GOVERNMENT SUPPORT OF UNIVERSITY RESEARCH: CASE OF KAZAKHSTAN

This paper forms the part of larger research project titled “Internationalizing Academic Research in Kazakhstan: An Historical Analysis of Policy and Practice.”

The aim of the paper is to explore a case of government program in Kazakhstan that allocates funding for number of selected universities to partner them with international universities and local industries to prepare adequate specialists for economic needs of the country and enhance the university's’ research capacity. In this paper we also provide background on university research in Kazakhstan and university-industry-government interaction in Kazakhstan.

We will look this policy and current university-industry-government relationship in the context of existing research literature. The relevant literature is reviewed for this purpose. Policy documents regarding the program and other literature relevant to the background of the university-industry-government relationship in Kazakhstan is analysed. Preliminary interviews are conducted, which will inform further in depth interviews with participating universities, policymakers and industry representatives.

Literature proposes various approaches in considering role of university, industry and government in promotion of innovation in a society. The Triple Helix concept considers that universities can play enhanced role (Etzkowitz, Leydesdorff, 2000), national system of innovation approach states that firms have the leading role (Lundvall, 1988, 1992; Nelson, 1993), in the “Triangle” model the state has the leading role (Sabato 1975).

In the case of Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Education and Science plays the main role in higher education system in Kazakhstan. The ministry is trying to enhance the research excellence in universities and their industry relationship. Government support mechanisms include: allocation of research grant funds, direct transfers to upgrade research equipments, commercialization of research grants and others. The latest initiative which is the focus of this paper is supporting 11 selected universities to enhance their research and industry cooperation.

Historically Kazakhstan’s higher education, as part of Soviet Union higher education area, did not have the “third mission” of contributing into economic development, and even the “second mission” of research was not part of mainstream universities. Research was concentrated in institutions under the National Academy of Science. These later attempts of the government is addressed to enhance the second and third missions of the universities.

The program is part of larger State Program Industrial Innovative Development of Kazakhstan (SPIID) for 2010 -2020, the preliminary evaluation in 2014 indicated that the one of the main challenges in implementing the SPIID was the lack of skilled personnel. Thus 11 universities in priority areas were selected and offered to devise new graduate level programs in cooperation with industries participating in the SPIID and international partner institutions. These universities are provided with funds to partner with an international institution to devise new graduate degree programs, equip their research laboratories, and train the university leadership. Currently it is the second year of the three year program. In this three-year period the universities should prepare 9000 graduates, who should be employed at participating companies and their research laboratories should be internationally certified.