Prelims

Half Title Page

Redefining Educational Leadership in Central Asia

Endorsements

This book makes an important contribution to developing and diversifying the study and practice of educational leadership beyond its Anglo-Saxon roots to emergent contexts in Central Asia. It provides a significant step towards making school and higher education leadership more global through the research and scholarship presented in this volume.

— Professor Tony Bush , University of Nottingham, UK,President, BELMAS British Educational Leadership, Management and Administration Society

Today’s rapidly changing landscape in education calls for the transformation of institutions all over the world. Redefining Educational Leadership in Central Asia stands out as a comprehensive examination of educational leadership in the post-Soviet states of Central Asia. In this volume, contributors from across educational institutions consider leadership to be the most effective way to encourage voice and participation, improve the quality of education, and promote the collective responsibility for creating the society of tomorrow.

— Dr. Timothy Edward O'Connor , President of the American University of Central Asia (AUCA)

As the Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, I am delighted to endorse this ground-breaking book on educational leadership policies and practices in Central Asia, with a particular focus on Kazakhstan. This volume is a significant contribution to the field, as it brings together a collection of insightful chapters authored by accomplished experts and emerging scholars from nine different countries. These authors possess extensive experience in conducting cutting-edge research and teaching in Central Asia, as well as holding leadership positions in the education sector.

The diverse perspectives and insights presented in this book reflect a deep understanding of the context and complexities of educational leadership in Central Asia. The authors highlight how leadership is shaped and reshaped by the political, economic, social, and cultural landscape. Furthermore, they emphasize the importance of continuous reflection and adaptation of leadership philosophies and practices to meet the evolving needs of educational institutions and society at large.

I firmly believe that this book will serve as a valuable resource for school and university leaders, teachers, students, and researchers interested in educational leadership and the transformation of the educational landscape in Central Asia, particularly in Kazakhstan. Therefore, I wholeheartedly recommend this book to policymakers, leaders, researchers, practitioners, and students of leadership in Central Asia and beyond.

— Sayasat Nurbek , Minister of Science and Higher Education Republic of Kazakhstan

Central Asia is one of the most exciting areas for those seeking to understand education reforms that are moving from tight central control to greater flexibility, innovation and autonomy. Such a radical shift requires a fundamental change in what it means to be an educational leader. Tajik and Makoelle’s book offers a thoughtful and compelling perspective on how leadership is evolving to meet the needs of these countries.

— Dr. Matthew Hartley , Professor and Deputy Dean Board of Advisors Chair of Education Founding Executive Director of the Alliance for Higher Education and Democracy University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education

Educational leadership is a contested notion because principles, practices, and approaches to leadership in education are situated in different social, political, cultural, and administrative contexts. Contrary to popular perception, one model or approach to educational leadership cannot be applied to all settings. Alongside this, there is a strong consensus among education policymakers and practitioners that educational leadership at multiple levels is one of the most significant factors that leads to improvement in the quality of education and student learning outcomes.

Post-Soviet independent states such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and other Central Asian countries have initiated massive education reforms in response to disruptive technological advances, economic globalization, demographic shifts due to migration and mobility and the changing geopolitical situation. These reforms are underpinned by an expectation that education as a strategy would enable embedding democratic norms and practices in society. These expectations raise significant questions for educational leadership and how it is enacted across the education systems.

Mir Afzal Tajik and Tsediso Michael Makoelle must be congratulated for compiling this edited volume, which makes a unique and ground-breaking contribution to the field by bringing in multiple perspectives from the post-Soviet Central Asian context. The studies in the volume illustrate well the tensions in global and local practices in educational leadership and make a strong case for an inclusive policy formulation process that takes into account the voice of the practitioners at the grassroots level.

— Anjum Halai , Professor & Vice Provost Aga Khan University Pakistan

Educational leadership, as a socially-constructed construct, is highly under-explored in Central Asia and Global South scholarship, and to that end, this is a very timely, important and useful addition to our understanding. The editors and authors, themselves leadership practitioners and scholars, immerse us in grounded, rich cases and meticulous analytical perspectives on the changes and continuities in the meaning, significance, enactment, and reconceptualization of education leadership in the contexts of nine countries across the globe. The volume’s analyses provide important insights and raise critical questions about the centrality of the contextual factors and the ability of local education leaders to interact with the unfolding forces, opportunities and challenges that emerge from local-global dynamics. Leadership in education in Central Asia and elsewhere, whether at the levels of school or higher education, classroom teacher or ministry official, has become a defining factor that cannot be disregarded if we care about reforming education for quality, equity, and relevant education for all. This pioneering, in this regard volume, sets the stage for re-theorizing education leadership in the rapidly changing post-Soviet ideological, cultural, technological, and economic/resource contexts. A highly recommended read for colleagues in comparative, international education.

— Sarfaroz Niyozov , Associate Dean and Professor, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Canada

Title Page

Redefining Educational Leadership in Central Asia: Selected Cases From Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan

Edited by

Mir Afzal Tajik

Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Education, Kazakhstan

And

Tsediso Michael Makoelle

Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Education, Kazakhstan

United Kingdom – North America – Japan – India – Malaysia – China

Copyright Page

Emerald Publishing Limited

Emerald Publishing, Floor 5, Northspring, 21-23 Wellington Street, Leeds LS1 4DL

First edition 2024

Editorial matter and selection © 2024 Mir Afzal Tajik and Tsediso Michael Makoelle.

Individual chapters © 2024 The Authors.

Published under exclusive licence by Emerald Publishing Limited.

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Contact: www.copyright.com

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without either the prior written permission of the publisher or a licence permitting restricted copying issued in the UK by The Copyright Licensing Agency and in the USA by The Copyright Clearance Center. Any opinions expressed in the chapters are those of the authors. Whilst Emerald makes every effort to ensure the quality and accuracy of its content, Emerald makes no representation implied or otherwise, as to the chapters' suitability and application and disclaims any warranties, express or implied, to their use.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 978-1-83797-391-0 (Print)

ISBN: 978-1-83797-390-3 (Online)

ISBN: 978-1-83797-392-7 (Epub)

Dedication

This book is dedicated to resilient teachers and selfless leaders whose tireless efforts have transformed lives, transcended boundaries, and ignited a passion for learning in students. Your impact extends far beyond the classrooms, schools, and universities as it reaches deep into the hearts and minds of generations to come. Your legacy will forever shine as a testament to the transformative power of education.

List of Figures and Tables

About the Contributors

Assemgul Bukutova is a PhD student at Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Education (NUGSE, Astana, Kazakhstan) and a Research Assistant at the newly established Central Asian Research Center for Educational Innovation and Transformation (CARCEIT). Assemgul's research interest is in the area of school effectiveness and school improvement. Previously she worked as a Lecturer at a pedagogical university in Taraz City (Kazakhstan) and a Vice Principal at Nazarbayev Intellectual School (Taraz, Kazakhstan). While taking the leadership role in this selective school, she was leading and coordinating the school's international accreditation and related processes. Assemgul has attended numerous international trainings, conferences, and professional development courses throughout her career. Among the selected ones are “The ELT Leadership Management Certificate Program” by TESOL International Association (2021); “Managing People: Engaging Your Workforce,” by the University of Reading (2015); and “Leadership in Education,” by Sussex University (2013). In 2019, she obtained her MSc in Educational Leadership from NUGSE (Astana, Kazakhstan).

Matthew Courtney is an educational Research Specialist from New Zealand currently working as the Head of Institutional Research & Analytics at the Office of the Provost at Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan. He completed his PhD in Education in 2015 from the University of Auckland, New Zealand. Since then, he has worked as a research fellow in both New Zealand and Australian universities though now resides with his family in Kazakhstan. Matthew's areas of thematic interest include student assessment, higher education, youth/adult program evaluation, educational measurement, and statistics, and R Markdown and R Shiny applications. Matthew enjoys applying various statistical models to educational data to gain insights, build theory, and inform policy and practice in both the developed and developing world.

Galiya Daulet is a Senior Manager at the Center for Pedagogical Measurements of AEO Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools. She works on developing and improving a criteria-based assessment system in the framework of NIS schools, and she holds workshops on assessment instruments for teachers of state schools. Before this, she worked as an English teacher and trilingual policy coordinator at NIS Karaganda. She studied for her bachelor's degree at Karaganda State University in teaching foreign languages and the master's program in Educational Leadership at Nazarbayev University. During her studies, she was a holder of Mevlana (Turkey), DAAD language courses (Germany), Experiencing China (China), and Fulbright FLTA (USA) scholarships. This international learning experience and working experience at intellectual schools made her study the process of distribution of scholarships within Kazakhstan. Specifically, her research focuses on equity issues in Kazakhstani gifted education programs.

Janet Helmer is an Associate Professor working across school and inclusive education at the Graduate School of Education at Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan. Much of her research has looked at leadership practices within educational equity, social justice and well-being for marginalized groups living in geographically isolated areas with a current emphasis on the advancement of inclusive education in Kazakhstan. Current research includes inclusive education within early childhood; the impact of COVID-19 on education, and the well-being of teachers, students, and families; implementing STEM and STEAM in primary classrooms; the experiences of novice teachers; and the development of a Kazakhstani Teaching Observation Protocol.

Tsediso Michael Makoelle's span of teaching and research experience stretches for over 30 years, with the focus being on secondary and higher education. He has worked as a high school teacher, head of department, vice principal, and principal in several secondary schools in South Africa. He has also worked as a Lecturer, Senior Lecturer and Center Coordinator at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, the University of Johannesburg, and the University of Free State, South Africa. Dr Makoelle started working at Nazarbayev University over 8 years ago in the capacities of Associate Professor, then Director of Doctoral Studies, General Director for Research and lately, Full Professor and Vice Dean for Research at the Graduate School of Education. He is currently a visiting fellow at the National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia. Dr Makoelle has written and published extensively on the topics of inclusive education and educational leadership, management, governance, and administration for both national and international audiences and readership. He is a member of several international research bodies. He is a reviewer of grants and funding applications and manuscripts for publications for the South African National Research Foundation (NRF) and several international Scopus and Web of Science journals. He is passionate about educational leadership and inclusive education with research interests in school leadership, school effectiveness and improvement and inclusive pedagogy in countries of the South and beyond. He is one of the recipients of the prestigious Nelson Mandela Scholarship to the United Kingdom (UK). He holds the degrees of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Inclusive Education from the University of Manchester, UK, and a Doctor of Education (D Ed) in Education Management and Leadership from the University of South Africa (UNISA).

Martha Merrill is a Professor of Higher Education Administration at Kent State University in Ohio, USA, and Coordinator of the program’s Internationalization of Higher Education Certificate. She lived in Kyrgyzstan from 1996 to 2001, and returns to Central Asia regularly for research and consulting. Her recent publications on Central Asia include chapters on education in the edited books, Central Asia: Contexts for Understanding and Globalization on the Margins, an article with Janara Baitugolova and Chynarkul S. Ryskulova in the Forum for International Research in Education on university professors’ reactions to educational reforms in Kyrgyzstan; a solo publication in the EAIE Forum on the Bologna Process in Kyrgyzstan; and an article with Chris Whitsel in Central Asian Survey on culturally-appropriate research practices in Central Asia. Together with Mark Kretovics, she also recently published an article on the assessment of university internationalization in New Directions in Higher Education.

Gulmira Qanay is the Rector (President) of Kazakh National Women's Teacher Training University in Almaty, Kazakhstan. She is an alumna of “Таlap” and “Bolashak” international scholarships. She holds a PhD in Education from the University of Cambridge Faculty of Education and an MA in School Leadership and Management from the Institute of Education University of Warwick (UK). She started her career as a teacher of English in schools and higher education institutes in Kazakhstan. In the framework of collaboration of Kazakhstan and UK-based organizations, she has been involved in implementing and monitoring the Teacher Leadership in Kazakhstan initiative, which currently includes 35 school principals, 62 vice-principals and 500 teachers in urban and rural schools of Kazakhstan. She is also a researcher in NUGSE research projects on school transformations conducted in collaboration with the University of Cambridge, which includes the initial exploration of the per-capita funding system in Kazakhstan.

Chynarkul S. Ryskulova, PhD (USA) and Candidate of Philological Sciences (PhD, Kyrgyzstan), is a Professor and Co-chair of the General Education Program at the American University of Central Asia (AUCA), Kyrgyzstan. From 1984 to 1998, she taught English language to Kyrgyz and Russian-speaking students at the Kyrgyz National University. She worked at AUCA in various teaching and administrative positions, including Dean of Academic Affairs and Coordinator of Writing and Academic Resources Center from 1998 to 2014. She did her PhD in Higher Education Administration at Kent State University (USA) from 2014 to 2019 and returned to AUCA in 2019. She is one of the four editors of the English–Kyrgyz Dictionary and has published several articles on comparative linguistics and issues of higher education in Kyrgyzstan.

Aida Sagintayeva is the Dean of the Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Education. Her research interests cover a wide range of issues related to the development of the national education system, including leadership, governance and management in higher education, education policy, academic and research excellence, as well as the social responsibility of universities. Dr Sagintayeva has extensive experience in leading international research and consulting projects in the field of higher education. During her career path, she has worked in various fields of education and gained extensive professional experience. Aida started her professional career as a faculty member at Dulati Taraz State University. She served as a Vice-Rector for International Cooperation at the Gumilyov Eurasian National University and as the President of the Bolashak International Scholarship Office. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of Abai National Pedagogical University, Kazakh National Women's Teacher Training University, Yassavi International Kazakh Turkish University, and the National Center for Professional Development “Orleu.”

Aisham Seitova is an educational professional with a master's degree in international educational management and more than 15 years of teaching experience as an English instructor and Lecturer. Along with her teaching, she has also been involved in organizing local conferences and initiating international projects, including research presentations and creating and editing student educational publications. Aisham has been actively participating in projects related to teacher training and development; her research contributions also involve administration and management in secondary and higher education institutions, particularly the aspect of culture and its influence on leadership and trust.

Maganat Shegebayev is an Associate Professor and a chair of the Department of Education at KIMEP University, Kazakhstan. Dr Shegebayev has had over 25 years of teaching and administrative experience and has been distinguished with awards for academic and service achievements, including the Certificate of Honor from the Ministry of Education and Science. In his activities, Dr Shegebayev has served as a task force member to develop the national program “Intellectual Nation” for the government of Kazakhstan. He has authored and co-authored several international publications. Dr Shegebayev has also been involved in various educational and research projects across Kazakhstan and abroad. His research interests cover topics related to linguistics, language policy and planning, critical thinking, business communication, and educational management.

Peter Shon has successfully graduated with a PhD degree and is working as Communication Officer at the Central Asian Research Centre for Educational Innovation and Transformation (CARCEIT) at Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan. He has been working in education for nearly two decades, both in higher education and K-12 international schools. He has worked in Asia to establish and nurture emerging international schools in Taiwan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, and China. Before his time in Asia, he worked as the Assistant Director of Admissions at Teachers College, Columbia University, where he closely engaged with domestic and international student populations. His research focuses on international and comparative studies, student mobility, educational policy mobility, and globalization.

Mir Afzal Tajik is an Associate Professor and Director of Doctoral Programs at the Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Education (NUGSE) in Astana, Kazakhstan. He obtained his PhD from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Canada and his Master of Education from the Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED) in Karachi, Pakistan. Before joining NUGSE in September 2016, Dr Tajik worked as an Associate Professor and held leadership positions, including Interim Dean, Associate Dean, Head of Graduate Programs, and Director of Outreach Centres and education development programs at AKU-IED. Dr Tajik brings over 34 years of experience in both school and higher education. His teaching and research specializations include educational leadership and management, school improvement, teacher education, qualitative research, English-medium instruction (EMI) studies, and community-based education. He has co-edited a book and published several chapters and articles with Taylor and Francis, Sage, Elsevier, Oxford University Press, Lexington Books, and other publishers. He is the recipient of the Nazarbayev University Award for Academic Integrity (The Kehinde Award, 2023) and the AKU's Award for Sustained Excellence in Scholarship of Application, 2009.

Lyazat Turmukhambetova is a researcher with a focus on initial teacher education (ITE) programs and mentoring. During her doctoral study at Nazarbayev University, she explored mentoring programs during the practicum within Kazakhstani ITE, showcasing the main challenges and research opportunities within the school–university partnerships. The insights gleaned from her research contribute significantly to the ongoing discourse on effective mentoring strategies within the Kazakhstani educational landscape. Along with mentoring and ITE, Lyazat is interested in the research on equal access to education. In 2018, she participated in the SOROS Kazakhstan research fellowship and studied ungraded schools and their access to resource centers in Kazakhstani rural areas. Furthermore, in recognition of her research interest in gender equality and education, Lyazat represented the United Kingdom as a delegate at the UN Women in 2023, dedicated to using innovation and technological change to promote gender equality and women's and girls' empowerment.

Rauan Yesselbayev is a Doctor of Philosophy in Education Candidate and a Research Assistant at Nazarbayev University. Prior to this position, he worked as a teacher of Global Perspectives and Project Works at Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools in Almaty and Astana. He has also worked as an English Language instructor in a state-sponsored teacher professional development program. His research interests have evolved around school leadership, focusing on teacher leadership.

Sazali Yusoff is a Senior Lecturer at SEGi University at Kota Damansara, Malaysia. He was a Director of the Institute of Teacher Education, Tuanku Bainun Campus, Penang, from June 2015 to November 2018. Before becoming the Director, he was the Head of Centre, Centre of Research, Evaluation and ICT at Institute Aminuddin Baki, IAB (National Institute of Educational Management & Leadership) Ministry of Education Malaysia. Prior to that, he was a Senior Lecturer at IAB Northern Branch. Throughout his career at IAB Northern Branch, he was appointed Head of Department for several departments: the Department of Finance and Administration Training, Department of Quality Management, and Department of Educational Research and Development. Before joining IAB, he was attached to the Perak State Education Department as a Curriculum Officer. Currently, he is the Secretary-General of the Malaysian Society for Educational Administration and Management (MSEAM).

Preface

This book is fascinating and significant. Fascinating because it analyses the shift from the former centralized USSR system through a process of rapid and necessary change to all levels of education systems in Central Asian countries. In doing so, the book draws upon the substantial literature on change, context, and leadership. It is significant because it adds a dimension to our understanding of these key concepts. And it is a scholarly and accessible work integrating international insights with intra-national factors.

The editors provide introductory and concluding chapters, framing a series of varied case studies focused primarily on Kazakhstan and to a lesser extent Kyrgyzstan. However, the scope also addresses similarities – as well as considerable differences – across Central Asian countries more generally.

Case study contributors have extensive but quite diverse experiences of working in international contexts. Their backgrounds are similarly diverse, from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Taiwan, and North America. A commonality is leadership roles in Central Asian countries in management, teaching and research, and policy development.

The “story” which unfolds is not simple or linear. And it is sometimes counter-intuitive, at least from an outside perspective. It is easy, and sometimes convenient, to dismiss the demise of the USSR as creating a platform for sustained, unimpeded improvement and reform of educational systems. Case studies illustrate that realities of the former system included high participation rates, at least at the school level, tuition-free education, well-qualified and respected teachers, and numerous research institutes. But then, the break-up led to partial system collapse and the removal of much funding, decreased access to (particularly rural) schooling, among other challenges and setbacks.

It becomes clear that maintenance of core attributes combined with positive and innovative development has been difficult and complex and has been achieved to varying extents in Central Asian countries. At the same time, the case studies – qualitative and quantitative – illustrate many successful initiatives which have tackled inevitable challenges in areas such as excellence/equity, coping with decentralization, and professional development. The university sector (with support from donor agencies) has had a major role.

Hence, the quality of educational leadership in Central Asia – at all levels – has been critical in responding to vacuums and imperatives post-1991. And this leadership was shaped by a rapidly changing context. Kazakhstan, for example, has transitioned from a low to an upper-middle-income country. Indeed, the scale and rapidity of change is challenging, almost bewildering, to the outside reader.

A strength of this book is articulating the problematic nature, no matter how benign the intent, of transplanting external theories and practices to foreign contexts. In response, the various contributors identify insights and understandings which have proven to be transferable and/or adaptable. This particularly applies to the role and form of leadership as key to achieving reform, although the nature, focus and developmental stage of these reforms differ across Central Asian countries.

Hopefully the book will be read, in a Western context, not simply as an interesting discourse on a “foreign” region. Rather, courses on educational leadership and change can use this book as a way of illuminating Western assumptions, bringing the latter into high relief and critique. And it is important to note that some case studies illustrate that the developmental connection and process have by no means only been with the West. As one example, the bulk of Kazakhstani higher education students studying in another country do so in Russia (acknowledged now to be more problematic because of the Ukraine-Russia conflict), followed by China through Belt and Road.

Without doubt, this book is an invaluable resource for educational leaders in Central Asia and those wishing to understand this region. In terms of consolidating knowledge of systems and practices, the book is very useful. In terms of understanding the evolution of such practices, this book illustrates the how and why. And, in terms of proactive insight, the book identifies dynamics (and institutions) which are leading to improvement at all levels of the educational systems.

This book will be influential and widely read. But the pace of change, and challenges and variation in achievement within and across countries, suggests another edition will be needed before many years have passed.

Robert Baker

Former Professor and Provost

Aga Khan University

Acknowledgments

From the very realization and identification of the knowledge gap arising from the lack of credible literature on educational leadership in the post-Soviet region of Central Asia to the conceptualization, development, and successful completion of this edited volume, I, the lead editor, have had the great pleasure of working with several friends, colleagues, students, and scholars representing over nine countries around the globe. This project would not have been possible without their support, expertise, and encouragement. I would like to take this opportunity to extend my deepest appreciation and gratitude to all those who have supported me, directly or indirectly, throughout this project. They generously shared their insights, research, and experiences to enrich this book and make it a comprehensive and insightful resource on educational leadership in Central Asia.

First and foremost, I would like to thank my co-editor, Professor Tsediso M. Makoelle, who triggered my motivation and pushed me to take the lead on this important project. Without his motivation, support, and trust in my abilities, I would have hesitated to embark upon this daunting task. In addition to his contributions as the co-editor, Professor Makoelle has also authored and co-authored several insightful chapters in this book.

I am immensely grateful to Aida Sagintayeva, (Dean, Graduate School of Education – GSE – at Nazarbayev University – NU), whose strong belief in the importance of research and dissemination of knowledge in the field of educational leadership in Central Asia has been a driving force behind this book. Not only did she encourage and wholeheartedly support this project, but she also contributed a chapter that added immense value and credibility to this volume.

My special thanks to all our team members – the chapter contributors, whose collective efforts and generous contributions have made this book a reality. I am truly honored to work with a team of highly accomplished scholars and leaders, as well as emerging and young scholars whose insightful research, engaging case studies, thoughtful analysis, and rich experiences have contributed significantly to the overall quality of the book. Despite their ongoing commitments and critical leadership engagements, they always ensured their timely response, willingness to review, revise, and refine their chapters, and overall professionalism that made the entire process smooth and enjoyable.

I am grateful to my university (NU) and department (GSE) for providing us with a conducive environment, institutional backing, and resources for research and scholarly pursuits. I acknowledge NU Collaborative Research Program (Grant # 021220CRP1322) and NU-FDC Grant (090118FD5307) that enabled me to visit schools and universities across Kazakhstan and collect useful data about educational leadership and management practices. I sincerely thank the university and GSE administration, the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, Vice Dean for Research, faculty colleagues, staff, and students who have always supported and appreciated knowledge sharing and scholarly endeavors such as this book.

I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to my respected teacher, mentor, and friend – Professor Robert Baker – for writing the insightful “Preface” for this book. I am truly honored and most fortunate to have a friend like him. He has not only contributed to this book but to my entire education career. Thank you so much, Robert, for always supporting me and my work.

I am truly grateful to the distinguished leaders and scholars who have graciously provided their endorsements for this book. Your kind words of support and recognition have added immense credibility to our work, and we are truly honored to have endorsements from highly respected scholars and leaders from Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America.

Special thanks go to the Emerald Publishers for their invaluable technical, professional, and moral support. Their expertise, guidance, and commitment to quality have been instrumental in shaping this book into its final form. We are grateful for their collaboration and for believing in the importance of disseminating knowledge and insights about educational leadership from a relatively less-known and under-researched context of Central Asia. In conclusion, I sincerely appreciate everyone who has contributed directly or indirectly to this book. I hope this volume will serve as a valuable resource and ready reference for researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and students in educational leadership and management in Central Asia, other post-Soviet states, and globally.

Mir Afzal Tajik