The National Defence University named after the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Elbasi (Kazakh: Қазақстан Республикасы Тұңғыш Президенті атындағы Ұлттық қорғаныс университеті - Елбасы, Qazaqstan Respýblıkasy Tuńǵysh Prezıdenti atyndaǵy Ulttyq qorǵanys ýnıversıteti - Elbasy; Russian: Национальный университет обороны имени Первого Президента Республике Казахстан — Лидера Нации) 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 is currently led by the former head of the Kazakh artillery forces, Major General Lut Alchekenov.

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.

On August 21, 2003, by decree of President Nursultan Nazarbayev, the Military Academy of the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan was transformed National Defense University.

[1][2][3] 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.