Abstract
This paper investigates universities with educational programs in mining specialties, mining enterprises, and regions with a developed mining industry in developing countries on the example of Kazakhstan. The analysis showed that universities are the weakest link in the chain of universities-enterprises-regions, since their structure is poorly balanced in relation to business: though to a smaller extent, science does cooperate with education, while business in universities remains an alien element and does not generate income on its own. The creation of a mining cluster around a university with mining majors can help multiply collaborative efforts. The involvement of universities in the extraction of mineral resources and the accompanying processes within such a cluster will significantly change the type and role of the regional industry, and as a result, will become a driver of economic growth in the region.