This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Faculty of international relations of the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. This is a significant milestone that opened a new era in the system of education and science of independent Kazakhstan.
Over the years, our faculty has been educating intelligent students who seriously pursue the foreign policy of our state and serve the interests of the country. During the critical hours, people who found the heart of a difficult problem and firmly held the foundations of Science and intelligence are a part of the history of the faculty. After gaining independence, the goal of establishing external relations, increasing the name and honor of the state in the international arena was on the agenda. For this purpose, it was necessary to train qualified specialists, and in 1995, on the initiative of the Ministry of foreign affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the decision of the Academic Council of Al-Farabi kaznu, for the first time in the history of Kazakhstan, a specialized faculty of international direction was created – the Faculty of international relations. The first dean of the faculty was Professor Gulzhaukhar Dzhambatyrova. The initiator of this serious case was Professor Zharas Ibrashev.
The basis of the faculty was formed in the form of a combination of history and law. In 1990, on the initiative of Professor Marat Sarsembayev, the Department of international law and the specialty of the same name were opened at the Faculty of law of Kazsu. In 1992, the Department of international relations and foreign policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan was established at the Faculty of history. A great contribution to the formation of the faculty was made by the current president of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who served as Minister of foreign affairs in those years. At that time, he gave lectures to students of the faculty and shared his advice as a diplomat. He was one of the first scientists to defend his Ph. D. thesis in the specialty "International Relations", which is a new direction for Kazakhstan. This, in turn, contributed to the increase in the fame of the faculty.
The faculty was supported by scientists and experienced politicians, qualified diplomats. Among them are Minister of foreign affairs of the Kazakh SSR Mikhail Isinaliyev, first permanent representative of Kazakhstan to the UN, former minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, doctor of historical sciences, professor Akmaral Arystanbekova, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Kairat Isagaliyev, as well as former member of the Constitutional Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan, academician of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, doctor of law, professor Salahiden Sabikenov and many other prominent personalities. Such outstanding personalities have made a great contribution to the revival and prosperity of the faculty's activities.
Each stage of the faculty's development is a testament to the renewal and search. In 2001, the faculty included the specialty "world economy". In 2002, the direction "Regional Studies" was opened. And since 2018, the training of Masters in the specialty "Translation Studies" has begun. Today the faculty has three departments. Classes are held in Kazakh, Russian and English. Six foreign languages are taught, including English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, and training in all three levels of study – Bachelor's, master's, PhD.
The faculty attaches particular importance to the integration of Science and education. Scientific research is carried out in the areas of international relations and security, international law, global economy and regional policy. The teaching staff has published hundreds of monographs, thousands of scientific articles. One of the personalities worthy of special mention is Kairbayeva Roza Sakhariovna. This man made an invaluable contribution to the formation of the Department of Foreign Languages at the faculty. From the first days, Roza Sakharievna laid the scientific and methodological foundation for multilingual training of specialists in international relations. His organizational skills and teaching school formed the basis for the professional development of several generations of translators and specialists in international relations. The pedagogical philosophy of Roza Kairbayeva – "knowledge of a foreign language is not only knowledge, but also a measure of culture and diplomatic character" - became the position of the faculty.
Also, among the teachers who are especially honored for the development of the Department of Foreign Languages of the faculty, the names of Mariyash Makisheva and Gulsim Suleimenova are honored. These experienced teachers are representatives of the school of teachers, who raised the methodology of teaching English at the university level to a new quality. Mariyash Makisheva and Gulsim Suleimenova, who have served at the University for more than fifty years, showed professional and Human example to several generations of students. They combined classical and communicative approaches to teaching English at the faculty and made a great contribution to the formation of a diplomatic linguistic culture of future specialists in international relations.
The new stage of the faculty is the era of creation and innovation. Today, under the leadership of Dean Zhuldyz Sairambayeva, the faculty is taking concrete steps aimed at increasing the scientific activity of young scientists and students, expanding the geography of international cooperation and maximizing the possibilities of academic mobility. Combining tradition and innovation, the faculty has become an example of a modern university management culture.
Now the faculty successfully operates a number of research centers. Among them are the European Information Center, the resource and Information Center on NATO, the Center for American and Democratic Studies, The Center for German studies, the UN Regional Resource Center, the Center for Eurasian studies, the Center for European law, the Center for WTO and international trade law, the Center for Roman studies, as well as the International Center for Intercultural Communication and Translation Studies. These centers not only developed the research potential of students, but also transformed the faculty into an international research hub.
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The faculty works in close partnership with leading universities and international organizations in 25 countries. Among them are the USA, Great Britain, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Japan, China, Turkey, India and other states.
The faculty participates in academic programs such as ERASMUS+, DAAD, "Bolashak", Fulbright, IREX, regularly invites foreign professors and diplomats to lecture. Undergraduates and doctoral students study in double-degree programs with MGIMO, SCO and CIS universities.
Thousands of students who deserve to be called Citizens of the country have graduated from such educational institutions. For thirty years, the faculty has trained hundreds of diplomats and specialists in international relations. Today, many of them hold honorable positions in state and international organizations. Among the graduates are Majilis deputy Samat Nurtaza, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Russian Federation Dauren Abayev, assistant to the president of the Republic of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtileu, vice minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Yerlan Ashikbayev, permanent representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the UN Kairat Omarov, adviser to the ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Austria Maksat Ibraev, First Secretary of the ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the UK Abay Besken. The success of our graduates is the greatest honor and pride of the faculty.
For us, 30 years is a bridge that connects history and future. Over the years, the faculty has not only developed professionally, but also became the Forge of a real School of diplomacy. In accordance with the requirements of the time, new heights and new challenges are ahead. In any case, our main goal does not change: we are always ready to educate reasonable, qualified and patriotic specialists who will serve to increase the international prestige of independent Kazakhstan.
Gulnar KARIPBAEVA,
The Department of diplomatic translation senior lecturer
