Higher education in Kazakhstan in terms of the Bologna process: Problems, solutions

Abstract

After signing the Bologna Declaration, Kazakhstan has committed itself to reform the higher educational system. The authors draw an analogy with the system of higher education in the Soviet time, demonstrate and analyze the strategy for the reform of education in Kazakhstan. Considering the performance and results of a fundamental restructuring of education, the authors rely on statistical information, think critically about the main vectors of educational trajectories, identify problems and suggest solutions. According to the authors, the Kazakhstan system of education can get a new level using the best practices of the previous system, and at the same time continuing to introduce innovative principles of the Bologna Declaration.

The perception and experience of young researchers in doctoral programmes in the context of recent reforms in Kazakhstan

“…Kazakhstan has been identified as a twenty‐first‐century experiment in education reform because of the complexity of adopting education practices from the West (Amangeldyevich et al, 2016; Hartley et al, 2016; Kucera, 2014; Silova & Niyozov, 2020). The country's higher educational system has passed major transformations since the collapse of the Soviet Union.…”

“…However, even after adopting the Bologna Process, by 2013, only 33.1% of PhD holders (223 individuals) found a job in the research sector, whereas others left academia (Ibraev et al, 2015). Also, the distribution of new PhD holders was not what the country needed for the development of the economy: the number of PhDs in the field of social sciences outnumbered those in the technical specialties, which the country needed the most (Amangeldyevich et al, 2016; Ibraev et al, 2015; Tazabek, 2018).…”

“…Also, the distribution of new PhD holders was not what the country needed for the development of the economy: the number of PhDs in the field of social sciences outnumbered those in the technical specialties, which the country needed the most (Amangeldyevich et al, 2016;Ibraev et al, 2015;Tazabek, 2018).…”