Research Summary: Automated and AI-assisted assessment and perceived fairness in a polyethnic university: digitalization as a potential pathway to interethnic equity in Kazakhstan's higher education

Digital transformation in Kazakhstan's higher education sector, particularly concerning automated and AI-assisted assessment, is being examined for its potential to foster interethnic equity. A study surveyed 300 university students to understand their perceptions of fairness regarding these assessment methods, focusing on their capacity to reduce subjectivity, corruption risks, and ascriptive bias within the context of 'Just Kazakhstan' constitutional reforms.

Why it matters

The adoption of automated and AI-assisted assessment methods represents a significant technological and governance shift in higher education. Understanding stakeholder perceptions, particularly regarding fairness and bias reduction, is crucial for successful implementation and achieving policy goals related to equity and corruption mitigation.

Key insights

• Digital transformation is a key initiative in Kazakhstan's higher education, aligned with 2022 constitutional reforms and the 'Just Kazakhstan' policy.
• A declared priority of these reforms is ensuring equal access to education for a multiethnic student population.
• A study investigated university students' perceptions of fairness regarding automated and AI-assisted assessment.
• The study aimed to determine if these technologies are perceived to reduce subjectivity, corruption risks, and ascriptive (ethnic and linguistic) bias.
• The research involved a cross-sectional survey of 300 undergraduate and graduate students at a large public university.
• The study focused solely on perceptions of automated assessment, not a direct comparison with examiner-based methods.

Source

Frontiers in Education — https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1967393