Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University is one of the leading institutes in Central Asia.
In 2003 Abai University had a record enrollment of more than 23,000 students, mostly from Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries.
On behalf of intensive development of folk education newly opened institute of higher education decided to develop as an independent pedagogical college.
Therefore, in 1930 the university was renamed as Kazakh State Pedagogical College (KAZPI), and in 1935 it was renamed as Abai State University in honor of Abai Qunanbaiuly[2] and when expanded its fields of studies in 1989 it was named just Abai University as there were more courses than technical education.
Today's Abai University started its work in a small one-story building of Vernenskoy as a Women's School.