Assessing the accessibility of higher education: index indicators of rural youth

Abstract

Ensuring equal access to higher education for rural youth is one of the main objectives of the development policy and the regional policy of Kazakhstan. This study aims to assess the accessibility of higher education for rural school graduates by using a set of index indicators that reflect national trends in university admissions and quota use. The study has both scientific and practical relevance, as it offers a quantitative and comparable basis for assessing the continuing inequalities that exist despite ongoing national reforms. Methodologically, the study uses secondary statistical data from the Bureau of National Statistics and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education for the period from 2020 to 2025. Three indices were calculated: the rural higher education access index, the rural quota utilisation index and the composite rural accessibility index. Indicators measure overall access, dependence on government quota systems and aggregate affordability using sound weighting approaches. The results show a significant decrease in general access to higher education with little recovery. Moreover, reliance on the rural youth quota has increased as the quality of education index rose from 27.8% to 31.9%, indicating that rural youth are increasingly dependent on state support for access to higher education. An additional analysis of the education level of the rural population reveals the intergenerational gap and the concentration of low levels of education among older rural people, which limits mobility between generations. The study presents a proven system for measuring educational inequality in rural areas. The study broadens the empirical basis for policy evaluation and highlights the need for reforms in rural school education, digital readiness and admission policies taking into account regional differences. In practice, the results can help policymakers to improve quota systems, expand training programmes and better allocate opportunities for higher education across regions.

Keywords: access to higher education, rural youth,  index indicators,  educational inequality, rural quota.