Motivations, benefits, and challenges of university-industry partnerships in Kazakhstan

In recent years, with the knowledge economy agenda and demands for public accountability, the importance of the engagement of universities with industry has gained prominence globally. In Kazakhstan, policymakers have emphasized developing university-industry partnerships (UIPs) to foster innovation and align higher education with labor market demands. In response to this policy agenda, the government has invested in university-industry collaborations (e.g., SPIID programs). This qualitative study explores the motivations, benefits, and challenges of UIPs in Kazakhstan. Data were gathered through interviews with the senior leadership and faculty members of universities and their industry partners. Our findings show that despite the challenges faced by the partners at the individual, intra-organizational, and inter-organizational levels, healthy developments have been made in forging university-industry links that contribute to the improvement of educational programs, the employability of graduates, and the capacity-building of faculty. However, with the predominant focus of UIPs on human capital development, fostering research and innovation, technology transfer, and commercialization appears to take a backseat. This problem is, to some extent, rooted in universities’ shortage of resources, underdeveloped research capacity, inadequate organizational support, and the industry's lack of trust and disinterest in collaborating with universities. The most notable challenge is the initiation and management of UIPs under the statist model of the Triple Helix, where the government remains a driving force for determining the types and purposes of partnerships. In addition to addressing organizational issues by university and industry stakeholders, effective partnerships require more efficient government support without restricting universities' autonomy.