Academic inbreeding in Kazakhstan

Dogan M. Arslan H. Kashkhynbay B. Baltabayeva Z.
2025 SAGE Publications Inc.

Policy Futures in Education
2025

Academic inbreeding, the practice of hiring graduates from within the same institution, persists in Kazakhstan due to cultural norms, institutional practices, and economic factors. While it offers advantages like continuity and familiarity, it also carries risks like intellectual stagnation and excluding external perspectives. This paper explores the complex dynamics of academic inbreeding in Kazakhstan and proposes measures to mitigate its adverse effects. Importantly, these measures are designed to preserve the positive aspects of institutional loyalty and tradition, ensuring that the essence of Kazakh higher education is not lost in the change process. Findings reveal that key strategies include implementing clear legal frameworks, fostering academic mobility, and promoting merit-based recruitment policies. Academic mobility offers a promising avenue for introducing fresh ideas and perspectives, preventing stagnation, and enhancing the intellectual vitality of academic institutions. A balanced approach that combines internal loyalty with the inclusion of external talent will ensure the long-term sustainability and innovation of Kazakhstan’s higher education system. By adopting these strategies, Kazakh universities can foster a more dynamic, diverse, and competitive academic environment.

academic inbreeding , faculty members , higher education , qualitative research

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Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Education, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Turkey
Department of Pedagogy of Higher School, Kyrgyz National University Named After Jusup Balasagyn, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Department of Pedagogy, Faculty of Social Sciences, L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Astana, Kazakhstan

Department of Educational Sciences
Department of Pedagogy of Higher School
Department of Pedagogy

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