Foreign Higher Education Institution in Kyrgyzstan

Abstract

Kyrgyzstan, formally the Kyrgyz Republic, is a country in Central Asia that gained its independence in 1991. The country is landlocked and mountainous. In contrast to other Central Asian countries, Kyrgyzstan does not have rich mineral resources. The country has a limited GDP, and a high foreign debt, and thus a limited allocation of the budget for education. Nevertheless, currently the country hosts 200.000 university students. Despite the problematic condition of the economy, the country is very successful in attracting foreign direct investment to its higher education system. The result is a rainbow of international universities. These universities allow lots of Kyrgyz young people to have a higher education. Some of these universities are fully free of charge and some of them accept a limited number of students free of charge based on their academic achievement. In comparison with local universities their infrastructures are better. In general, this diversity results in more quality and education opportunity for Kyrgyz young people. In this paper, the contribution of international universities to Kyrgyz education will be analysed.