In 1972, Candidate of Chemical Sciences TASBOLAT MARDENOVICH MUKHAMETKALIEV was appointed rector of the ZHAMBYL TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF LIGHT AND FOOD INDUSTRY. With his arrival, the material and technical base of the educational institution began to expand and strengthen. In a short time, two educational buildings, a student dormitory, a dining room for 500 seats were built. The list of specialties has been expanded, the scientific potential of the faculty has increased.

In 1987, as a result of the election, the Doctor of Technical Sciences VLADIMIR IOSIFOVICH MILLER was elected rector of the ZHAMBYL TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF LIGHT AND FOOD INDUSTRY. Over the years, the status of the university has risen. The Institute has established relations with a number of foreign research centers, significant scientific conferences and meetings have been held within its walls.

Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor OSKENBAY KABYLBEKOVICH MADIEV headed the ZHAMBIL TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF LIGHT AND FOOD INDUSTRY for more than eight years. During this period, the scientific direction of the university was further developed. Several research centers were opened, and the scientists of the institute contributed to the treasury of scientific achievements. The material and technical base of the university was replenished with modern equipment.

Creation of M.Kh. Dulaty TarSU was also facilitated by the opening of the ZHAMBYL HYDROMELIORATIVE-CONSTRUCTION INSTITUTE on its basis. It opened in 1962 as a irrigation and drainage branch of the Kazakh Agricultural Institute. The educational institution trained specialists for industrial and civil construction, hydraulic structures and energy facilities. The training was conducted in full-time and part-time form.

The first rector of the institute was a corresponding member of the Kazakh SSR Academy of Sciences, honored hydraulic engineer of the Kazakh SSR RAKHMET ZHANGAZIEVICH ZHOLAYEV. A well-known scientist in the field of hydraulic engineering, he fruitfully headed the institute until 1973.

In the period from 1973 to 1992, the ZHAMBYL HYDROMELIORATIVE-CONSTRUCTION INSTITUTE was headed by the academician, Doctor of Technical Sciences MARS FAZYLOVICH URKUMBAEV. (He assumed the post of rector at the age of 33 and was the youngest head of a higher educational institution in the Union). With his arrival, a qualitatively new stage began in the activities of the university. New specialties in demand in agriculture, economics, irrigation and drainage, and construction have opened.

“In the 1973-1974 academic year, about 3,500 children studied at the full-time department, they were mainly guys,” M. Urkumbaev later recalled. - We tried to give students not only good knowledge, but also to instill in them a culture and spiritual values. Particular attention was paid to the development of sports. It was during these years that we discovered Serik Konakbaev, Sergey Gromov, Almas Musabekov for the country. If at first only 30-40 people were engaged in the boxing section, then after Serik Konakbaev won the World Cup in New York and became the silver medalist of the Moscow Olympics, up to 1400 people began to attend the section. A significant event was the opening of the faculty “Economics of Water Management”, which girls began to enter. Young people fell in love and fastened their feelings with the bonds of matrimony. For family students, we built a hostel number 3 ".

In those years, students not only studied, but also took part in the construction and arrangement of their own university. Under the slogan “Do it yourself with your own institution”, they built new educational buildings and dormitories, converted the chemical fertilizer warehouse into a modern laboratory, and improved the site for the military department. Thus, a whole educational campus was created, which later became known as the “Hydrocomplex”.

In 1992, the corresponding member of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Doctor of Technical Sciences ZHUNISBEK TASHIRBAEVICH SULEYMENOV was appointed the rector of the ZHAMBYL HYDROMELIORATIVE-CONSTRUCTION INSTITUTE.

Under the leadership of Zh. Suleimenov, the Institute established contacts with scientists from the United States and Germany, and developed several scientific projects. One of the very first institutes in Kazakhstan created the Council of Scientists. The dissertation was defended at the institute in the specialties "Water Management", "Hydraulics", etc.

In 1996, a new educational institution appeared in the regional center - ZHAMBYL UNIVERSITY.

The rector of the university was appointed Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Doctor of Technical Sciences UALIKHAN KOZYKEEVICH BISHIMBAYEV.

In November of the same year, the university was named after the historian, philosopher and statesman Mohammed Haidar Dulaty.

M.Kh. DULATY TARSU was established on March 24, 1998 on the basis of three higher educational institutions: the Zhambyl University, the Zhambyl Irrigation and Reclamation Institute, and the Zhambyl Technological Institute of the Light and Food Industries.

Until 2001, the university was headed by UALIKHAN KOZYKEEVICH BISHIMBAYEV. It was a period of spiritual growth of the university. Annually, Dulaty readings began with the participation of scientists from near and far abroad. A handful of land was delivered to Taraz from the grave of a glorious ancestor, which was placed at the base of his monument, installed in front of the main building of TarSU. A university museum was opened. About 1,500 exhibits were installed in it.

Since 2001,  M.Kh. Dulaty Taraz State University was led by a doctor of law, professor ABDIMANAP ELIKBAEVICH BECTURGANOV.

The university has strengthened ties with scientific and educational centers of near and far abroad.

One of the first in the country in TarSU was introduced a credit training system. New educational structures were formed. At 8 faculties, students studied in 58 specialties.

In the period from 2008 to 2012, M.Kh. Dulaty Taraz State University was headed by ASHIMZHAN SULEYMENOVICH AHMETOV.

A new stage in the development of the university has begun. The university employed 530 teachers, including 28 - doctors of sciences, professors, 206 - candidates of sciences and associate professors. A multi-stage training system is being introduced - undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate and PhD doctoral programs. In order to intensify educational and scientific activity, new services and divisions were opened: educational-methodical management, registration office, center for new information technologies, research department, scientific library, printing house, sports club, etc.

The university has become a consulting center for higher educational institutions of the republic on the introduction of a credit system of education.

In 2005, the university was awarded a certificate of compliance with international quality standards. The university has implemented an ISO-9001 management system that meets international standards.

For its half-century history, M.Kh. Dulaty Taraz State University rightfully became a leading university in the Zhambyl region.