Russia, China, and Central Asia in Higher Education

Abstract

This chapter explores relations between Russia and China in higher education and the role of China in Central Asia, where both countries are active. During the Soviet period Russia exercised a profound influence in Chinese higher education. Though China (unlike Russia after 1991) maintains a Leninist political system, China has moved further from Soviet system structure. The two countries continue multiple interactions in higher education, including system level partnerships, and student mobility, though cooperation at the institutional and individual level does not match the goals in intergovernmental documents. The five former Soviet Central Asian republics (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan) are developing their own higher education systems, but the Russian language is widely used, and partnerships with Russian higher education institutions continue. Though China has not prioritized higher education in Central Asia there are signs of growing regional competition between China and Russia in this sector.