Al Farabi Kazakh National University was recognized as a research university. A Decree of the Government assigned the status to the university. Today, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University is the only educational institution in the country and Central Asia that entered the top 150 universities in the world. In addition to 16 departments, the university has eight research institutes, 29 research centers and about 140 research laboratories. Branches of the university are opened in Istanbul and Bishkek. In general, 26,000 students are currently receiving education at the university, including representatives of 30 other countries.