The shifting geopolitics of higher education: Inter/nationalizing elite universities in Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, and beyond

摘要: Abstract This article examines recent higher education projects in two resource-rich, developmental states: Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia. These are indicative of broader trend across Asia to move beyond previous national universities, toward a state-initiated model the globally competitive university, which is designed become an regional hub for elite education. Drawing on range qualitative methods, I consider geopolitical context these have been conditioned materialized, with focus how they legitimated by policy-makers case countries. By reframing discussions about globalization terms geopolitics education, argue that cases Arabia not exceptions set outside hegemonic liberal system, but ‘mirrors’ internationalization agendas undertaken Western universities. Through considering localized discourses promoting knowledge-based economies, elites simultaneously work reconfigure globally-hegemonic discourses, specifically university part authoritarian political configurations