Embracing globalization: university experiences among youth in contemporary Kyrgyzstan

Abstract

Kyrgyz government policy following independence called for the improvement and expansion of higher education as an important strategy to successfully enter the international market economy. Young people were to become a resource for economic growth and prosperity. However, even though the number of higher education institutions and enrolment levels have dramatically increased, the quality of secondary education, as well as the demand for professional and skilled labour, have decreased. These factors pose challenges for the organization of higher education and the quality of universities. Today, eager, but often unskilled, youth find themselves in university settings where many become disenchanted with formal instruction and seek other activities, purposes and futures This article describes and discusses these dynamics witnessed as part of a larger case study on universities and university reform in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, between 2007–09.