Models and mechanisms of higher education financing: a comparative analysis and positioning of Kazakhstan

Relevance: amid the transformation of public governance, the choice of optimal mechanisms for the budget financing of higher education institutions (HEIs) is gaining scholarly and practical importance, since the funding model directly shapes universities’ incentives to improve quality, research, and innovation. Purpose: to systematize the basic models and mechanisms of higher education financing used in global practice and to determine the position of the Kazakhstani system within this typology. Methodology: the study draws on comparative, structural, and institutional analysis. The theoretical framework distinguishes the institutional model (the HEI as the object of funding) and the demand-based model (the student as the object of funding), with three generations of mechanisms within the former: line-item, formula-based, and performance-based funding (PBF). Scientific significance: the study systematizes current global practice (2020–2026) of HE funding models and offers an original positioning of Kazakhstan’s state educational order within the international typology. Value: the research identifies specific systemic gaps between Kazakhstani practice and international standards across key parameters, namely the share of HE expenditure in GDP, the level of financial autonomy of HEIs, and the presence of performance-based funding mechanisms. Practical significance: the findings can be used in developing policy decisions to improve the financing of Kazakhstani HEIs in line with the 2023–2029 Concept, as well as in teaching the economics of education and public administration.

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