Perspective on Distance learning in
Kazakhstan
Akhmed-Zaki Darkhan
Head of computer science department of
al-Farabi Kazakh National University,
Almaty, Kazakhstan
Republic of Kazakhstan
Population - more than 15,8 million
Capital - Astana
Industry - oil-and-gas, chemical, textile,
food, etc.
Education- Secondary education free-ofcharge, High – gov. allocates grants for :
bachelor, master’s, PhD Students
Distance learning at all national and
regional universities
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
Al-Farabi
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
Al-Farabi
KAZAKH NATIONAL
UNIVERSITY
U N I V E R S I TY T O DAY
Kazakh National University a major educational
and research center in Kazakhstan renowned for its
innovative development of higher education and
research,ranks the first in the general university rating
of Kazakhstan. The university was the first among
Kazakhstan educational institutions to be awarded the
Prize of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan
“For outstanding Quality achievements”. The
university had a clean audit of QI with competence of
international standards ISO 9001:2000(agency Bureau
Veritas Certification,France). 10 education programms
are accredited (agency ASIIN, Germany)
Above 20, 000 undergraduate, graduate and 2000
postgraduate students are studying at the University.
Academic programs with more than 200 majors are
offered by 98 Departments at 14 Schools.
Since 2005, 100 undergraduate and graduate
students are awarded a scholarship established by the
President of Kazakhstan N. A. Nazarbayev.
Al-Farabi
KAZAKH NATIONAL
UNIVERSITY
There are more than 2000 faculty members working at KazNU,
including: more than 1000 doctors and candidates of sciences,
professors and associate professors; more than 100 full members of
major academies of sciences; 21 Honored Workers of the Republic
of Kazakhstan; authors of scientific discoveries, developers of
unique technologies; more than 30 laureates of state and
personalized scholarship awards and 40 laureates of young
scientists awards; 45 owners of state scientific scholarships; and 150
Doctors of Philosophy. There are 15 Doctoral Councils that
supervises the defense of doctoral dissetations in 56 majors working
at the university. Currently, there are more than 1500 candidates
assigned to defend their dissertations.
At present, KazNU is collaborating with more than 418 leading
international universities, and is a member of the International,
European and Eurasian Association of Universities. KazNU was the
first among Kazakhstan universities to sign the Great Charter of
Universities in Bologna, Italy, in 2003.
Al-Farabi
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
For the preparation of the highly
•School of law
skilled staff only KazNU got rights
•School of Oriental Studies
from Education Ministry for
•College KazNU
training students on base of
experimental educational
programs, which developed in
additionally with world standards
Al-Farabi
KAZAKH NATIONAL
UNIVERSITY
SC IENTIFIC & R ESEAR CH INSTITUTE
•THE EXPERIMENTAL AND THEORETICAL PHYSICS RESEARCH
•RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF BIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
•RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF MATHEMATICS AND MECHANICS
•RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF ECOLOGY
•CENTER FOR PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL METHODS OF RESEARCH AND
ANALYSIS
•THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF NEW CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY AND
MATERIALS
• INSTITUTE OF STATE AND LAW
• INSTITUTE OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
• CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE
• INSTITUTE OF COMBUSTION PROBLEMS
• RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGICAL PARK (TECHNOPARK)
• OPEN NATIONAL NANOTECHNOLOGY LABORATORY
Al-Farabi
KAZAKH NATIONAL
UNIVERSITY
Th e S C I E N CE LI B RARY
Scientific Libraryof KazNU is the
largest Academic Library of Kazakhstan.
The scientific Library founded at the same
time with University.
In April 2004, the Library was
awarded a diploma the best Library by the
Association of Higher Educational
Institutions of Kazakhstan.
The library stock is about 2 million
copies, which is annually replenished with
40-45 thousand new editions.
The Internet room opened in 1998
ensures free access to Internet for the
students and faculty. university students
have access to global information
network.
UNIVERSITY’S COMPUTER NETWORK SCHEME
Physics
Internet
Mathematic
Dep.
Chemistry
Dep.
Oriental Dep.
International
relations
Dep.
Ph&P Dep.
Administration
KIC
History Dep.
Bio Dep.
Geo Dep.
Journalism
Law Dep.
B&E Dep.
Philology
Network Highway – fiber optic cable - 9 km
Number of networked computers - over 2000
All University’s Departments and some dormitories
are joined to network.
10
Internet center – 300 computers
DL in KazNU – MOODLE http://www.dlkaznu.kz/
Teaching Competency and
Infrastructure for e-Learning
and Retraining
CANDI, TEMPUS 158918-TEMPUS2009-AT-JPCR
12
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
Partners
1 University of Vienna
2 Vienna technical university
3 Technical university of Munich
4 The Open University
5 Kazakh National University
6 Kazakh Turkish international University
7 National University of Uzbekistan
8 Chemical technological university of Tashkent
9 Urgench state university
14
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
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
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
• 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
Al-Farabi
KAZAKH NATIONAL
UNIVERSITY