Healthy and Affordable Food Choices Across the Al-Farabi KazNU Campus
Al-Farabi Kazakh National University maintains a campus dining system designed to provide students, academic staff and other employees with access to healthy, balanced and affordable food.
The University campus includes a network of canteens, cafés and buffets operating in academic buildings and other campus facilities. These dining facilities offer breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as everyday meals and beverages, in a comfortable environment.
Food services are organised with consideration for nutritional value, food safety, affordability and the different dietary needs of members of the university community.
Campus Dining Network
Dining facilities operate across the Al-Farabi KazNU campus, including canteens and buffets located in academic buildings. The University’s official campus information states that the dining network serves students, academic staff and employees.
The availability of dining facilities in academic buildings enables members of the university community to obtain meals without leaving the campus. The University continues to improve the accessibility, convenience and quality of its catering services as part of its broader commitment to student and staff well-being.
Healthy and Balanced Food Choices
Campus menus include traditional Kazakh cuisine alongside a variety of everyday nutritious meals. Dietary options include low-fat products, cereals, boiled meat and fish, as well as other dishes intended to support balanced nutrition.
Official University information also confirms the availability of vegetarian and special dietary options in campus dining facilities. Menus are updated to reflect different dietary preferences and needs.
The combination of traditional meals, dietary foods and vegetarian choices provides members of the university community with an opportunity to select food according to their personal preferences and nutritional requirements.
Affordability of Campus Meals
Prices in campus canteens and buffets are set with students’ financial circumstances in mind. The University aims to ensure that students can obtain full meals at affordable prices during the academic day.
Special discounts are provided for students in campus canteens and cafés. The official University campus page also states that students from low-income families, orphans and persons with disabilities receive free meals in University canteens.
These arrangements combine generally affordable prices with targeted food assistance for students who may require additional social support.
Food Quality and Safety
All campus dining facilities are required to comply with applicable sanitary and hygiene standards. They are equipped with modern kitchen facilities to support the safe preparation, storage and serving of food.
Food quality, cleanliness and safety are regularly monitored by the University administration. This oversight is intended to ensure that the meals offered on campus are safe, nutritious and suitable for daily consumption by students and staff.
Monitoring and Improvement
Al-Farabi KazNU monitors students’ experiences and needs related to campus food services. A sociological study conducted in March 2025 examined the use of University canteens and cafés, food preferences, price affordability and students’ recommendations.
The study showed that 83.8 per cent of surveyed students used campus dining facilities, while 23 per cent ate there daily. At the same time, respondents identified areas requiring further improvement, including prices, menu diversity, food quality and dining infrastructure.
The proposed measures included the introduction of more balanced menus, a flexible pricing approach and further improvement of campus dining facilities. These findings provide the University with evidence for the continued development of its food services.
Contribution to Sustainable Development
Providing healthy and affordable meals supports students’ and staff members’ health, well-being and ability to participate fully in academic and professional life.
The campus dining system contributes to food accessibility by combining a network of dining facilities, nutritious meal choices, affordable prices, targeted assistance and ongoing quality control.
The University’s approach also supports Sustainable Development Goal 2, “Zero Hunger,” and Sustainable Development Goal 3, “Good Health and Well-being,” by improving access to safe, nutritious and affordable food within the campus community.
Official Resources
- SDG №3: Affordable Food on the KazNU Campus
- Canteen Chain and Cafés
- SDG №3: Campus Dining Facilities — Quality and Comfort
- Healthy and Affordable Food on the KazNU Campus: Research Findings
Original Publication
The original material “SDG №3: Affordable Food in the KazNU Campus” was published on the official website of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University on 6 October 2025.