Manas University was founded according to an agreement between the governments of the Republic of Turkey and the Kyrgyz Republic about establishment of Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University in Bishkek, which was signed in Izmir on September 30, 1995. The agreement was afterward approved by the competent authorities of both countries. The university began operation in the 1997-1998 academic year. By the end of 2011, there were 3809 undergraduate students studying at 9 faculties, 4 high schools, and 1 vocational school. Also there were 196 graduate students at 2 institutions.