Central Asia is a region with a large and dynamic higher education sector that has undergone significant transformations since its economic transition. Central Asian countries have generally been successful in their economic transition, gradually adapting to the demands of a market economy. They have progressively improved both internal and external quality assurance mechanisms, modernized their doctoral training, adopted standardized admission procedures, and supported the establishment of private higher education institutions. Moreover, progress has been made in the implementation of national qualifications frameworks and in the internationalization of the overall sector, from student mobility to research cooperation. In addition, all Central Asian countries have expanded their national higher education systems and participation rates have increased, with the number of higher education institutions nearly doubling in Kazakhstan and more than doubling in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan since their independence. Collectively, these countries now boast over 430 universities and cater to 1.8 million students.