Abstract
Currently, Kazakhstan’s higher education system is undergoing drastic transformations due to the transition of the national economy to digital technology platforms. Practice shows the need for such a transition, which is related to the training of qualified specialists with innovative knowledge who can adapt to the new conditions of the labor market. This study aims to assess the relationship between the development of the higher education system and the level of innovative development in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The research uses correlation and regression analysis, modeling of linear equations, structural, functional, and comparative analysis, and the grouping method. Statistical data from the Bureau of National Statistics of the Republic of Kazakhstan and international sources for 2013-2023, covering over 80 countries in terms of education and high technology exports, were used as an empirical base. The results of the correlation analysis showed that such factors as the gross domestic product (correlation coefficient - 0.95), the number of students in higher education institutions (0.66), as well as the number of innovation costs in the industry (0.61), have the greatest impact on internal R&D costs in Kazakhstan. At the same time, despite the positive dynamics of quantitative indicators, several systemic barriers remain in Kazakhstan, hindering the transformation of academic knowledge into market innovations. Future research paths may include a deeper analysis of the role of digital technologies in the transformation of higher education, as well as the development of indicators for assessing the innovative potential of universities.