Yerbolat Baiuzakovich Saurykov was born on 12 September 1971 in the village of Furmanovka, Moiynkum District, Zhambyl Region. He is ethnic Kazakh. He holds a Doctor of Sciences degree in Philology and is an Honorary Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
From 1978 to 1988, he attended the Y. Altynsarin Secondary School in the village of Kumozek.
From 1989 to 1994, he studied Kazakh Language and Literature at Zhambyl Pedagogical Institute, graduating with honours. From 2009 to 2011, he studied Public and Local Administration at Taraz Innovative Humanities University, also graduating with honours.
He began his academic career in 1994 as a research degree candidate at the Department of General Linguistics of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. From 1995 to 1998, he pursued full-time postgraduate studies at the same university and was awarded a Presidential Scholarship.
From 1998 to 2000, he worked as a researcher at the Ancient Turkic Written Monuments Research Centre at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and as a lecturer in the Department of General Linguistics.
In 1999, he defended his Candidate of Sciences dissertation at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University in the field of Comparative-Historical, Typological and Contrastive Linguistics.
From 2000 to 2001, he headed the Department of Kazakh Language at M. Kh. Dulaty Taraz State University. During this period, he was awarded a state scholarship by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
From 2001 to 2004, he held leadership positions at the Testing Centre and the Turkology Research Centre of M. Auezov South Kazakhstan State University.
From 2004 to 2006, he served as Vice-Rector for Academic and Methodological Affairs at Taraz State Pedagogical Institute.
From 2006 to 2010, he served as Dean of the Faculties of Law and History and of Philology, and as Deputy Director for Research and International Relations at the Taraz Institute of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi International Kazakh-Turkish University.
In 2010, he defended his doctoral dissertation on the history of Turkic languages before the dissertation council affiliated with the Department of General Linguistics at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and was awarded the degree of Doctor of Sciences in Philology.
From 2011 to 2012, he served as First Vice-Rector of Taraz Innovative Humanities University, and from 2012 to 2022, as its Rector.
From 2015 to 2023, he chaired the Zhambyl Regional Branch of the Auyl People's Democratic Patriotic Party.
In March 2023, he was elected to the Mazhilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan of the eighth convocation on the party list of the Auyl People's Democratic Patriotic Party. During his parliamentary service, he was a member of the Mazhilis Committee on International Affairs, Defence and Security.
Since 1 September 2026, he has served as President of International Taraz University named after Sherkhan Murtaza.
Yerbolat Baiuzakovich Saurykov's research focuses on Turkology, language history, comparative grammar and higher education pedagogy. He is the author of approximately 100 scholarly articles and works, as well as four monographs in these fields.
He led the implementation of the Madeni Mura (Cultural Heritage) state programme in southern Kazakhstan and participated in the study and preservation of historical and cultural heritage. As part of this programme, he carried out restoration work on the Kuralai Sulu historical monument in Moiynkum District.
For his contribution to the education and upbringing of the younger generation, as well as to the region's social, political and economic development, he has received a number of state and other honours:
2014 — European Grand Prix for Quality award, presented in Geneva;
2014 — Honorary Citizen of Moiynkum District;
2015 — Honorary Worker of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan badge;
2015 — Eren Enbegi Ushin (For Distinguished Labour) Medal;
2016 — Y. Altynsarin breast badge;
2016 — 25 Years of Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan commemorative medal;
2017 — Person of the Year of the City of Taraz;
2018 — winner of the national Zhomart Zhurek (Generous Heart) Award in the Tugan Olke (Native Land) category;
2018 — Patriot of the Year of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
2018 — A. Baitursynuly Gold Medal of the Association of Higher Education Institutions;
2019 — Honorary Citizen of the City of Taraz;
2020 — 25 Years of the Constitution of Kazakhstan commemorative medal;
2021 — 30 Years of Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan commemorative medal;
2022 — Order of Kurmet (Honour).
He is married and has four children and two grandchildren.