Modernization of higher education in Central Asia: key stages and tools of internationalization

Abstract

This article presents a historical retrospective of the process of introducing and developing the internationalization of higher education in the Central Asian states, which found themselves in a difficult situation after gaining independence and had to search for new strategies, methods and goals for further development. Research on this topic is important because it can help identify priority areas for strengthening the international activities of universities in Central Asia, which, in turn, will strengthen the region's position in the geo-economic space. The historical stages of the formation of the educational policy of the countries of the region, such as Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, are presented in a structured manner from the 1990s to the present day. In Turkmenistan, which remains a closed state, the educational system is subject to strong politicization, but even there the internationalization of higher education is becoming important for the country's leadership. In recent decades, there has been an increase in interest in higher education in Central Asian countries, which poses certain challenges to the region. Thus, the internationalization of higher education implies the need to unify standards and quality control mechanisms, as well as to promote international mobility for teachers and researchers. Ensuring the quality of education is an important factor in competitiveness, but questions remain about their application to support student mobility and employment. The countries of the region are experiencing difficulties in coordinating the effectiveness of training in the context of a single qualification mechanism. In this regard, it is concluded that it is advisable to simplify the procedural points for the recognition of qualification characteristics in the format of a single educational space similar to the European Higher Education Area.