Educational Emigration from Kazakhstan: Trends, Motivations, and Government Policies. Cases of Italy and Türkiye

Abstract

This research discusses factors that motivate Kazakhstani students to remain in Italy and Türkiye after graduation and the government's current strategies to address educational emigration. Despite these two countries remaining emerging educational hubs, this trend remains under-researched. To prevent the loss of human control in the era of global mobility, the government of Kazakhstan has made several attempts through educational policies, but the brain drain from the country remains a relevant issue. This paper applied five working propositions based on the push-and-pull factors model and analyzed them using a mixed-methods research design. The survey collected responses from 71 graduates of Italian and Turkish universities who still live there, analyzing the relevance of economic, political, personal, socio-cultural, and educational factors, as well as their future plans. 3 in-depth interviews were conducted with Kazakhstani founders of international education consulting agencies and an employee of a Kazakhstani diplomatic mission, which provided more detailed insights into the research. This study revealed that there is a brain circulation rather than the brain drain, as most graduates in Italy and Türkiye return to Kazakhstan or plan to do so. Students were less motivated by political factors to study abroad, while economic, educational, socio-cultural, and personal factors remained relevant in their decision-making process, indicating the need for further advancement of the quality of education and employment opportunities for graduates.