisational and community resilience, and sustainable management of water and land resources.

As of 3 October 2026, applications were open for MASHAV’s organisational and community resilience course in Haifa. It is intended for professionals in government, the public sector, local government and social services, including psychologists and social workers. Applicants need relevant training, at least three years of experience and fluent English. Arrival is scheduled for 6 December. Departure is planned for 18 December. Applications are accepted until 16 October through MASHAV’s online form, using course code 7328. The conditions and application link are available in the course listing. 20

Applications for Cyber & AI for Good closed on 10 August. Those for the water and land resources course closed on 15 September. Neither course was accepting applications as of 3 October. 18 19

Applying to Bolashak and Scientific Internships in 2026

The announced application period for Bolashak runs from 16 March to 16 October 2026. Scientific Internships accepts applications from 16 March to 30 October. These are separate competitions. Applications are accepted through eGov. For research internships, the ministry also lists in-person submission at the Centre for International Programmes. 16

Bolashak’s 2026 university list includes the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv University. Scientific Internships has a separate list of host organisations and fields. Inclusion on a list does not replace an invitation from the host or competitive selection. 17 22

Official announcements and application methods are collected in the open programmes section.

A memorandum was followed by an inclusive education course

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Education and Israel’s Ministry of Regional Cooperation, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and MASHAV signed a memorandum on cooperation in teaching children with special educational needs. The document provides for sharing knowledge and experience, professional development and stronger professional ties between organisations and experts in the two countries.

In February 2026, a group of Kazakhstani specialists completed the “Innovative Approaches in Special Education” programme in Haifa at the Golda Meir International Training Center under MASHAV Carmel. Participants learned about special and inclusive education practices and visited institutions and specialist centres. All participants received certificates of completion on 12 February.

The completed course put the memorandum into practice. Cooperation progressed from an intention to a delivered programme.

Direct university ties preceded the recent increase in contacts

Universities have their own history of cooperation.

S. Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical University reported signing a memorandum of understanding with Holon Institute of Technology on 22 June 2021. This is a documented agreement between universities.

In August 2024, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University reported existing direct partnerships with Holon Institute of Technology and the University of Haifa. It described student and faculty exchanges, joint research projects, invitations to Israeli professors to supervise PhD students and give lectures, and academic mobility programmes.

The university reports forms of exchange and joint activity as well as discussions.

It does not give separate numbers of students, faculty members, studies or completed projects for each partner.

From Bar-Ilan University’s proposal to a signed memorandum

In August 2024, a Bar-Ilan University delegation visited KazNU. The Israeli side proposed developing student exchanges and expressed willingness to admit 20 KazNU students in the new academic year. The delegation also proposed preparing and signing a memorandum of understanding.

The August report recorded an offer to admit up to 20 students and prepare a memorandum. On 4 September 2024, KazNU reported signing a memorandum with Bar-Ilan University on joint scientific and educational projects. It also reported an agreement to develop a dual-degree master’s programme. Signature does not establish that the proposed student group arrived or that the programme began. 15

Technion discussed cooperation in May 2025

On 21 May 2025, Kazakhstan’s ambassador visited Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and met its president, Uri Sivan.

The parties agreed to develop cooperation in engineering and the exact sciences, research, innovation and technology. They discussed involving doctoral students and young researchers in joint scientific programmes. A Kazakhstani delegation was expected to visit Israel to study the Technion model and participate in academic events.

The meeting report records neither a signed agreement between Technion and a specific Kazakhstani university nor completion of the proposed exchange.

Kazakhstan’s ambassador discussed a Tel Aviv University partnership

On 19 June 2026, Kazakhstan’s ambassador Daulet Yemberdiyev met Tel Aviv University’s president, Ariel Porat. They discussed academic exchanges, joint research, university ties, artificial intelligence, digital technologies, biomedicine, cybersecurity, water resource management and research commercialisation.

The parties agreed to explore establishing a partnership between Tel Aviv University and Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. The Israeli side also expressed interest in working with Bolashak.

As of 19 June 2026, the Tel Aviv University–KazNU partnership was being explored. The report named no agreement or operating programme.

A few weeks later, on 8 July, the Centre for International Programmes continued these discussions. Participants considered broader opportunities through Bolashak and confirmed that Tel Aviv University was on the current recommended list.

The sequence of contacts includes negotiations with Tel Aviv University and discussion of Bolashak opportunities with the Centre for International Programmes. These reports do not describe specific arrangements for a partnership between the universities.

Holon Institute of Technology has ties with several Kazakhstani universities

Holon Institute of Technology’s contacts with Kazakhstani universities began before the 2026 meeting.

Its memorandum with Kazakh Agrotechnical University was signed in 2021. In 2024, KazNU already named HIT as a direct partner and reported academic mobility and joint activities with Israeli universities.

On 19 June 2026, HIT representatives met Almaty Management University. They discussed joint educational initiatives, faculty mobility, research projects, innovation, entrepreneurship and digital transformation.

AlmaU’s report describes discussion of prospects and mutual interest. It does not report a signed agreement or a launched programme.

HIT has three distinct relationships here. A memorandum was signed with one university, a partnership was reported with another, and negotiations with a third took place in 2026.

Regional universities are also involved in the new contacts

On 25 February 2026, Israeli Ambassador Yoav Bistritsky visited M. Auezov South Kazakhstan University. Discussions with its leadership covered education, science and prospects for academic cooperation. Both sides expressed interest in expanding the partnership.

The report confirms discussions, rather than a separate exchange programme or signed agreement.

Education and science increasingly intersect with technology

Current university discussions increasingly extend beyond traditional student exchanges.

Technion discussed engineering, the exact sciences, research and innovation. Tel Aviv University considered artificial intelligence, digital technologies, biomedicine, cybersecurity, water management and commercialisation of research. AlmaU and HIT focused on digital transformation, innovation and entrepreneurship.

These discussions connect academic mobility with scientific and technological fields. Company activities and technology implementation form another part of bilateral relations.

MASHAV and KazAID cooperation can extend beyond the two countries

In June 2021, KazAID and MASHAV signed a memorandum of understanding and cooperation. They agreed to support joint official development assistance projects in Central Asia and Afghanistan, including training in new technologies and innovation.

In educational cooperation, Kazakhstan receives Israeli expertise and can also act as a partner in sharing knowledge with third countries.

The memorandum records an intention to cooperate. By itself, it does not describe implementation of individual development assistance projects.

In brief

• 30 August 1995. Kazakhstan and Israel signed agreements on cultural cooperation and on science and technology. They provided for student, faculty and scientist exchanges and joint research.
• Since 1993. MASHAV has trained Kazakhstani specialists. The official cumulative figure exceeds 300 across several professional fields; it is not a separate higher education statistic.
• 22 June 2021. S. Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical University signed a memorandum with Holon Institute of Technology.
• 2021. KazAID and MASHAV signed a memorandum on official development assistance and knowledge sharing with third countries.
• 20 August 2024. KazNU reported direct partnerships with HIT and the University of Haifa, student and faculty exchanges, joint research and academic mobility. Bar-Ilan offered to admit 20 students.
• 4 September 2024. KazNU reported signing a memorandum with Bar-Ilan and an agreement to develop a dual-degree master’s programme. The proposed student group’s arrival and the programme’s launch have not been confirmed. 15
• 21 May 2025. Areas for further scientific and educational cooperation were agreed with Technion. The meeting report records no separate signed agreement between universities.
• November 2025. The parties signed a memorandum on special and inclusive education.
• 12 February 2026. A Kazakhstani group completed a practical course in this field in Haifa and received certificates.
• 19 June 2026. Tel Aviv University and the Kazakhstani side agreed to explore a partnership with KazNU. A partnership agreement had not yet been signed.
• 19 June 2026. AlmaU and HIT discussed joint educational initiatives, mobility and research. The report records negotiations rather than a programme launch.
• 8 July 2026. Tel Aviv University’s inclusion on Bolashak’s recommended university list was confirmed. Under Bolashak and Scientific Internships, 145 Kazakhstani specialists had undertaken education or internships in Israel.