Transnational education: Key to shared global challenges

In an increasingly interconnected world, education transcends borders, and nowhere is this more evident than in the United Kingdom, where universities have long been at the forefront of global collaboration.

Transnational education is not only a driver of academic excellence but also a vital tool for tackling some of the world’s most pressing challenges, from climate change to food security and digital transformation.

As we face these shared issues, partnerships between institutions become indispensable. In Kazakhstan, we are drawing inspiration from models like those in the UK to transform our higher education system, positioning the country as a regional academic hub with the potential to make significant global contributions.

The recent ConnectED 2024 conference in Astana highlighted that the future of education lies in collaboration, and that transnational education is a catalyst for addressing both local and global challenges.

Transnational education and global solutions

Education, when shared across borders, can serve as a potent force for global problem-solving. Take, for instance, the collaboration between Kazakhstan’s institutions, such as Kozybayev University and the University of Arizona, which was discussed at the conference. Together, these institutions are tackling urgent issues like water resource management, irrigation and food security in northern Kazakhstan.

These are global challenges – issues that resonate with many nations, including the UK, where agricultural sustainability and climate resilience are ongoing concerns. By leveraging international academic expertise, this project is demonstrating how transnational education can offer tangible, science-driven solutions that extend well beyond national borders.

Such partnerships also help us prepare for the future. At ConnectED 2024, one of the key discussions focused on artificial intelligence and its impact on education and the workforce.

Renowned historian Yuval Noah Harari emphasised that AI will fundamentally reshape economies and societies. This conversation is not only relevant for Kazakhstan but for all nations as we grapple with how to equip students with the skills needed for a rapidly evolving digital future.

Kazakhstan’s approach to these global challenges through transnational education is simple: we cannot do it alone. The complexity of these issues demands a collective response from the world’s academic and scientific communities.

By positioning Kazakhstan as a hub for regional education and research, we hope to contribute to the shared global knowledge pool, benefiting Kazakhstan and our partners as well.

Institutional reforms for sustainable change

However, for transnational education to truly flourish, it must be underpinned by robust institutional frameworks. Kazakhstan recognises this, and we are undertaking deep institutional reforms to ensure that the academic transformation we are striving for is sustainable and impactful in the long term.

At the heart of this reform is the establishment of the Council for Strategic Partnerships, launched during ConnectED 2024. This body will serve as a permanent platform for continuous knowledge exchange between Kazakh universities and their international counterparts. By formalising these collaborations, we aim to ensure that our partnerships are not ad hoc, but strategically integrated into the core of our higher education system.

This is where the UK’s experience can be particularly relevant.

British universities have long been leaders in fostering transnational education, creating globally recognised models for academic collaboration. Institutions such as the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London are prime examples of how strong governance and international cooperation can drive research excellence.

Kazakhstan aims to learn from these models, adopting best practices in governance and academic freedom to strengthen our own institutions.

We are also revising funding mechanisms to support this transformation. Our focus is on ensuring long-term financial sustainability for Centres of Academic Excellence, which will serve as engines of innovation in Kazakhstan’s higher education landscape.

These centres, funded through both public and private initiatives, are already attracting foreign investment. With over US$66 million in investments from international universities, the expansion of our educational infrastructure is well underway, enhancing not only our academic offerings but also creating new opportunities for scientific research and technological innovation.

Bridging academia and industry

Another key element of our reform agenda is strengthening the connection between academia and industry. In Kazakhstan, we are fostering closer collaboration between universities and the private sector through initiatives such as scientific hackathons. These events bring together researchers, students and industry leaders to solve technological challenges, creating a direct pipeline between academic research and practical industry applications.

The resulting innovations have the potential to enhance productivity, drive economic growth and tackle the technological challenges facing many sectors, from agriculture to energy.

This approach mirrors successful models from across Europe and the UK, where university-industry partnerships have led to groundbreaking advancements in fields like renewable energy, biotechnology and AI. By nurturing these connections, Kazakhstan aims to become a hub of innovation that can spur economic and societal transformation.

A global movement

The transformation underway in Kazakhstan’s higher education system is part of a broader global movement to rethink how education can better serve society’s needs in an era of rapid change. Our goal is not just to become a regional leader in education and research, but to contribute to the global academic ecosystem.

The establishment of foreign university branches in Kazakhstan is a testament to our commitment to internationalisation. These institutions bring advanced teaching methods, global research standards and diverse perspectives that are crucial for shaping the future of education.

By integrating these practices into local universities, we are elevating the quality of education in Kazakhstan and creating opportunities for global knowledge exchange.

This effort aligns with the vision of many leading academic institutions worldwide, including in the UK, where international collaboration is seen as key to addressing shared global challenges.

Kazakhstan’s bold academic transformation is just beginning, but the foundation we are laying today will have far-reaching impacts, both for our region and for the world. As we continue to strengthen our ties with international academic institutions, we are confident that Kazakhstan will become a major player in the global effort to harness education for the betterment of society.

In this collective journey, transnational education and institutional reform will remain central to our strategy. And as we move forward, we look forward to deepening our partnerships with countries like the UK, whose universities have long been at the forefront of global education and research. Together, we can build a more interconnected, informed and innovative world.

Sayasat Nurbek is the minister of science and higher education of Kazakhstan.

This article is a commentary. Commentary articles are the opinion of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of University World News.