Perspective on Distance learning in Kazakhstan

1. Perspective on Distance learning in Kazakhstan Akhmed-Zaki Darkhan Head of computer science department of al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan

2. Republic of Kazakhstan Population - more than 15,8 million Capital - Astana Industry - oil-and-gas, chemical, textile, food, etc. Education- Secondary education free-of-charge, High – gov. allocates grants for : bachelor, master’s, PhD Students Distance learning at all national and regional universities

3. Problem Analysis • Distance learning is at all national and large regional universities, but each university trains on themselves. The technology and methodology of DL are not fulfilled. • Low levels of infrastructure and computerization • Qualification of teaching and industry staffs • Raising of an educational level in the country

4. A l - F a r a b i KAZAKH NATIONAL UNIVERSITY «Al-Farabi Kazakh National University is a leader of education and science of modern Kazakhstan» President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N. A. Nazarbayev

5. U N I V E R S I T Y T O D A Y A l - F a r a b i KAZAKH NATIONAL UNIVERSITY Kazakh National University amajor educationaland research centerin Kazakhstanrenowned for its innovativedevelopment of higher education andresearch,ranks the first in the general universityrating of Kazakhstan. The university was thefirst among Kazakhstan educational institutionsto be awarded the Prize of the President ofthe Republic of Kazakhstan “For outstandingQuality achievements”. The university had aclean audit of QI withcompetence of international standards ISO9001:2000(agency Bureau Veritas Certification,France).10 education programms are accredited (agency ASIIN, Germany) Above 20, 000 undergraduate, graduate and2000 postgraduate students are studying at theUniversity. Academic programs with more than 200 majors are offered by 98 Departments at 14Schools. Since 2005, 100 undergraduate andgraduate students are awarded a scholarshipestablished by the President of Kazakhstan N.A. Nazarbayev.

6. A l - F a r a b i KAZAKH NATIONAL UNIVERSITY There are more than 2000 faculty membersworking at KazNU, including: more than 1000doctors and candidates of sciences, professorsand associate professors; more than 100 fullmembers of major academies of sciences;21 Honored Workers of the Republic ofKazakhstan; authors of scientific discoveries,developers of unique technologies; morethan 30 laureates of state and personalizedscholarship awards and 40 laureates of youngscientists awards; 45 owners of state scientificscholarships; and 150 Doctors of Philosophy.There are 15 Doctoral Councils thatsupervises the defense of doctoral dissetationsin 56 majors working at the university.Currently, there are more than 1500 candidatesassigned to defend their dissertations. At present, KazNU is collaboratingwith more than 418 leading internationaluniversities, and is a member of theInternational, European and EurasianAssociation of Universities. KazNU was thefirst among Kazakhstan universities to signthe Great Charter of Universities in Bologna,Italy, in 2003.

7. A l - F a r a b i KAZAKH NATIONAL UNIVERSITY • School of Biology • School of Geography • School of Journalism • School of History • School of International Relations • School of Mechanics and Mathematics • School of Physics • School of Philology • School of Philosophy and Political Science • School of Chemistry • School of Economics and Business • School of law • School of Oriental Studies • College KazNU For the preparation of the highly skilled staff only KazNU got rights from Education Ministry for training students on base of experimental educational programs, which developed in additionally with world standards

8. A l - F a r a b i KAZAKH NATIONAL UNIVERSITY S C I E N T I F I C & R E S E A R C H I N S T I T U T E • THE EXPERIMENTALAND THEORETICALPHYSICS RESEARCH • RESEARCHINSTITUTE OF BIOLOGYAND BIOTECHNOLOGY • RESEARCH INSTITUTEOF MATHEMATICS ANDMECHANICS • RESEARCH INSTITUTEOF ECOLOGY • CENTER FORPHYSICAL ANDCHEMICAL METHODSOF RESEARCH ANDANALYSIS • THE RESEARCHINSTITUTE OFNEW CHEMICALTECHNOLOGY ANDMATERIALS • INSTITUTE OF STATEAND LAW • INSTITUTEOF PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENT • CONFUCIUSINSTITUTE • INSTITUTE OF COMBUSTION PROBLEMS • RESEARCH ANDTECHNOLOGICAL PARK(TECHNOPARK) • OPEN NATIONALNANOTECHNOLOGY LABORATORY

9. A l - F a r a b i KAZAKH NATIONAL UNIVERSITY Scientific Libraryof KazNU is the largest AcademicLibraryof Kazakhstan.The scientific Libraryfounded at the same time withUniversity. In April 2004, the Librarywas awarded a diploma thebest Library by the Associationof Higher Educational Institutions of Kazakhstan. The library stock is about2 million copies, which isannually replenished with 40-45 thousand new editions. The Internet room openedin 1998 ensures free access to Internet for the students and faculty.university students haveaccess to global informationnetwork. T h e S C I E N C E L I B R A R Y

10. UNIVERSITY’S COMPUTER NETWORK SCHEME Physics Internet Mathematic Dep. Chemistry Dep. Oriental Dep. Ph&P Dep. International relations Dep. Administration KIC Law Dep.B&E Dep. History Dep. Journalism Philology Bio Dep. Geo Dep. Network Highway – fiber optic cable - 9 km Number of networked computers - over2000 All University’s Departments and some dormitories are joined to network. Internet center – 300 computers 10

11. DL in KazNU – MOODLE http://www.dlkaznu.kz/

12. Teaching Competency and Infrastructure for e-Learning and Retraining CANDI, TEMPUS 158918-TEMPUS-2009-AT-JPCR 12

13. Goal of project CANDI The CANDI project will develop both the infrastructure for e-Learning / Retraining, and the skills necessary to transfer existing courses and curricula to an e-Learning environment. 13

14. Partners • 1 University of Vienna • Vienna technical university • Technical university of Munich • The Open University • Kazakh National University • Kazakh Turkish international University • National University of Uzbekistan • Chemical technological university of Tashkent • Urgench state university 14

15. e-Learning in Europe and Central Asia • Europe e-learning based on strong university system complements existing education • Kazakhstan e-learning is an approach to improve education processes in university system • Challenge: take two steps at once strengthen universities+ e-learning • Solution: European partners

16. CANDI for Kazakh partners • Help educate many students with small investment in infrastructure • Train the trainers – Learning, presentation technology, and related didactic skills – Train e-learning by e-learning • Retraining of industry staff • Focus on cheap open-source software • Import of European courses • Convergence of academic systems

17. Technical Goals • Low-Cost Technical Framework e.g. Moodle • Poor Network Scalability and Equipment text-based, DVD, internet cafe, … • Decentralized Training Facilities students of one institution study at other institution • Support for Multiple Languages English, Russian, Kazakh

18. • Multiple target groups – remote students – students of remote universities – Industrial staff retraining – teaching staff Flexible Modularization • Integration of Local Industry • Prototype Implementation of e-Training – Engineering sciences – Computer science – Chemistry – Computational Science – Soft skills • Curricula Modernization

19. A l - F a r a b i KAZAKH NATIONAL UNIVERSITY