First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Yerzhan Ashikbayev held a meeting with Hugh Hallman, Honorary Consul of Kazakhstan in the U.S. State of Arizona, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing the MFA press service. At the meeting on Wednesday, the parties discussed prospects for further advancing Kazakhstan–U.S.
cooperation in education, the economy, and investment, as well as strengthening interregional ties with the partner State of Arizona, where cooperation has been steadily expanding across a broad range of areas. Particular attention was given to the successful partnership between Manash Kozybayev North Kazakhstan University and the University of Arizona, which has become a prominent example of academic cooperation between the two countries.
It was noted that the joint academic programs currently involve more than 1,200 students, while the first cohort of the dual-degree program will graduate on July 11. The parties also discussed opportunities to further expand trade and economic cooperation, attract investment in renewable energy, agricultural technologies, and information technologies, as well as organize reciprocal business missions between Kazakhstan and the State of Arizona.
The State of Arizona is one of the United States' leading economic and innovation hubs, with well-developed high-tech, mining, agriculture, and education sectors. As reported in November 2025, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan, Q Group, and Arizona State University officially signed an agreement to establish the University of Innovation and Technology (InnoTech) powered by Arizona State University in Almaty.