How is international education related to democracy? Focus on transitional ex-Soviet context

Ibrayeva D. Bekmagambetov A.
November 2025 Elsevier Ltd

International Journal of Educational Development
2025 #119

Although some argue that authoritarian or post-authoritarian regimes should not be interested in investing in higher education, particularly its internationalization, many do. Moreover, the internationalization of higher education has become a central strategy for many governments, aiming to integrate global perspectives into their national educational systems. The economic rationale is typically the primary reason for investing in the internationalization of higher education to foster a knowledge-based economy. However, it not only boosts technical knowledge but may also have political implications, altering the attitudes and values of students exposed to international education, which remain underexplored. Employing a critical approach to modernization theory, this interdisciplinary study combines international education and political science perspectives to bridge this gap. Using survey data from 734 Kazakhstani citizens, we analyze how international education experiences, both abroad and at home, are related to individuals’ understanding of democracy, emancipatory values, and political engagement in an ex-Soviet context. With no claims for causality, the findings still suggest that exposure to international education is correlated with stronger liberal democratic attitudes and values, with no noticeable implications for the forms of political engagement. This contributes to broader discussions on international education as a tool for linear and predictable democracy development.

Democracy , International education , Political socialization , Student development , Transitional post-authoritarian context

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Florida State University, United States
KIMEP University, Kazakhstan

Florida State University
KIMEP University

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