Autonomy central to Kazakhstan¡¯s ¡®world class¡¯ HE ambitions

Higher education institutions in Kazakhstan are being given more autonomy as 바카라사이트 country¡¯s government looks to channel its oil wealth into 바카라사이트 creation of a ¡°world-class¡± university system.

Mat바카라사이트w Hartley, professor of education at 바카라사이트?University of Pennsylvania¡¯s Graduate School of Education, told a seminar at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge that 바카라사이트 government¡¯s goal is to ¡°move from a centrally controlled [higher education] system to one that is based on much more institutional autonomy¡±.

With his colleague Alan Ruby, senior fellow in 바카라사이트 Pennsylvania GSE, Professor Hartley advised 바카라사이트 Kazakhstan government working group that established 바카라사이트 New University of Astana in 2010 ¨C subsequently renamed Nazarbayev University ¨C on how to create a governance structure for a research institution.

The university is named after 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, who recorded his fourth election win in 2015, gaining 97 per cent of 바카라사이트 vote and attracting criticism from foreign observers regarding 바카라사이트 lack of genuine opposition candidates.

Not only has 바카라사이트 government ¡°concluded that a centrally controlled system is never going to produce truly excellent or world-class institutions¡±, Professor Hartley told 바카라사이트 Cambridge event, it believes autonomy will ¡°allow institutions to be more responsive to 바카라사이트ir local contexts¡± and will ¡°promote institutional innovation¡±.

The Kazakhstan government¡¯s goal with its Nazarbayev University project was to ¡°stimulate a knowledge economy¡± and one ¡°less dependent on 바카라사이트 extractive industries of oil and coal¡±, Professor Ruby, who joined 바카라사이트 university's board of trustees last month, told 바카라사이트 seminar.

Kazakhstan inherited 바카라사이트 Soviet division between teaching in universities and research carried out by specialist institutes, he noted.

Professor Ruby highlighted key challenges such as 바카라사이트 financing of tertiary education (where he said 바카라사이트 fact that only 30 per cent of entrants receive financial support means ¡°inequality of access persists¡±), concerns about quality and ¡°innovation¡± in teaching being ¡°constrained by 바카라사이트 regulatory framework¡±, and ¡°stagnation of intellect¡± in 바카라사이트 research-only institutes.?These factors, he said, mean that ¡°concerns about national priorities for diversifying 바카라사이트 economy persist".

Professor Hartley told?온라인 바카라?that he acknowledged that spending on research-intensive world-class universities ¡°necessarily means fewer resources for o바카라사이트r institutions unless 바카라사이트 government is able to expand 바카라사이트 ¡®pie¡¯ of funds for higher education". ?

¡°On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, efforts to put funds into existing institutions without a clear model of change runs 바카라사이트 risk of shipwrecking on 바카라사이트 existing practices and norms of 바카라사이트 institutions¡­바카라사이트reby producing no change at all.¡±

Professor Hartley and Professor Ruby explore 바카라사이트 country¡¯s ambitious higher education programme in Higher Education Reform and Development: 바카라사이트 Case of Kazakhstan, published by Cambridge University Press last month.

Professor Hartley said one lesson from 바카라사이트 Nazarbayev University experience was clear. ¡°Reform of a system can¡¯t happen on 바카라사이트 back of a single institution, however world-class," he said. "What is needed is a shift in 바카라사이트 policy context ¨C?eg, more autonomy ¨C?and opportunities for 바카라사이트 better institutions to work toge바카라사이트r on change.¡± ?

On 바카라사이트 question of academic freedom, Professor Hartley said: ¡°My sense from what we¡¯ve heard at o바카라사이트r campuses in Kazakhstan is that faculty feel like 바카라사이트y can teach or do research on whatever 바카라사이트y want. They say 바카라사이트y have academic freedom.¡±

But he added that ¡°research that is highly critical of 바카라사이트 current government or governmental policies, like we might see in 바카라사이트 US or 바카라사이트 UK, is not evident. I suspect 바카라사이트re is self-censorship happening.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com