SABIS International School Opens in Astana
The opening ceremony of SABIS International School – Astana was held in the capital. The project was implemented pursuant to an instruction from President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, issued following the Head of State’s official visit to the United Arab Emirates, in support of the SABIS investment project to establish an international school in Astana.
The project was implemented with the support of the Astana City Education Department and “KAZAKH INVEST” NC” JSC.
The opening ceremony was attended by Victor Saad, President and Chief Executive Officer of SABIS; Talgat Yeshenkulov, Vice-Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Bakytzhan Zhumagulov, President of the National Engineering and Technical Academy of Kazakhstan and former Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan; and Kassymkhan Sengazyev, Head of the Astana City Education Department.
The project’s investors are Emirates Global Education Investment Group LLP, Mazrui International LLP and SABIS Holding (UAE). To date, USD 30 million has been invested, while total investment is expected to reach up to USD 45 million. The school has been built on a nine-hectare site and has a capacity of 3,400 students. The project has created around 100 new jobs.
The campus includes academic buildings, a performing arts theatre, a semi-Olympic swimming pool, sports facilities and a separate kindergarten building. Construction and installation works commenced in March 2024. Construction has now been completed and the facility has been commissioned.
This is the first school in Kazakhstan to operate under the SABIS educational system. The project introduces an integrated educational model combining an international curriculum, proprietary learning materials, dedicated teaching methods, regular assessment of student progress and student self-governance. The curriculum is adapted to Kazakhstan’s national requirements and prepares students for international examinations and admission to leading universities worldwide.
Instruction is delivered in three languages, with English as the primary language of teaching, alongside Kazakh and Russian. In its first academic year, the school will enrol students from Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 5, with additional grades to be introduced each year until the full K–12 programme is in place.
“The opening of SABIS International School – Astana is a significant event for our international network and the result of extensive joint work with our partners in Kazakhstan. It is particularly meaningful for us to open a SABIS school in Kazakhstan, a country that places strong emphasis on developing human capital and improving the quality of education. Our goal is to give families in Astana the opportunity to receive a high-quality international education without leaving Kazakhstan, combining nearly 140 years of SABIS experience with Kazakhstan’s national educational requirements and cultural values,” said Victor Saad, President and Chief Executive Officer of SABIS.
According to him, one of the project’s key principles is making quality international education accessible to a wide range of families. “We believe that world-class education should not be seen as an opportunity available only abroad or to a limited number of families. By opening a school in Astana, we are giving children the chance to build strong academic foundations, develop independence and leadership skills, and prepare for international examinations and admission to the world’s leading universities. We are confident that SABIS International School – Astana will become an important part of the capital’s educational environment and contribute to raising a new generation that is competitive globally,” Victor Saad noted.
SABIS is an international education network founded in 1886 and operating today in 21 countries across five continents. In 2026, the network marks its 140th anniversary. The opening of the school in Astana marks a new stage in the expansion of SABIS’s international presence.
