42 new educational programs are being implemented at KazNU

An Academic Council was held at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, where Bakhyt Rakhimbekova, Director of the Department of Academic Affairs, delivered a report on the topic "Updating educational programs for the 2024/25 academic year." The members of the Academic Council also received a presentation on the topic "On the state and prospects for the development of an inclusive environment at the University".

The Director of the Department of Academic Affairs, B. Rakhimbekova, noted that in order to improve the educational process, a systematic analysis of the effectiveness of educational programs is being conducted at the university. The main parameters for analyzing educational programs are the alignment of learning outcomes with the requirements of the State Educational Standards (SMSE), National and Industry Qualification Frameworks, and professional standards; expert review and validation of the graduate competency model by employers and stakeholders; and continuous improvement based on the results of monitoring and accreditation.

The algorithm for updating educational programs includes the analysis of both Kazakhstan's and international experience, with focus groups at the faculties, forecasting the student enrollment for the new academic year, and the discussion and approval of updated educational programs by the Academic Committees for the training of specialists, among others. The speaker outlined the reasons for updating the educational programs for the 2024/25 academic year. For example, in the undergraduate program, the course "Basics of Financial Literacy" was included in the elective component of the OOD cycle. This decision was made at the meeting of the UMS of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as per the protocol from December 20, 2023, in Astana. The educational programs for master's and doctoral studies in the scientific-pedagogical direction were updated in accordance with the approved professional standard for teachers of higher education institutions (Order No. 591 of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, dated November 20, 2023). The workload of courses was also revised, and 9 credit courses were replaced with 5 and 6 credit courses.

In total, 568 educational programs are being implemented at the university in the current academic year, of which 477 are updated and 42 are new educational programs, seven are dual degree educational programs with leading foreign partner universities.

B.Rakhimbekova noted that "the successful implementation of all the tasks of updating educational programs requires active cooperation between teachers, students and employers. It is important to take into account the opinions of all stakeholders so that educational programs are not only modern, but also practice-oriented".

The Chairman of the Board – Rector of KazNU, Zhanseit Tuimebayev, emphasized that in the context of the rapid development of technologies, it is necessary to review and update the content of educational programs to provide students with relevant knowledge and skills that meet the demands of the labor market. The Rector called for the implementation of innovative teaching methods and the use of modern technologies in the educational process. Thus, the updating of educational programs becomes a key factor in preparing highly qualified specialists who are capable of successfully competing in the labor market and contributing to the development of society.

Also, at the Academic Council, the Director of the Scientific and Practical Center "Inclusive Environment," Ganiya Tazhina, gave a speech on the topic "The State and Prospects of Developing an Inclusive Environment at the University." She discussed the current initiatives and plans for creating a more accessible educational environment for students with special needs, which is an important step toward ensuring equal opportunities for all learners.

Press-service of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University