The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed a transaction advisory services agreement with the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and Satbayev University to develop modern, affordable, inclusive, and resilient student accommodation through a public–private partnership (PPP).

Under the agreement, ADB will act as transaction advisor for the project, which aims to develop student accommodation at Satbayev University under a design-build-finance-operate-maintain model. ADB will assist the project through the development of feasibility assessments, preparation of project-related documentation, promotional activities, and support for the tender process. After procurement, the initiative is expected to become one of the earliest projects implemented under Kazakhstan’s unified 2025 PPP Law and among the country’s first user-fee-based PPP projects aimed at attracting international investors.

Satbayev University, the country’s largest technical university, has an enrollment of over 10,000 students, with around 80% coming from outside Almaty. However, the university’s current on-campus housing capacity is limited to approximately 2,300 beds, restricting accommodation opportunities for students from distant regions and increasing demand within the city’s private rental market.

ADB has supported Kazakhstan since 1994, providing over US$8 billion in loans, grants, and technical assistance for infrastructure development, private sector participation, and regional cooperation through the CAREC program. ADB is a multilateral development bank focused on promoting sustainable and inclusive growth across Asia and the Pacific through financing, partnerships, and infrastructure investment.