Global Competitiveness Myths and Ideals: English Language Policy in Universities in Kazakhstan

Abstract

It seems Kazakhstan couches superior knowledge in one particular language. The government policy for educational change focuses on reaching some aspects of equivalence or parity with developed and advanced nations to the extent that they approximate the attributes of prestigious national societies such as the rich European and North American countries. Current government policy in Kazakhstan calls for a policy dubbed “trilingualism” which means proficiency in Kazakh, Russian, and English. This study utilized various qualitative methods such as interviews, participant and non-participant observation, and document analysis to investigate faculty, students, and administrators’ experiences of the change from teaching and learning in Russian and Kazakh to English. The findings indicated that for Kazakhstan's universities to become globally competitive, they must have clear-cut goals that directly manifest how language conveys society's essential values. The unpreparedness of students, faculty, and administrators delimits the changeover from Kazakh and Russian to English. Accordingly, among the essential criteria to foster the foundation of development are national identity, harmony between the educational system, and, most generally, the extent of political decision-making to meet the national society's educational needs.