BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 6. Kazakhstan's
research and development (R&D) expenditure more than doubled to
260 billion tenge ($543 million) between 2023 and 2026, while the
number of researchers and developers increased to 28,374.


According to government data, domestic R&D spending rose
from 121.5 billion tenge ($254 million) in 2023 to 260 billion
tenge ($543 million) in 2026, marking a 114% increase over three
years. The number of researchers and developers reached 28,374 in
2025, nearly one-third higher than four years earlier, with around
half classified as young scientists.


In 2025, more than 1,200 fundamental and applied research
projects were completed, while 241 innovation projects are
currently being implemented. More than 30 domestic technological
solutions have already reached international markets. Among the
notable developments are Satbayev University's technology for
producing high-purity technical selenium with a purity level of
99.5% through vacuum distillation, as well as Nazarbayev
University's research into producing cathode material precursors
for lithium-ion batteries using domestic raw materials.


Kazakhstan has also introduced new funding mechanisms covering
experimental design work, including the development of prototypes,
pilot samples and technology solutions ready for industrial
implementation. Additional incentives for businesses participating
in research projects include tax deductions on R&D-related
expenses.


Beyond direct research financing, Kazakhstan is also expanding
mechanisms aimed at strengthening the broader innovation ecosystem,
including through public-private partnerships in education and
healthcare. According to Aidos Kobetov, First Deputy Chairman of
the Management Board and Board Member of the Kazakhstan
Public-Private Partnership Center JSC, around 57% of the country's
1,300 PPP agreements are related to the education sector, covering
kindergartens, schools and other educational facilities.


"Compared with other Central Asian countries and Russian
regions, the PPP mechanism in Kazakhstan is quite well developed.
On the one hand, we are interested in studying international
experience, while on the other hand, we take a cautious approach to
introducing new contracts that involve significant government
obligations," Kobetov told Trend.


He noted that Kazakhstan has also expanded cooperation with
international financial institutions in developing PPP projects,
including initiatives supported by the Asian Development Bank and
the International Finance Corporation in higher education,
healthcare and infrastructure.







Trend's analysis
shows that Kazakhstan's rapid increase in R&D expenditure marks
a significant expansion of its science and innovation agenda, while
also highlighting the scale of investment required to build a fully
developed knowledge-based economy. Trend's calculations show that
260 billion tenge ($543 million) represents approximately 0.24% of
Kazakhstan's GDP. This remains below the OECD average of around
2.7%, the EU average of approximately 2.2%, and Russia's level of
about 1.1%, indicating that further growth in research intensity
will remain an important part of Kazakhstan's long-term innovation
strategy.


Reaching 1% of GDP in R&D spending would require annual
research expenditure of approximately $2.3 billion at current GDP
levels. This suggests that Kazakhstan's next stage will focus not
only on increasing funding volumes, but also on improving research
commercialization, strengthening university-industry links and
attracting greater private-sector participation.


The expansion of the research workforce is another important
element of this process. With 28,374 researchers across a
population of approximately 20.5 million, Kazakhstan has around
1,384 researchers per million inhabitants. While this remains below
levels seen in advanced research economies, the continued growth of
the scientific workforce and support programs for researchers
provide a foundation for further development of the sector.


The increase of the age ceiling for "young scientists" from 35
to 44 reflects an effort to broaden access to research support
mechanisms and retain specialists at different stages of their
scientific careers. As Kazakhstan develops its innovation
ecosystem, maintaining a balance between supporting early-career
researchers and experienced specialists will remain an important
policy consideration.


The development of education infrastructure through PPP
mechanisms complements the growth of R&D spending by addressing
one of the key conditions for innovation - the availability of
skilled human capital. In Trend's assessment, research capacity
depends not only on laboratories and financing, but also on the
ability of the education system to continuously supply qualified
specialists for science-intensive industries. The battery materials
initiative corresponds with a global shift toward new energy
technologies and growing demand for diversified supply chains. If
successfully scaled, such projects could allow Kazakhstan to
participate in higher-value segments of emerging industries,
complementing its traditional strengths in mining and raw
materials.