It is the first day of classes. The sun is high over Almaty, at 32 degrees Celsius, according to the Weather app. By around 10 a.m., a student finally steps into the New Academic Building. Sunlight shines through the glass ceiling and, in some places, even straight through holes in the roof.
Fifteen minutes into class, the air grows heavy and stuffy. All the windows and doors are wide open, but it hardly helps. If one decides to sneak out to the bathroom for a quick break to freshen up, on the way, they will see wires hanging loose from the walls. The bathroom floor features bare concrete in some areas. The stalls, with chipped paint and half-broken doors, give off a strange sense of déjà vu — they look almost exactly like the ones in a state hospital.
Despite its name, the New Academic Building is no longer new. Opened more than a decade ago, it has developed its own ecosystem, mostly inhabited by law students and freshmen.
Unfinished and Old
When asked to describe the building in one word, students didn’t hesitate. Sophomore International Law student Saule Janburchina said it was unfinished. Second-year student Azat Maratuly described it as old. The answers point to the same thing — the “New Academic Building” is anything but new.
“The so-called ‘new building’ isn’t new at all anymore; far from it,” said Aruzhan Assanbayeva, junior studying International Law. “Unfortunately, the building is in really poor condition right now. Students still come to classes, but they study surrounded by wires and missing ceiling panels.”
The general condition of the whole building is relatively weaker, especially when compared to other buildings of KIMEP University.
“I have a couple of classes there, and honestly, I really don’t like the state of the building,” said Alima Askar, a freshman majoring in Political Science. “It’s hot, stuffy, and the bathrooms are old and dirty. Overall, the condition is just really bad.”
Janburchina said she enjoys the building, including the basement, which feels familiar to her, but admitted that it needs major renovation, since the heat, poor ventilation, and outdated atmosphere make student life more difficult.
Maratuly agreed with the statements made by other students.
“A lot of the chairs are loose, in the left wing it looks like a junkyard of old event stuff, water coolers in the study area don’t work, the chairs and tables are shaky, people keep dragging beanbags from the lounge area, and the tables are always dirty,” he said.
Air Conditioning Issue
Students pointed out the AC problems as one of the major issues affecting the entire building. Classrooms often get too hot and uncomfortable, which makes studying even more challenging than it already is.
“What bothers me the most is how stuffy it gets — it makes it so hard to focus,” said Askar. She also described the rooms as “just as hot as hell in there.”
“Pretty much every student who has classes there says the same thing: it’s hot, it’s stuffy, and you can’t breathe,” said Assanbayeva. “Opening the windows or the doors doesn’t help — it just creates a draft. Some students sit through lectures fanning themselves with pieces of paper. It’s impossible to sit through a 75-minute class. I remember having to step outside just to breathe and then come back.”
In a letter to faculty, staff, and students on Aug. 27, the Office of the Provost wrote that the New Academic Building does not have a working air conditioning system at the moment. The letter said new equipment had been ordered but was stuck in Kazakhstan Customs. Once released, installation was expected to take about two weeks. The administration also said it was trying to relocate some classes and explore other alternatives in the meantime.
Bathrooms’ Condition
Students also mentioned the state of the bathrooms in the New Academic Building, comparing it to public bathrooms in state institutions.
“The bathrooms are just awful. If you took a picture and posted it online, people would think it’s a public restroom at a train station or in a state clinic. In the women’s restroom, the tiles were literally broken, and you could see the concrete underneath,” Assanbayeva said.
Maratuly gave a quite similar description.
“The bathrooms are a mess. Total lack of sanitation,” he said. “In some stalls, you can’t even close the doors, soap is always missing, or the dispensers don’t work.”
He also pointed to the lack of maintenance in the men’s bathrooms. “No tablets in the urinals, and since the AC system is broken, there’s this constant rotten smell that never goes away.”
Tips to Survive
Students also shared practical advice on how to get through classes in the New Building and make it out alive.
“If you can, bring a fan, a paper fan, or even just a notebook to wave around. And stay hydrated — I always carry my own bottle and refill it at the fountains. It’s better than constantly buying water from the vending machines, and honestly, the fountain water tastes fine. Haven’t been poisoned yet,” Maratuly said.
Assanbayeva advised students to reconsider their style choices when taking classes in the New Academic Building.
“I know that law students love to wear formal clothes, but it’s better to sacrifice your style a bit than sit there in a suit, suffocating. Don’t wear blazers or tight shirts,” she said.
Some simply advised avoiding staying in the building longer than you have to, if possible.
“Avoid it if you can. It’s insanely hot inside. I wouldn’t choose to have classes there if I had a choice. Hopefully, next year I won’t have to deal with it anymore,” Askar said.
A Few Bright Spots
Not all feedback about the New Academic Building is negative, though. Some students pointed out facilities that work well and even make the building stand out in its own way.
“In some ways, it does make life easier. The basement has rooms specially equipped for mock trials. That part is great — the equipment, the furniture, the whole courtroom atmosphere. Honestly, the classrooms themselves are pretty good too. They’re modern, the furniture is comfortable, everything looks clean and new,” Assanbayeva said.
Askar said the big lecture halls looked modern and nice, and that she once took part in an Olympiad there, which she enjoyed.
Inside Jokes
Even with the challenges, students find ways to make light of the situation.
Assanbayeva said law students often call themselves “basement students,” since many of their classrooms are located underground.
Maratuly said that there is even a running joke about the basement being haunted by a former law school dean who “still walks around the classrooms.”
For many students, the humor makes the daily trials easier to handle — and has become part of the building’s identity.