FACULTY PERCEPTION OF ACADEMIC FREEDOM IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN KAZAKHSTAN

Abstract

The thesis is a quantitative analysis of faculty perceptions towards academic freedom in higher education institutions. Academic freedom serves as the foundation of higher education, representing the concepts of intellectual autonomy, without restriction research, and free speech within academic communities. Furthermore, academic freedom protects faculty members’ freedom to research and share ideas, which in turn creates an atmosphere that is beneficial to scholarly communication, intellectual growth, and the development of society. This thesis studies faculty perceptions of academic freedom in Kazakhstan’s higher education institutions. Employing a non-experimental descriptive cross-sectional design, data were gathered through a survey questionnaire distributed among faculty members across selected institutions. The primary aim of this study was to identify the multiple factors that influence faculty views and perception of academic freedom in the higher education landscape. Moreover, the research aimed at identifying possible differences in faculty members’ perceptions of academic freedom depending on several demographic criteria such as age, gender, educational background, and years of experience. In total, 72 faculty members participated in the study. This study emphasizes the need for increasing faculty members’ awareness and comprehension of academic freedom in order to strengthen its preservation and implementation inside higher education institutions. It also underlines the importance of clear and supportive governance processes in creating an optimal climate for academic freedom, which in turn improves faculty members’ overall satisfaction and involvement with their institutions. The research adds to the body of knowledge regarding academic freedom in Kazakhstani higher education by providing insights into faculty perceptions and the factors that influence these views. The findings have implications for both research and practice, offering significant recommendations to institutions striving to promote and increase academic freedom in higher education.