Abstract
The concept of the new geopolitics of higher education has gained increasing scholarly attention in light of the growing frequency and intensity of such global crises, as geopolitical conflicts and diplomatic tensions, which have underscored the need for institutions to develop adaptive strategies in times of disruption. This study draws on the SAIOS (Scales, Actors, Interests, Opportunity Structures) framework and employs thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with university leaders and administrators to explore how geopolitical tensions have catalysed the transformation of higher education in Kazakhstan, a former Soviet country positioned at the intersection of competing regional interests. The findings reveal how Kazakhstani universities are actively adapting their internationalisation strategies in response to the military conflict in the region, with particular attention to the actors and interests driving the process of transformation as well as the evolving opportunity structures shaping institutional responses.