Neoliberal policies and higher education in post-socialist Mongolia

Orkhon Gantogtokh and Lesley Andres

Chapter 7 in Neoliberalism, Inequality and Education, 2026, pp 120-140 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Since Mongolia's transition from state socialism to democracy in 1990, the country's higher education and research sector has faced paradoxical challenges. Expansion has not led to increased quality of higher education and research output. Neoliberal economic policies, conflicting reform agendas and complexities from Mongolia's post-communist transition collectively contribute to inequality and compromised higher education quality. Drawing on critical perspectives of neoliberalism, we examine how neoliberal policies shaped the higher education system and its related research capacity over the last three decades. In alignment with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those focused on advancing scientific capacities in developing countries, this study contributes to global discussions on the effects of neoliberalism on higher education and research. We highlight how the effects of neoliberal policies on post-socialist Mongolia differ significantly from those in the Western world. We aim to provide valuable insights for policymaking around research training in similar developing, post-socialist contexts.

Keywords: Neoliberal Effects; Mongolia; Higher Education; Research Capacity; Developing Country; Inequality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035363711
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