Valdai Club

Among the many means of acquiring influence in contemporary global politics, educational cooperation is a form of interstate engagement that binds countries like no other. While future leaders form long-lasting ties with foreign states as they pursue their education, cooperation in the educational sphere also provides outside powers with an opportunity to influence and shape the views of the public at large in target countries.

Turkmenistan represents a distinctive case in the post-Soviet space—while proclaiming a policy of permanent neutrality, the country skilfully manoeuvres between partners, balancing their influence and pursuing its own objectives. Anastasia Pogorelskaya, Associate Professor, Department of World Politics, Tomsk State University identifies five key features of Turkmen foreign policy that have emerged as a result of prioritising gas exports in its foreign relations.

The geography of educational cooperation among Central Asian countries is determined by their foreign policy interests and the lack of domestic resources to provide opportunities for higher education to their growing populations. Today, Russia's focus on educational cooperation is losing its priority as they diversify their foreign policy ties. As a result, Russia faces the challenge of intensifying and expanding its efforts to support Russian language learning, opening branches and joint programmes, and repositioning Russian education abroad.