Sustainability, Where Are Thou? Assessing Kazakhstani University Mission Statements

Alberto Frigerio

doi:10.57142/jesd.v3i2.665

Authors

Alberto Frigerio Almaty Management University, Almaty

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.57142/jesd.v3i2.665

Keywords:

Kazakhstan, Mission statements, Social responsibility, Sustainability, University

Abstract

Over the last decade, higher education institutions have made significant strides in promoting sustainability and social responsibility. However, the integration of these principles into university mission statements remains insufficient. While universities are advancing in practice, they often fall short of formally embedding these values into their core strategies. This study examines the incorporation of sustainability and social responsibility within the mission statements of 91 Kazakhstani universities. Through word frequency and thematic analysis, key themes and priorities of Kazakhstani higher education institutions are identified. The results highlight a focus on traditional aspects such as “leadership and competitiveness” (71.5%), “innovation and technology” (58.3%), and “education quality” (39.5%). In contrast, “sustainability” is mentioned in only 7.7% of the statements, indicating it is not yet a strategic priority, while “social responsibility” appears in 23.1% of cases, with a notable emphasis on societal benefits and human capital development. These findings suggest a predominant focus on immediate national development goals, potentially at the expense of global educational trends in sustainability. To enhance international competitiveness and better prepare students for global challenges, Kazakhstani universities should more thoroughly integrate sustainability into their strategic frameworks.

References

Address by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, N. Nazarbayev “Strategy Kazakhstan-2050”: new political course of the established state (2012). Retrieved from https://www.akorda.kz/en/addresses/addresses_of_president/address-by-the-president-of-the-republic-of-kazakhstan-leader-of-the-nation-nnazarbayev-strategy-kazakhstan-2050-new-political-course-of-the-established-state.

Ahn, E. S., Dixon, J., & Chekmareva, L. (2018). Looking at Kazakhstan’s Higher Education Landscape: From Transition to Transformation Between 1920 and 2015. In J. Huisman, A. Smolentseva, & I. Froumin (Eds.), 25 Years of Transformations of Higher Education Systems in Post-Soviet Countries (pp. 199-227). doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-52980-6_8.

Bekbaueva, D., Idrissu, I., Suleiman, A. S., Suy, R., & Islamjanova, A. (2017). Internationalization of Higher Education in Kazakhstan. Journal of Social Science Studies 4 (2): pp. 165-176. doi: http://doi.org/10.5296/jsss.v4i2.11018.

Berghauser, H., & Hoelscher, M. (2020). Reinventing the third mission of higher education in Germany: political frameworks and universities’ reactions. Tertiary Education and Management 26: pp. 57-76. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11233-019-09030-3.

Compagnucci, L., & Spigarelli, F. (2020). The Third Mission of the university: A systematic literature review on potentials and constraints. Technological Forecasting & Social Change 161: 120284. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2020.120284.

Cortese, A. D., & Hattan, A. S. (2010). Education for Sustainability as the Mission of Higher Education. Sustainability 3 (1): pp. 48-52. doi: https://doi.org/10.1089/SUS.2009.9802.

Deus, R. M., Battistelle, R. A. G., & Silva, G. H. R. d. (2016). Sustainability insights from the mission statements of leading Brazilian Universities. International Journal of Educational Management 30 (3): pp. 403-415. doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEM-05-2014-0065.

Etkowitz, H. (2012). The Age of Knowledge: The Dynamics of Universities, Science and Society. Leiden: Brill.

Frigerio, A., Altaliyeva, A., Baiserkyev, O., Kaumenova, A., Nurgazina, A., & Diaz-Soloaga, A. (2021a). Strategic Management and Sustainable Development of Universities. In A. Kozhakhmetov (Ed.), In Search of an Effective Model of University in Kazakhstan (pp. 190-213). Almaty: Almaty Management University.

Frigerio, A., Saari, D., Temirbekova, A., Abdullin, R., Ahmetov, B., & Zhumurova, A. (2021b). The Third Mission of Universities. In A. Kozhakhmetov (Ed.), In Search of an Effective Model of University in Kazakhstan (pp. 83-103). Almaty: Almaty Management University.

Giuffré, L., & Ratto, S. E. (2014). A New Paradigm in Higher Education: University Social Responsibility (USR). Journal of Education and Human Development 3 (1): pp. 231-238. Retrieved from https://jehd.thebrpi.org/journals/jehd/Vol_3_No_1_March_2014/15.pdf.

Gorpe, T. S., & Masamreh, A. (2023). Commitment to Sustainability: How Sustainability is Reflected in UEA Universities: An Exploratory Study. Journal of Sustainability Perspective 3 (2): pp. 121-133. doi: https://doi.org/10.14710/jsp.2023.20512.

IQAA. (2024). Higher Education in Kazakhstan. Retrieved from https://iqaa.kz/en/higher-and-postgraduate-education/higher-education-in-kazakhstan.

Jumakulov, Z., & Ashirbekov, A. (2016). Higher Education Internationalization: Insights from Kazakhstan. Hungarian Educational Research Journal 6 (1): pp. 38-58. doi: https://doi.org/10.14413/HERJ.2016.01.03.

Knudsen, M. P., Frederiksen, M. H., & Goduscheit, R. C. (2021). New Forms of Engagement in Third Mission Activities: A Multi-Level University-Centric Approach. Innovation 23 (2): pp. 209-240. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/14479338.2019.1670666.

Lee, K. -H., Barker, M., & Mouasher, A. (2013). Is it even espoused? An exploratory study of commitment to sustainability as evidenced in vision, mission, and graduate attribute statements in Australian universities. Journal of Cleaner Production 48: pp. 20-28. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.01.007.

Lopez, Y. P., & Martin, W. F. (2018). University Mission Statements and Sustainability Performance. Business and Society Review 123 (2): pp. 341-368. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/basr.12144.

Rakhimbekova, B., Seisebayeva, R., & Abdigaliyeva, G. (2022). Higher Education in Kazakhstan: Global Trends and State Policy. Al-Farabi Journal of Social Sciences 8 (2): pp. 4-12. doi: https://doi.org/10.26577/FJSS.2022.v8.i2.01.

Sylvestre, P., McNeil, R., & Wright, T. (2013). From Talloires to Turin: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Declarations for Sustainability in Higher Education. Sustainability 5: pp. 1356-1371. doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/su5041356.

Taieb, S. H. (2024). Measuring the third mission of European Universities: A systematic literature review. Society and Economy 46 (2): pp. 147-167. doi: https://doi.org/10.1556/204.2023.00030.

Tleuzhanova, K. T., Kupeeva, Z. S., Igembekova, A. Z., & Magauina, G. M. (2021). Серия «Педагогика» 2 (102): pp. 40-47. doi: https://doi.org/10.31489/2021Ped2/40-47.

Trencher, G., Yarime, M., McCormick, K., Doll, C., & Kraines, S. (2014). Beyond the third mission: Exploring the emerging university function of co-creation for sustainability. Science and Public Policy 41 (2): pp. 151-179. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/scipol/sct044.

Tumbas, P., Matkovic, P., Sakal, M., & Pavlicevic, V. (2015). Sustainable University: Assessment Tools, Factors, Measures and Model. Proceeding of EDULEARN15 Conference 6th-8th July, Barcelona (Spain): pp. 6208-6214. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280092859_Sustainable_University_Assessment_Tools_Factors_Measures_and_Model.

Van Weenen, H. (2000). Towards a Vision of Sustainable University. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education 1 (1): pp. 20-34. doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/1467630010307075.

Velazquez, L., Munguia, N., Platt, A., & Taddei, J. (2006). Sustainable university: what can be the matter? Journal of Cleaner Production 14 (9-11): pp. 810-819. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2005.12.008.

Zomer, A., & Benneworth, P. (2011). The Rise of the University’s Third Mission. In J. Enders, H. F. de Boer, & D. F. Westerheijden (Eds.), Reform of Higher Education in Europe (pp. 81-101). Rotterdam: Sense Publisher.