NINOMIYA TAKASHI Visiting Professor, PhD

One of the main foreign partners of Al-Farabi KazNU is the University of Tsukuba (Japan). Since the signing of the cooperation agreement in 2012, a number of projects have been implemented jointly with the University of Tsukuba, which had medium and long-term potential in the development of research and educational activities between Kazakhstan and Japan. University of Tsukuba took the initiative to open a joint Scientific and Educational Center for the Study of Japan and Central Asia with KazNU. The signing of the Memorandum on the opening of the Center took place on February 15, 2015 during the visit of the delegation to Japan.

Dr. Ninomiya Takashi is also working within the framework of the new Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation “Campus in Campus” between KazNU and the University of Tsukuba. As a coordinator of the “Campus in Campus” project, he helps not only KazNU but also other “Campus in Campus” member universities such as the University of Bordeaux, National Taiwan University, University of São Paulo, Université Grenoble Alpes, Ohio State University, Utrecht University, Ruhr University Bochum, University of California Irvine, University Teknologi Malaysia. Under his supervision, the opening procedure of the Al-Farabi Center at the University of Tsukuba was carried out.

Ninomiya Takashi graduated with a Bachelor's degree in History from Nara University (Japan) in 2002. From 2005-2006, he worked as an assistant at the University of Tsukuba, and from 2007-2008, he worked as a research assistant at the University of Tsukuba. In 2008-2010, he did a research internship in Ethiopia. Ninomiya Takashi successfully defended his doctoral thesis (2008-2012) in linguistics at the University of Tsukuba. In 2008-2010, he received a research grant from the Government of Japan on “Reconstruction of Proto-Mahrian Semitic”. During this period, he also participates in professional development programs of language research as well as Japanese language teaching.

Since 2014, he has been teaching undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students at KazNU, taking part in the preparation of joint and educational programs. Ninomiya Takashi coordinates students traveling for academic mobility to universities in Japan. He organizes monthly scientific seminars, develops and implements educational projects of the Japan Foundation and Toshiba Foundation “Teaching Japanese in Tourism”. He has published more than 20 articles in Japanese rating journals, published textbooks and dictionaries. As a result of the work of this foreign specialist, the level of development of the Japanese Studies Department at the Far East Department has advanced significantly in recent years.

          Within the framework of cooperation with JASSO Scholarship organization scholarships for KazNU students were attracted. Within the framework of the project “Campus in Campus” in 2022-2023 years, 20 students of the Japanese department have undergone internships in universities of Japan. Also 5 teachers took part in scientific conferences for the purpose of professional development. In 2024, 19 students from the University of Tsukuba studied at KazNU.