The purpose of this research is to analyze basic prerequisites formation and development factors of educational clusters of the world's leading nations for studying the possibility of cluster policy introduction and creating educational clusters in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The authors of this study concluded that educational cluster could be regarded as a relatively new phenomenon, therefore it was little studied. Nonetheless, it has already been widely used, and, due to its diversity, is characterized by high potential. The application of cluster approach towards the organization of innovative activity leads to the enhancement of economic entities in the country (or certain region), focuses on innovation and the brand new level of technology, as well as production management in every area of economic activity. Educational clusters are aimed at integrating branch-wise correlated institutions of vocational education into the industry players. The creation and functioning of educational clusters directly influences the improving competitiveness of educational institutions, as well as promotes integration between the educational administration, financial, research and educational institutions and businesses. Practical significance: further analysis of premises and successful growth of educational clusters, which are most competitive in the global educational area, the analysis of the deliberate cluster policy implementation in order to increase the efficiency of educational clusters around the world, and the formation of key success factor list, based on it. This list will become fundamental for the creation of educational clusters in the Republic of Kazakhstan, and improvement the competitiveness of the educational system.

Al Karam, A. (2004). Knowledge Village: Establishing a global destination for education in Dubai. Retrieved from http://www.britishcouncil.org/ goingglobal-session-2-1225-thursday-tne-abdulla-alkaram- paper.pdf.

Amsale, F., Bekele, M., & Tafesse, M. (2016). The Ethical Behaviors Of Educational Leaders In Ethiopian Public Universities: The Case Of The Western Cluster Universities. European Scientific Journal, 12(13), 23-31.

Anistsyna, N. (2010). Innovative Research and Education cluster as a way of organizing innovation activities in high school. Creative Economy, 4(40), 91-97.

Asadullin, R. (2009). Integration as a new form of pairing of education, science and practice in the region. Accreditation in education, 32, 16-18.

Bobrov, S. A., Zhukova, N., & Yarovova, V. (2007). Actual issues of clusters as a tool for improving the competitiveness of the region. Fundamental Research, 12, 508-509.

Canadian Cluster Data. Retrieved on May 2016, from  http://www.competeprosper.ca

Cortright, J. (2006). Making sense of clusters: regional competitiveness and economic development. Retrieved from http://www.brookings.edu/metro/pubs/20060313 _Clusters.pdf

Dubai Academic City (2016). Official website about DIAC. Retrieved on April 2016, from http://www. diacedu.ae/page.php/about-diac.

Dubai Knowledge Village (2016) About DKP. Retrieved from http://www.kv.ae

European Cluster Observatory Database. (2016). About ECOD. Retrieved on May 2016 from www.clusterobservatory.eu

Fedorov, L., & Alekseeva, Z. (2011). Integration as ensuring the integrity of the system of vocational education and dynamic In GEO Syberia-2011 VII International science congress, digest. June 4-7.  Novosibirsk: SSGA

Galimova, L. (2009). Education Cluster as a mechanism of innovative development of industrial activity. Bulletin of Kazan technological university, 5, 125-127.

Gentry, M. (1996). Cluster grouping: An investigation of student achievement, identification and classroom practices. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Connecticut, Storrs.

Houghton, R. (2009). Education cluster capacity mapping: Global study. Retrieved on February  2009, from http://educationcluster.net/?get=000377%7C2013/12/Education-Cluster-Capacity-Mapping-Global-Study-Feb-2009.pdf

Hrabowski, F. (2014). Institutional Change in Higher Education: Innovation and Collaboration. Peabody Journal of Education, 89(3), 291-304.

Ignatov, A. V., & Trushnikov, D. (2010). Regional clustering of educational systems as the actual problem of the sociology of education. Paper presented at the  International Conference about Actual problems of sociology of youth, culture and education.  February 3. Yekaterinburg: Ural State Technical University.

Javorsky, O. (2008). Educational cluster as a form of social partnership of technical school and the gas sphere enterprises. Kazan: KSU.

Kamli, A. (2004). Dubai Knowledge Economy 2003-2008. Retrieved from http://ae.zawya.com-/researchreports/madar/DKE-I.pdf

Karamursov, B. (2009). Continuing professional education at university complex. Higher education in Russia, 5, 27-41.

Khamidullina, G., Timiryasova, A., & Gafiullina L. (2009). Areas of reform of higher vocational education. Kazan: Poznanie.

Kleiner, D., Katchalov, R., & Nagrudnaya, N. (2008). Synthesis of a cluster strategy based on system-integration theory. The science. Innovation. Education, 7, 9-39.

Korchagina, N. A. (2009a). Cluster policy – the technology of efficiency increase of companies' management: monography. Astrakhan: Publishing house "Astrakhan University".

Korchagina, N. A. (2009b). Educational clusters as the basis of educational institutions competitiveness improvement. Astrakhan: "Astrakhan University" publishing house.

Korchagina, N., & Sokolova, K. (2010, April 12-13). Cluster policy implementation efficiency evaluation as a way of modernizing the education system: Dubai experience. The priorities and interests of modern society: materials of International Research-to-Practice Conference. Astrakhan: "Astrakhan University" publishing house.

Koretskiy, G., & Lapygin, D. (2006). Prerequisites of integration into the educational cluster. Vladimir State University: electronic journal, 4. Retrieved from http://journal.vlsu.ru/index.php?id=58

Krivykh, S., & Makarenya, A. (2003). Educational anthropoecology. Pedagogy of life. St. Petersburg: GNU IOV RAO.

Kudriavtseva, O. (2009). The dominance of clusters in the economy. Actual problems of humanitarian and natural sciences, 11, 149-151.

Lapygin, D., & Korensky, G. (2007). The outlines of a regional education cluster. The region's economy, 18, 25-29.

Li, W., Wang, Y. (2016). Research on the Performance Evaluation Model of Higher Education Teachers Based on the Improved Grey Clustering Analysis Method. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 10(8), 123-134.

Manuylova, E. A. (2007). The innovative development of the region: the formation of regional educational clusters. Innovation, 7(105), 75-79.

Maracha, V. (2009). Formation of clusters as a mechanism of self-organization and territorial partnership for the implementation of innovative strategies for improving competitiveness. In Conference proceedings of the Tenth Anniversary of the International Forum "High Technologies of XXI Century". April 21-24. Moscow: NPKF "Mavra" CJSC.

Matveykin, V., Dvoretsky, S., & Minko, L. (2007). Innovation potential: current state and prospects of development. Moscow: Mashinostroenie-1.

Min, W., Ling, K., & Piew, T. (2015). The Effects of Technological Innovation, Organizational Innovation and Absorptive Capacity on Product Innovation: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach. Asian Social Science, 12(1).

Mirolyubova, T. (2004). The cluster borders identification as a starting point of realization of government economy regulation system on the regional level. Economy, 2, 141-146.

Morrison, C. (2016). Purpose, Practice and Theory: Teacher Educators' Beliefs about Professional Experience. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 41(3), 105-125.

Mukhametzyanova, G., & Pugacheva, N. (2007). The cluster approach to the management of vocational education. Kazan: PPI PO RAO.

Park, Y., Yu, J., & Jo, I. (2016). Clustering blended learning courses by online behavior data: A case study in a Korean higher education institute. The Internet and Higher Education, 29, 1-11.

Perrotta, C., & Williamson, B. (2016): The social life of Learning Analytics: cluster analysis and the ‘performance' of algorithmic education. Learning, Media and Technology, 7, 33-43.

Porter, M. (2008). Clusters and Competition: New Agendas for Companies, Government, and Institutions. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

Pyatinkin, S., & Bykova, T. (2008). Cluster development: the essence, current approaches, foreign experience. Minsk: Tesey.

Reid, S., Stibbe, D., & Lowery, C. (2010). Final report (Final Draft). Review of the global education cluster co-arrangement, 4, 55-67.

Shamova, T. (2006). The cluster approach to the development of educational systems. Proceedings of the X International Educational Forum Interaction of educational institutions and the institutions of society to ensure the efficiency, accessibility and quality of education in the region. October 24-26. Belgorod: Publishing house of BSU.

Shlenova, M. (2009). Managing use of the creative potential of the youth in scientific and innovative sphere. Unpublished Dissertation. Moscow: MSU.

Smirnov, A. (2010). Educational clusters and innovational training in high school. Kazan: RIP "Shkola".

Tereshin, E., & Volodin, V. (2010). The modern definition of the concept of "cluster" and approaches to the formalization of this phenomenon. Economics, 2(63), 164-167.

Timiryasova, A. Vorontsov, L., Hikmatov, R., & Baygildeev, A. (2009). Formation of development strategy klasternyh systems of the region. Kazan: Cognition.

Timiryasova, A., Safiullin, L., Kramin, T., Grigoriev, R. (2015). Forming a Model of Cost Management in the Regional Scientific-Educational Cluster. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 6(1), 96-100.

U.S. Cluster Mapping Project. (2016) In "U.S. Cluster Mapping-Industry Table Chart. 2014". Retrieved on May 2016, from URL: http://www.isc.hbs.edu

Volov, V. (2000). Fractal-cluster theory of educational management structures. Kazan: Publishing House of Kazan State Univ.

Yuriev, V., Chvanova, M., & Peredkov, V. (2007). University as the centre of innovative educational cluster. Bulletin ТSU, 5(49), 7-12.

Zalyalova, A. (2010). The regional model of teaching staff training in the conditions of an educational cluster. Unpublished Dissertation.. Kazan: KSU.

Zhuravlyova, M., & Bashkirtseva, N. (2008). Conceptual and methodological basis for the creation of regional model of continuing professional education in the educational cluster of petrochemical and oil refining complex. Bulletin of Kazan. technology University, 6, 315-320.