KAZAKHSTAN’S PATH IN HIGHER EDUCATION RECOGNITION: FROM BOTTOM-UP INITIATIVES TO GLOBAL CONVENTIONS

Since achieving independence in 1991, Kazakhstan has undertaken extensive reforms in its higher education system, with the recognition of qualifications becoming an integral aspect of internationalization and academic mobility. This article investigates the evolution of Kazakhstan's recognition system, from nostrification procedures to engagement in European, regional, and global recognition frameworks. Employing document analysis and historical institutionalism, the study examines how recognition reforms have been shaped by interactions among academic stakeholders, government policies, and international organizations such as UNESCO, the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), and the ENIC/NARIC networks. The results indicate that Kazakhstan has established a hybrid, multi-tiered recognition model that integrates the Lisbon Recognition Convention framework with regional accords and global instruments, including the Tokyo and UNESCO Global Conventions. Although there has been early adoption of European standards, notable disparities persist between formal commitments and actual implementation, particularly concerning automatic recognition and the acknowledgment of non-formal learning and micro-credentials. The article contends that recognition in Kazakhstan serves not merely as a legal procedure but also as an instrument of multi-level governance within the context of global higher education.

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