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NEW PERSONELL FOR THE NEW ECONOMY: KAZAKHSTAN’S EXPERIENCE
ARKADY DUBNOV,
Political scientist, “Vremya Novostei” international observer, Moscow
At the Second Forum of Intellectuals of the CIS countries, which was held in November 2007 in Astana, I was moderating the panel on the youth’s access to education, culture, etc. On the second day of the Forum, Head of the Russian State Committee for Youth Vasily Yakemenko arrived in Astana to take part in the event. Interestingly enough, he was concerned, above all, with the youth as a political resource rather than with the problems of the education and the future of the youth as citizens and society members.
In this respect, I was fascinated with the Kazakh young people who are interested in the political infighting to the smallest degree. First and foremost, they are interested in their own future in terms of their education. I was amazed at the fact that they regard the education accessibility as the major value.
Studying in Western universities is the main target for many Kazakh students. For them learning English is not an end in itself, but a means to become part of the Western community. Those failing to learn English, will study in Russia.
This is a very important feature of the modern situation. Of course, one cannot choose his neighbors and Kazakhstan will remain Russia’s neighbor.
It is important that Kazakhstan’s future depends on the young people who are seeking today to be educated in the West. In principle, in 10-15 years the situation may change. But now Kazakhstan’s near future is closely connected with the West. Kazakhstan will remain a West-oriented country.
Behind the scenes many chancellors of the Kazakh higher schools complained that the First Forum, which took place in Moscow in 2006, had no results. In particular, the results should have included the measures by the Russian authorities to move to the mutual recognition of diplomas. Alas, for that the Russian authorities have done nothing.
In this sense, Kazakhstan has the absolute right to choose other ways to educate its youth. Besides, the young people themselves are losing the incentive to receive education in Kazakhstan because they came to realize that this education has an extremely low value in the CIS countries including Russia.
As regards China, which is also Kazakhstan’s neighbor, Astana has no other option but close cooperation with this country in the nearest future. Today in Kazakhstan Chinese studies are priority of well-educated people, of the elite. But it is not a determining principle. The Chinese factor is significant in the Central Asian countries.
The text is based on Arkady Dubnov’s address to the round table "New Personnel for the New Economy: Kazakhstan’s Experience" organized by the Russian News and Information Agency RIA Novosti on November 22.
November 28, 2007
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