Katsu’s accusations against Nazarbayev University unfounded, minister says
Sayasat Nurbek, Kazakhstan’s minister of science and higher education, has dismissed the accusations made by Shigeo Katsu, the former president of Nazarbayev University (NU), as unfounded.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the government meeting, Nurbek responded to questions about Katsu’s recent open letter, in which he accused the university’s current leadership of corruption and ineffective management. While NU’s official response to the letter described Katsu’s claims as largely inaccurate and misleading, Nurbek refrained from addressing the details.
«Last year, the Supreme Audit Chamber (SAC) conducted a comprehensive audit of NU. Based on its findings, a detailed action plan was developed and approved by the university’s board of trustees. The implementation of the plan is currently underway. Regarding Mr. Katsu’s statements, I can’t comment further, but I can confidently say they do not reflect reality,» Nurbek said.
The minister emphasized that the SAC audit thoroughly addressed all aspects of the university, including organizational, personnel and financial matters.
«As far as I know, Mr. Katsu has not reached out to us directly regarding any issues. His publications were mostly featured in European sources with questionable reputations, with no such statements appearing in major or reputable outlets. This raises questions: why is this information being circulated exclusively through aggregators or lesser-known platforms?» Nurbek remarked.
The minister expressed hope that Kazakhstan’s education system would not face any reputational damage as a result of these allegations.
«We are actively addressing all the comments identified during the audit and ensuring the transparency of our activities. Given the nature of the platforms where Mr. Katsu’s statements were published, their credibility is highly questionable,» the minister concluded.
In December 2024, Alikhan Smailov, head of the SAC, reported that an audit of NU revealed approximately $130 million in funds spent inefficiently. The audit also highlighted that the university continues to rely heavily on state budget funding.
Shigeo Katsu, who served as the founding president of NU from 2010 to 2023, recently published an open letter in response to reports of financial mismanagement at the university. He expressed serious concerns about the university’s current direction and alleged instances of corruption.
