Evaluation of the Influence of Higher Education Intellectual Capital on Regional Inequalities in Kazakhstan

In the context of digital transformation and rapid globalization, the analysis of the contribution of universities to the formation of intellectual capital as a source of inclusive regional growth becomes particularly relevant. This article aims to identify the relationship between the level of intellectual capital in universities and regional imbalances in Kazakhstan. To achieve this goal, we use a methodology that includes constructing an integral intellectual capital index based on three components - human, structural, and relational - using normalization and factor analysis as well as regression analysis. Official data from the Bureau of National Statistics for 20 Kazakhstani regions for the years 2015, 20, and 23 was used as empirical evidence. The results showed that the university’s intellectual capital index had a statistically significant effect on GRP per capita growth, confirming its role as an engine of economic development. Moreover, the strength and direction of the impact vary depending on the level of IC: regions with high IC tend to benefit from its growth, while in low-IC regions the effect may be neutral or even negative. In addition, the impact on nominal income turned out to be insignificant (p=0.857) and the Gini coefficient showed a significant increase with IQ increase (coefficients of 0.371 and 0. 370; p=0.008). This may indicate a concentration of benefits among individual social groups, emphasizing the need for regional policy adaptation in higher education and science. Future research should focus on in-depth analysis of individual universities’ innovation potential, knowledge transfer, and interactions with regional economies.

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