National Defense University

The National Defence University named after the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Elbasi (, Qazaqstan Respýblıkasy Tuńǵysh Prezıdenti atyndaǵy Ulttyq qorǵanys ýnıversıteti - Elbasy; ) also known commonly as the National Defence University is a higher military educational institution for the training of senior officers in Kazakhstan's Armed Forces. It enrolls state officials, executive authorities, and officers of foreign armies. The main tasks of the NDU are to train officers to become professionals in the armed forces. It is currently led by the former head of the Kazakh artillery forces, Major General Lut Alchekenov. History On February 11, 1997, the government issued an order to establish the Military Academy of the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan on the basis of the Alma-Ata Higher All-Arms Command School and was based in Shchuchinsk. In June of that same year, the regulations of the academy, as well as its tasks were issued. On August 21, 2003, by decree of President Nursultan Nazarbayev, the Military Academy of the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan was transformed National Defense University. In early 2014, the university was relocated from Shchuchinsk to the capital of Astana. On July 3, 2014, the NDU was named after the first and current President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev and on April 15, 2015, the NDU joined the Association of European Universities. Role The NDU within the CSTO On November 30, 2005, the Collective Security Treaty Organization included the university in its list of educational institutions for joint training of military personnel of the CSTO. As of 2018, students from Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, and Tajikistan are studying at the NDU.