A “Third Way” Model of Higher Education for Kazakhstan

Abstract

In Kazakhstan, the future of the students is often deter-mined by their socio-economic background rather than their talents and merits. To solve such problems, various models have been proposed around the world. The most notable examples are the opposing models of the USA and Nordic countries, which focus on innovation and competition and equity and collaboration, respectively. There have been numerous discussions about which model should be adopted by Kazakhstan. On the one hand, the Nordic model offers equal opportunities for students. On the other hand, others argue that innova-tions are feasible only through the practice of competi-tion. Nevertheless, I think that Kazakhstan should not base its higher education fully on one type of model. Instead, another approach that is suitable for the country must be practiced in order to solve the current problems of Kazakhstani higher education. This essay will first discuss the US model of higher education, then the Nor-dic model, and finally why the “third way” is the best solution for Kazakhstan’s case.