Emma Harden-Wolfson

Higher Education in Central Asia Blog (est. 2011)

  • Kazakh Minister of Higher Education sets out his vision

    At the recent Eurasian Higher Education Leaders’ Forum (EHELF) at Nazarbayev University in Astana, I got to hear from Sayasat Nurbek, Minister of Higher Education and Science of Kazakhstan. That Nurbek is one of the longest serving higher education Ministers, having been in post for a venerable four years, speaks to his dynamism and rapidly… Read more

  • Three possible futures for higher education internationalization in Central Asia

    In my last post, I shared some thoughts on what’s currently happening in the world of higher education internationalization in Central Asia based on two talks I gave recently in Kazakhstan. As part of this, I embarked on some scenario planning to think through what desirable futures might look like, what challenges might lie along… Read more

  • Internationalization trends and tensions in Central Asia

    I’m just back from Kazakhstan, where I was invited to speak at the Eurasian Higher Education Leaders’ Forum (EHELF) at Nazarbayev University in Astana and the International Association of University Presidents Central Asia Regional Conference, organized by Almaty Management University in Almaty. Let me take the opportunity to thank the organizers of these thought-provoking events… Read more

  • New article: International Organizations’ Influence on Higher Education Policy in Authoritarian States: The Case of Tajikistan, 1991–2025

    I have a new academic article out today! It’s called International Organizations’ Influence on Higher Education Policy in Authoritarian States: The Case of Tajikistan, 1991–2025 and can be accessed at https://rdcu.be/faIMg (open access to read online, downloadable if your institution allows/by contacting me). The article is part of a special issue in the journal Higher… Read more

  • ICYMI: Tensions in Kazakhstan-China academic relations

    In case you missed it, check out this insightful article published recently in University World News that delves into why bilateral academic relations between Kazakhstan and China appear to be faltering. The article sets out some of the challenges and also offers important ideas for bringing greater mutuality into this important relationship. The author, Gui… Read more

  • Rejected by Russia: Hundreds of Tajik students forced to leave

    The news that over 600 Tajik students were expelled from Russian universities during 2025 seems like the latest spat in the love-hate relationship that seems to define Tajikistan’s links with Russia (can’t live with you, can’t live without you sort of thing). Yet, when the news comes from the Tajik government, it’s clear that there’s… Read more