STUDENT CLUBS AS A MECHANISM FOR THE FORMATION OF TRUST AND SOCIAL CAPITAL IN THE UNIVERSITY ENVIRONMENT: THE CASE OF ALMAU

Abstract

This article comprehensively examines the role of student clubs and associations as a mechanism for building social trust and accumulating social capital within the university environment. The research methodology is based on a strategic combination of theoretical analysis (scoping review) and a case study focusing on the student clubs at Almaty Management University (AlmaU). The study utilizes V. Tinto’s integration theory, A. Astin’s involvement model, R. Mayer’s organizational trust concept, and R. Putnam’s social capital theory. Findings indicate that student clubs serve as a primary channel for social integration and facilitate the development of bridging social capital. Student organizations are viewed as an "institutional micro-model" of civil society, where the accumulated social capital serves as a determining factor for the stability of democratic institutions. Furthermore, the article substantiates the significance of institutionalizing student initiatives and establishing psychological safety conditions to strengthen vertical trust between university administration and students. The research results highlight the strategic importance of student self-governance in the effective implementation of state youth policy and the modernization of political culture.