“ANALYSIS OF THE “SERPIN-2050: THE YOUTH OF ETERNAL STATE TO THE INDUSTRY”

Abstract

“Serpin-2050 - The Youth of Eternal State to the Industry” is a program aimed at providing scholarships to young people from rural southern regions of Kazakhstan. The participants can study only in the assigned northern regions and are provided with a comprehensive scholarship with a range of assistance measures from the government. The official goal is to move people from the southern labor-excessive regions with high unemployment to the northern regions with a deficit of labor force. In return for government support, the participants are obliged to stay for two years in one of the assigned regions. However, numerous reports indicate that the program is not working and the number of the program graduates that leave assigned regions far exceeds the number of those who stay. This study aimed to understand the causes of this situation and make recommendations to alleviate it. Using statistical data, interviews with students and university administrators of three universities participating in the program, and the central government officials, we discovered that housing is the main issue for the graduates. This problem is further complemented by low salaries, not speaking Russian, social integration, and other issues. Based on the findings and the analysis of the government's proposed measures, we put forward the recommendations to develop the program.