Constructivist pedagogy as a post-socialist modernization project: insights from higher education in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia

Internationalisation in higher education often promotes constructivist and student-centred pedagogy as evidence of teaching quality, institutional reform and academic modernisation. Yet less is known about how these ideas are interpreted in post-socialist higher education systems, where international reform agendas meet inherited academic cultures and local university conditions. This two-phase qualitative multiple-case study with a longitudinal element examines how university teachers (N = 35) in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia made sense of student-centred teaching after professional development linked to internationalisation. Drawing on social constructivist and sociocultural perspectives, the study analyses post-training surveys and follow-up interviews conducted four to six months later. Findings show that teachers initially interpreted constructivist pedagogy as a sign of pedagogical development and modern university teaching. Over time, they adapted these ideas selectively, combining interactive activities with continued teacher guidance while addressing curriculum and assessment demands. The study argues that pedagogical change in internationalising post-socialist higher education is best understood as negotiated professional judgement shaped by local institutional realities, student readiness as well as inherited teaching expectations.