The modernization of the educational system and the use of digital technologies contribute to the socio-economic development of the country. Continuity of education, available in the country of residence and business, is a driver of international activity. In the context of the global transformation of all sectors of life in the conditions of the fourth industrial revolution, the cardinal gap is forming between the supply of specialists formed in society and the demand of employers. The research aims to identify key areas for the development of higher education for the countries of Central Asia in the context of the impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution on economic development and education. The novelty of the research lies in the systematization of repulsive and attractive factors in the educational system of the countries of Central Asia, the systematization of trends in the dynamics of academic mobility, the substantiation of the role of different countries in the modernization of model of higher education in the region, the identification of points for the harmonization of systems and the possibility of implementing international mechanisms for raising the level of education. The authors reveal Kazakhstan’s leading role in transforming the higher education system in the region, including through membership in the EAEU, joining the European Higher Education Area, and expanding academic ties with non-CIS countries while maintaining active interaction with the CIS countries.