Program overview

The PhD program in Science, Engineering and Technology (PhD program), fully taught in English, is designed to provide advanced skills and a sophisticated knowledge base at the expert level for individuals planning a career in academic, industry and research settings in engineering and science disciplines. The program focuses on the development of research skills, together with an in-depth understanding of the nature, implementation and evaluation of engineering principles and applications. The current areas of research interest for the PhD program in Science, Engineering and Technology encompass a wide area, with specific focus on priority areas for Kazakhstan, such as: energy engineering; information and communications technology; advanced materials science and engineering; sustainable engineering; biomedical engineering; robotics and mechatronics.

These areas are also aligned with the research priorities for Europe as described in the EU Framework Program for Research and Innovation Horizon 2020, such as: Leadership in Enabling and Industrial Technologies (Information and Communication Technologies; Nanotechnologies; Advance Materials; Advanced Manufacturing and Processing); Environment, Future and Emerging Technologies; Health, demographic change and wellbeing (Improving diagnosis; Innovative treatments and technologies; Integrated, sustainable, citizen-centered care).

By the completion of the PhD program, students will be capable of designing, conducting, and interpreting independent, innovative, original and high-quality research related to a variety of engineering topics. In addition, program graduates will be prepared for working in industrial and academic environment in the positions of university faculty members, senior researchers, engineers and product developers.

Entry requirements:

The overarching aim of the program is to develop high-quality doctoral researchers who are ready and able to make a lasting contribution to addressing scientific, technological, economic, societal and environmental challenges of global significance.
It is closely associated with the aim of Kazakhstan to increase its global competitiveness and join the top 30 most developed countries in the world by 2050.

The program aims to prepare:

• specialists for advanced careers in (national and multinational) industry and academia in Kazakhstan, in neighboring countries and internationally;
• future policy and decision-makers for careers in governmental agencies, public service, and the social economy, in Kazakhstan, and globally;
• entrepreneurs who will be able to promote advanced and innovative science-rich technologies anywhere in the world;
• new generation of commercially aware and technologically advanced scientists and technologists to lead future developments in the chosen chemical and materials engineering sub-discipline;
• future academics and researchers in chemical engineering sub-disciplines for careers as specialists in universities of Kazakhstan and other parts of the world.

Program Learning Outcomes:

• Review, analyse, and evaluate the body of scientific literature in their field of study in Engineering and Science
• Select appropriate research topics in their field of study in Engineering and Science, and generate hypotheses about such topics
• Plan, develop, analyse and communicate research in writing and verbally independently
• Make an original contribution to the knowledge in their area of specialization within Engineering and Science
• Judge technically and ethically and relate their research to the broader field of knowledge in their Engineering and Science sub-discipline
• Develop their academic/scholarly career through presentations, publications, and national and international networking

NU Graduates shall (Graduate Attributes):

• Possess an in-depth and sophisticated understanding of their domain of study.
• Be intellectually agile, curious, creative and open-minded.
• Be thoughtful decision makers who know how to involve others.
• Be entrepreneurial, self-propelling and able to create new opportunities.
• Be fluent and nuanced communicators across languages and cultures.
• Be cultured and tolerant citizens of the world.
• Demonstrate high personal integrity.
• Be prepared to take a leading role in the development of their country.