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Kazakhstan is embarking on a significant reform of its higher education system، aiming to align academic programs with the current needs of the labor market، particularly in light of rapid advancements in artificial intelligence. This initiative involves introducing new educational programs and revising existing ones to better prepare graduates for the future.

Expert Insights on Educational Reform

While supporting some aspects of the reform، education expert Didar Mardanov has highlighted systemic shortcomings that could hinder its effectiveness. He notes that educational reforms in Kazakhstan have historically been context-dependent، designed to address specific societal needs of their time.

For instance، the Unified National Testing (UNT) was introduced in 2004 to combat corruption in university admissions. Later، in 2010، Kazakhstan adopted the principles of the Bologna Process to integrate into the international educational space. The core tenet of the Bologna system، which emphasizes student choice in subjects، instructors، and learning paths، has only been fully implemented in about 20-25% of Kazakh universities.

Rationale Behind the New Reforms

The current reform، announced in April 2026، seeks to shorten educational programs، enhance practical training، and introduce new specializations. The primary goal is to bridge the gap between the education system and the economy's actual demands. Data from the first quarter of this year revealed 58.8 thousand job openings، with over half requiring skilled labor، particularly in construction، logistics، energy، industry، and agriculture.

To address this، the government is establishing a system for training personnel aligned with market needs. The Ministry of Labor provides forecasts، and the Ministry of Science allocates grants based on this data.

New Programs and Priorities

A key component of the reform is the launch of 21 new educational programs، including fields like AI and Data، Bioengineering، Smart Agriculture، and EdTech. Additionally، the government has prioritized areas such as green energy، robotics، logistics، cybersecurity، and digital medicine. Many of these new programs integrate multiple disciplines.

Furthermore، plans are in place to reduce over 700 existing educational programs to eliminate redundancy and fragmentation. This strategic move is informed by monitoring and surveys conducted by the "Atameken" National Chamber of Entrepreneurs and the "My Profession - My Future" project. Consequently، more than 1،700 educational programs have been updated across Kazakhstan، with universities actively incorporating AI-related courses.

Potential Limitations of the Reform

Despite these extensive changes، Mardanov points to deeper systemic issues. He argues that certain persistent myths surrounding education and the labor market influence governmental decisions. One such myth is the perceived oversupply of lawyers and economists، which Mardanov refutes by noting the consistent demand for qualified professionals in these fields within companies.

Another myth is the belief that the state can directly manage the labor market. Mardanov explains that labor shortages are often economic، stemming from employers' inability to offer competitive salaries. He emphasizes that as salary levels rise، individuals naturally gravitate towards these sectors، representing a natural market regulation.

Mardanov also critiques the emphasis on practical training، arguing that in today's knowledge-based economy، analytical thinking and cognitive skills are paramount. He also points to the overloaded curriculum in Kazakh universities، where students often take 9-10 subjects per semester، compared to 3-5 in international institutions، potentially compromising educational quality.

What Could Truly Drive Change؟

According to Mardanov، the core issue lies not in the number of new programs but in the excessive regulation of universities. He advocates for greater academic autonomy، suggesting that granting this freedom to even a select group of universities could yield rapid and significant results. He cites the example of Nazarbayev University and international models.

Senators also raised concerns in April 2026 about the lack of genuine university freedom and continued state dependence. Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov acknowledged the high dependence on the state budget، despite academic and managerial autonomy being granted to universities since 2018. To address this، the Ministry of Science plans to introduce a national university ranking in 2026.

The reform aims to reduce the disconnect between universities and the economy by leveraging labor market data and considering AI advancements. However، Mardanov concludes that simply changing curricula is insufficient. Without expanding university autonomy، easing regulations، and reducing oversight، the reform risks remaining largely formal. The true challenge، therefore، lies in the state's readiness to grant universities genuine freedom.

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