ASTANA — Kazakhstan has taken a significant step toward integrating its higher education system into the global academic space, as the Senate (upper chamber of Parliament) ratified the Asia-Pacific Regional Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education at a Jan. 15 plenary session.
Photo credit: Kazinform.
The convention aims to strengthen international trust in Kazakh university diplomas and expand opportunities for academic and professional mobility, the upper chamber’s press service reported.
The plenary session, chaired by Senate Speaker Maulen Ashimbayev, also addressed other legislative matters, including the election of senators to a joint parliamentary commission working on amendments to the Constitutional Law on Elections. However, ratifying the education-related convention stood out as a key decision with long-term implications for the country’s human capital and international cooperation.
By joining the Asia-Pacific convention, Kazakhstan commits to transparent, fair, and timely procedures for assessing academic qualifications among participating countries. The agreement significantly simplifies the recognition of diplomas, academic degrees, and other higher education credentials, reducing bureaucratic barriers for students and professionals seeking to study or work abroad.
“This law provides for the development of cooperation among the parties in the field of higher education. The provisions of the convention aim to ensure an open and timely assessment of qualifications among signatory countries. We hope that its approval will further strengthen partnerships and enhance the prestige of Kazakhstan’s education system,” Ashimbayev said.
Officials emphasized that the convention will help reinforce Kazakhstan’s standing in the Asia-Pacific region and deepen educational integration across Central Asia. In addition to boosting student and labor mobility, the agreement opens new markets for the export of educational services offered by Kazakh universities and promotes the transfer of advanced teaching practices and educational technologies.
