From 7 to 11 September, Central Asian University (CAU) is hosting Orientation Week 2026 - the first week of university life for a new generation of students. During these days, CAU is welcoming its first-year students and helping them take their first steps into a new academic and student environment.
During the first days at CAU, students meet with the university leadership, deans and faculty members, get acquainted with their schools, future classmates and senior students. They explore the campus, learn more about student clubs and organizations, and discover the career, international and academic opportunities available to them throughout their university journey.
One of the most meaningful moments of Orientation Week was the White Coat Ceremony for students of the Medical School. For the first-year medical students, putting on the white coat marked a symbolic beginning to their professional journey and their entry into the medical community. The ceremony highlighted the values at the heart of the profession - knowledge, responsibility, ethics, compassion and commitment to patient care.
Orientation Week is not only an introduction to the university but also students’ first opportunity to become actively involved in university life. Meetings, sports and recreational activities, student initiatives and informal interactions help first-year students find like-minded people and feel part of the CAU community.
The week also emphasizes that the university experience extends far beyond the classroom. CAU provides an environment where students can develop their academic and professional skills, participate in research and projects, connect with peers and faculty across different disciplines, and take advantage of international opportunities.
Addressing students and their parents, Kamran Gulamov, Rector of Central Asian University, emphasized that academic quality and students’ own responsibility for their success remain at the heart of CAU’s approach:
“At CAU we do not compromise when it comes to the quality of education. We create the environment and opportunities for our students to succeed - through strong faculty, modern infrastructure and technology, international partnerships, and opportunities for practical experience and research.
But there is one thing the university cannot do for a student - make the effort. We can open the doors, but students have to walk through them. The university is responsible for creating the environment, our faculty are responsible for teaching and supporting you, but ultimately, you are responsible for what you become.
We want our graduates to leave CAU with more than just a degree - to become independent, responsible individuals who can think critically, create new ideas, and confidently build their future.”
But there is one thing the university cannot do for a student - make the effort. We can open the doors, but students have to walk through them. The university is responsible for creating the environment, our faculty are responsible for teaching and supporting you, but ultimately, you are responsible for what you become.
We want our graduates to leave CAU with more than just a degree - to become independent, responsible individuals who can think critically, create new ideas, and confidently build their future.”
- Kamran Gulamov, Rector of Central Asian University
Orientation Week 2026 marks the first step of a new generation of students into life at CAU - an environment where knowledge, opportunities and personal initiative come together to help every student shape their own academic and professional journey.
See more in our photo gallery.
