Abstract

This paper examines business–science collaboration in Kazakhstan in the context of national innovation policy. Despite increasing emphasis on commercialization and university–industry linkages, such collaboration remains limited and uneven. The study explores how institutional conditions and policy design shape the development and effectiveness of these partnerships.

The analysis draws on a mixed-methods approach, combining policy and document analysis with semi-structured interviews involving policymakers, researchers, and industry representatives, supported by data on research funding and scientific output.

I argue that collaboration is constrained by a persistent gap between formal policy instruments and their implementation. While existing policies promote collaboration through grants and tax incentives, their effectiveness is limited by unstable funding mechanisms, rigid administrative procedures, and the absence of clear partnership frameworks, particularly in relation to intellectual property and cost-sharing. These challenges are further compounded by weak trust between academia and industry and low private-sector engagement in R&D.

The paper contributes to broader discussions on innovation systems in developing economies by highlighting how institutional factors shape knowledge transfer and collaboration outcomes.