Faculty in Contemporary Kyrgyzstan: Reactions to Reforms

Abstract

After Kyrgyzstan’s independence, reforms were implemented in higher education: new degrees, credit hours, private institutions, tuition in public institutions, and independent accreditation. However, faculty reactions to these reforms have not previously been studied. The authors conducted 57 interviews in four locations over three years. Our findings show that, first, interviewees discussed all kinds of changes in higher education and society. Second, participants were undergoing “concurrent stresses” (Anderson, Goodman, and Schlossberg, 2012) – their personal as well as professional lives were changing. Third, opinions differed. We analyzed these according to three of Schlossberg’s “4 S’s”: differences in faculty selves, situations, and support systems. However, few participants described strategies for dealing with the changes. Fourth, nearly all spoke of the reforms as something not under their control. Fifth, very few faculty members described the changes as unilaterally negative or positive. Most said, “I like this, but not that.”

Governing Universities in Post-Soviet Countries

“…In addition, some universities have started programs in English, particularly medical universities, that attract students from South Asia. International HEIs such as the American University of Central Asia and the Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University, in turn, offer programs in English or Turkish and have degrees recognized jointly by both governments (Merrill et. al., 2021).…”

“…According to the 2011 decree, bachelor's degrees in Kyrgyzstan were four years and a master's two, except for medical degrees, conservatory degrees, and a few other specializations. The transition took place in year-by-year phases (Merrill et al, 2021). First, in 2012, all first-year entering students pursued bachelor's degrees, while those who had entered a year earlier continued in five-year specialist diploma programs.…”

“…First, in 2012, all first-year entering students pursued bachelor's degrees, while those who had entered a year earlier continued in five-year specialist diploma programs. The transition continued until 2016 when the first bachelor's degree and the last specialist diploma recipients graduated simultaneously (Merrill et al, 2021). The PhD programs were introduced first in some specialties, which also were piloted in six universities.…”