Changing role of universities in the socio-economic transformation processes of cities

New actors and new understandings created by the modern world force countries and cities to develop themselves in various areas. As a part of this development, universities have recently emerged as important actors in the economic, cultural, and social transformation of cities. Universities not only promote economic development in the region where they are established but also have various effects on the socio-cultural structure of their societies. Universities bring together students and academic staff from different cultural backgrounds and enable interaction between cultures. This research aims to examine the university-city interaction and to reveal the social, cultural, and economic effects of universities on cities. In other words, our study aimed to determine the contribution of the university to the economic, social, and cultural life of the city by analyzing the perceptions and expectations of the local people towards the university in their city. Akhmet Yassawi University, one of the young universities of Kazakhstan, and the city of Turkistan is chosen as the research sample. The research data are collected using the questionnaire method and the questionnaires are administered in face-to-face interviews. Our study showed that Akhmet Yassawi University brought vitality to the economic life of the city, attracted new investments to the city, and improved the life quality of the city day by day. The results show the transformation of Turkistan over time, will provide a source for new researchers interested in Akhmet Yassawi University and the city of Turkistan and will set an example for other cities and universities.