The Global International Conference “Transition to University Autonomy in Kazakhstan: Challenges and Perspectives” was held on 20-21 November 2018 at Karaganda State Medical University, the aim of which was the discussion of various aspects of institutional autonomy.

The conference was held by Karaganda State Medical University, Erasmus+ National office in Kazakhstan with the support of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The conference attended over 500 people including international experts in the field of education from Belgium, Sweden, Great Britain, Italy, Finland, France, Slovenia, Lithuania and Russia, representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Healthcare of the RK, Erasmus+ National office in Kazakhstan, members of the National Team of experts on higher education reform in Kazakhstan, leaders of educational organizations, scientists, teachers, students as well as specialists from human and financial services and academic work.

During the conference it was discussed the most relevant issues of expanding the autonomy of universities: organizational, staffing, financial, academic autonomy, policy of the university, authority of the university in academic autonomy, principles of the organization of the educational process, educational policy of the state in the higher education.

Thomas Estermann, Director of Governance, Funding and Public Policy Development of the European University Association and his deputy Enora Pruvot presented reports that reflected an analysis of world experience in implementing university autonomy and the current situation in Kazakhstan on the plenary session. Lennart Johan Ståhle, Senior Consultant at Royal Institute of Technology shared the experience of higher education institutions in Sweden in matters of institutional autonomy. Massimo Pinyatelli, Dean of School of Medicine at Nazarbayev University presented the results of introducing the US-type model of education management into Nazarbayev University, School of Medicine. Omirbayev Serik, Rector of M.Kozybayev North Kazakhstan State University demonstrated the progress of implementation of institutional autonomy in Kazakhstan.

Partners of the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in the Field of Higher Education project “Transition to University Autonomy in Kazakhstan / TRUNAK” held workshops on four dimensions of autonomy: staffing, organizational, academic and financial. European experience in the management of educational organizations and Kazakhstani opportunities for the implementation of this experience were discussed during the workshops.

At the end of the conference, a panel discussion was held, at which European and Kazakh universities in consolidation with the Ministries exchanged views on the progress of reforms in higher education and developed recommendations on further improving of the process of expanding university autonomy in Kazakhstan.

The following Key Messages emerged from the discussions:

1. The fundamental principles of university autonomy are the responsibility of the university towards society, accountability, efficiency, and transparency.

2. The effective implementation of the principles of university autonomy requires the continuous development of managerial and leadership skills of education managers.