2024, May 29
Share this articleAt the university premises, representatives from 30 regional universities of Kazakhstan – more than 70 managers in the sphere of higher education gathered.
From May 22nd to 24th, 2024, a seminar titled "PhD Insights: Sharing NU’s Academic Expertise" took place in Astana aimed at enhancing the level of academic competency in the management and development of PhD programs. The event was organized by NU and the Science and Higher Education Quality Assurance Committee of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Over the course of three days, NU faculty shared their experience in managing PhD programs, preparing research proposals, and professional development with representatives from 30 regional universities of Kazakhstan, comprising over 70 higher education managers. Participants engaged in discussions, practical sessions, and tours of the university library.
Opening the seminar, the Deputy Chair of the Committee for Quality Assurance in Education and Science, Gani Yessenbayev, acknowledged NU's positive experience in training PhD doctors.
"As you know, we have moved away from the traditional system of training scientific personnel – candidates and doctors of science, and transitioned to training PhD doctors. We still receive many questions about the new system, which many do not fully understand. For this reason, we decided to hold this seminar. We believe that NU has accumulated valuable experience in training PhD doctors over this time. Therefore, we asked the university to organize it. And we hope that over the course of three days, NU will share its successful experience with you," said Gani Yessenbayev.
In turn, the Associated Provost for Graduate Programs, Dr. Luis Rojas-Solorzano, shared some data on doctoral training.
"In the 13 years since NU was founded, 108 PhD degrees have been awarded, and this number does not include applicants from this year. Among them, 47 individuals obtained a PhD in Science, Engineering, and Technology, while 35 became PhD doctors in Education. Degrees are awarded three times a year; another ceremony is expected to take place in June," Luis Rojas-Solorzano reported.
The first day of the seminar focused on the fundamental aspects of managing PhD programs. Faculty members discussed curriculum and course development for NU's postgraduate programs, as well as academic writing and research methods. They also discussed evaluation criteria and analysis for qualifying exams. The day concluded with an information session where the Office of the Associate Provost shared information about internships for PhD students from other universities.
The second day of the seminar addressed the preparation of dissertation proposals, with speakers discussing publication requirements and strategies for PhD research. Special attention was given to selection of appropriate journals for publication, assisting in article preparation and submission, and the role of the academic supervisor in determining publication strategy. NU faculty then delved into the process of composing and defending dissertations. The seminar concluded with an information session from NU library staff, who discussed the support they provide to students in postgraduate programs.
Following the three-day seminar, Gulnaz Tleuzhenova, Dean of the Faculty of Foreign Languages at E.A. Buketov Karaganda University, shared her impressions.
"I specifically registered for this seminar because the training of doctoral students is a very important issue for all Kazakh universities, including our own university. Over the course of three days, we familiarized ourselves with the system of training PhD candidates at NU and the international academic space. Invited speakers shared their experiences with the PhD training system in their countries. For us, this is a valuable experience because the training system for PhD students in Kazakhstan and abroad differs significantly," she shared.
A renowned Kazakh Germanist believes that many aspects can be adopted and adapted into the PhD training system of E.A. Buketov Karaganda University.
The knowledge and experience gained at the three-day seminar "PhD Insights: Sharing NU’s Academic Expertise" promise to be a valuable resource for further improving the quality of education and scientific research in the region. The university also expressed readiness to collaborate with other Kazakh universities to jointly contribute to the development of science and higher education in the country.
