Autonomy and governance in Kazakhstani higher education institutions

Abstract

The present policy brief addresses trends in the Republic of Kazakhstan, which influence the development of shared governance1 and autonomy in higher education institutions (HEIs). Research was carried as a part of a longitudinal research project entitled “Advancing Models of Best Practice in Academic Governance and Management in Higher Education Institutions in Kazakhstan” (2014-2016) jointly conducted by the Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Education and the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education. Over the three years the research team investigated the topic of shared governance and autonomy in Kazakhstan with the purpose of developing a set of recommendations that will assist the reform efforts and offer guidelines for action. The move toward shared governance and increased autonomy are global trends as governments move away from centralized control. Given the importance of proper governance structures and mechanisms to the success of higher education systems, the study elucidates perceptions of various stakeholders on the governance reform and discusses the trends pertaining to governing HEIs in Kazakhstan.