The Role of the CIS Network University in the Development of Cooperation between Russia and Kazakhstan

The article is dedicated to analyzing the role of the CIS Network University as an institutional mechanism for the development of educational and scientific cooperation between Russia and Kazakhstan in the context of Eurasian humanitarian integration. The focus is on the interaction between the two countries in the field of higher education, considered not only at the bilateral level but also within the framework of multilateral CIS structures. It examines the formation of the contractual and legal, as well as organizational basis of educational partnership, the evolution of its institutional forms, and the involvement of the CIS Network University in the processes of creating a unified scientific and educational space. Special attention is given to the characteristics of the CIS Network University as a consortium of universities that implement joint master’s programs, academic mobility, training of scientific personnel, and inter-university research. The analysis also includes the quantitative and organizational parameters of the participation of Kazakh and Russian universities in the project, as well as the significance of this platform for strengthening humanitarian ties, promoting the Russian language as a language of scientific communication, and preparing specialists in demand for the socio-economic development of the Commonwealth states. Institutional and systemic approaches, comparative legal and historical-genetic analyses, as well as methods of analysis and synthesis of normative documents and inter-university interaction practices have been employed. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the comprehensive examination of the CIS Network University not just as an educational project, but as a sustainable institution of humanitarian integration, ensuring the alignment of national interests of Russia and Kazakhstan in the field of higher education. Unlike studies that focus primarily on the political and economic aspects of Eurasian interaction or specific forms of academic mobility, the article reveals the CIS Network University as a structured mechanism for personnel training, coordination of educational programs, and development of intergovernmental scientific cooperation. It is shown that the university serves as a platform for the institutionalization of Russian-Kazakh ties, contributing to the formation of a common educational space, the expansion of joint master’s programs, and the strengthening of intercultural dialogue. The conclusion is drawn that the CIS Network University has become an effective tool for long-term partnership; however, to increase its effectiveness, there is a need to expand the range of programs, reduce administrative barriers, and develop mechanisms for balancing academic mobility to prevent one-sided brain drain.