The internationalization of higher education and the attraction of foreign professors are currently strategic priorities in the development of the university. In the context of globalization, the digital economy, and international competition for knowledge, openness to the world has become a key factor in academic success. Kozybayev University regularly engages international specialists for teaching and academic collaboration. This time, the university hosted a meeting with a lecturer from Turkey, Göktürk Cebecioğlu. He teaches Turkish at the Department of Germanic and Romance Philology of the Institute of Language and Literature. Göktürk Cebecioğlu arrived under the intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in education between the Governments of Kazakhstan and Turkey. The foreign specialist has extensive teaching experience of over 20 years. He holds a Master’s degree and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Philology. At Kozybayev University, Göktürk Cebecioğlu will teach for two years. The possibility of organizing language courses not only for students but also for the university’s academic staff is currently under consideration.

A film lecture dedicated to the Day of Gratitude was held at Kozybayev University, featuring the historical feature films Zheruyik, Angels in Tyubeteikas, and Ordered to Forget. The event was organized by the Department of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, Secondary School No. 17 of Petropavl, and the Methodological Center of the Education Department of the North Kazakhstan Region. More than 350 students from all faculties of the university took part in the event. The audience was presented with a video address - a fragment from the podcast Club of Interesting People - посвящённый deportation of Koreans to Kazakhstan. During the program, the moderator of the event, Head of the Department of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, Lyudmila Grivennaya, introduced the historical drama Zheruyik. Special attention from the audience was drawn to the heartfelt speech by student Viktoriya Kim, a descendant of a deported Korean family, who spoke about the importance of preserving the memory of deportations for younger generations. The topic of the deportation of Germans to Kazakhstan was presented by N.P. Kavun, Head of National Departments at Secondary School No. 17. The discussion was accompanied by excerpts from Angels in Tyubeteikas. Student Daniel Brukh also delivered a speech, sharing his family’s deportation story. A significant part of the program focused on the deportation of Chechens and Ingush. A video from the Khalyqtanu Lecture Series by Professor Zh.A. Yermekbayev was shown. The segment concluded with an excerpt from Ordered to Forget and a speech by student Deniel Edilov, who shared the history of his family. Following the main program, participants and speakers engaged in an open discussion, giving students the opportunity to ask questions and reflect on historical events in a live dialogue format. The event concluded with an award ceremony for school students - winners of the essay contest “Caravan of Kindness and Mercy.” The event became an important contribution to preserving historical memory and strengthening interethnic harmony.

A knight’s move toward new knowledge. In cooperation with the Kazakhstan Chess Federation, Kozybayev University has opened a specialized classroom titled “Chess in Primary Education.” The classroom is equipped with all the necessary materials and equipment to conduct both theoretical and practical lessons. Future primary school teachers now have the opportunity to enroll in the educational minor “Chess Teacher.” This is a specialized additional professional training program offered at universities, enabling students to obtain the qualification required to teach chess in schools. The program combines chess theory with pedagogy, psychology, and teaching methodologies for children. Upon graduation, students will receive diplomas with a corresponding note in the transcript, as well as a coaching certificate. “Today we are opening not just a classroom, but a new direction in teacher training. We thank the Kazakhstan Chess Federation for such a meaningful gift to our students. Chess is not just a game - it develops logical and strategic thinking, memory, and concentration. We also express our gratitude to our partners at Freedom Bank, who provided 12 chess sets. They will be placed in academic buildings and dormitories to ensure access for everyone interested in this intellectual game. The opening of such locations aimed at developing our children and our future resonates strongly with the positive changes our country is approaching. The adoption of the new Constitution will strengthen the priority of education, science, and innovation in national development,” noted Chairman of the Executive Board - Rector Yerbol Issakayev. In addition, the Kazakhstan Chess Federation provided specialized training free of charge for two faculty members. They studied modern chess teaching technologies, methods for developing logical thinking in primary school students, and international practices of integrating chess into the educational process. Upon completion, they received the appropriate certificates and will now teach students in the new classroom at Kozybayev University. “We approached many universities with this initiative. However, your university responded immediately and allowed us to integrate our program into the academic process. Our goal is to form an intellectual nation by integrating chess into the lives of schoolchildren not only in cities but also in remote villages. That is why we introduced chess into the school curriculum. Now it is important to train specialists within universities,” said Akzhunis Artykbay, University Relations Coordinator at the Kazakhstan Chess Federation. This year, 55 students will begin training in the “Chess Teacher” educational minor. The program will last for two semesters. In the future, all students in педагогical programs will be offered a micro-qualification aimed at preparing chess teachers.  

Today, the university welcomed senior students from schools in Petropavl. About 170 students visited the new academic and laboratory building, explored modern laboratories, sat at desks in lecture rooms, spoke with current students, and learned firsthand about vibrant student life. Prospective applicants were informed about the opportunities available at our university: educational programs, academic mobility, studying under leading professors from Kazakhstan and abroad, participation in creative projects, and the opportunity to earn a dual degree from Kozybayev University and the University of Arizona. Faculties and departments, student organizations, and creative associations of the university delivered their presentations. However, Open House Days are not only about providing information. The interactive part, which is especially popular among school students, gave participants the chance to compete in a dance battle and music contests. Winners and prize holders received gifts from the event sponsors. “Graduating school students are now facing an important choice - selecting a university, a major, and therefore their professional future. Our task is to guide them and demonstrate the opportunities available to our future students: in-demand educational programs, including dual-degree programs with the University of Arizona, academic mobility, extracurricular creative and sports activities, and practice-oriented learning. Today, students from six schools in Petropavl visited us. They were able to feel like university students and see the university from the inside,” said Gulmira Ospanova, Head of the Admissions and Recruitment Office. School students also received detailed консультации on admission requirements, dormitory accommodation, benefits, scholarships, and grants. The Open House Days will continue next week.

The scientific and creative intelligentsia, as well as education professionals of the North Kazakhstan Region (NKR), joined the nationwide coalition “For a People’s Constitution of a Fair and Progressive Kazakhstan.” The meeting was attended by the Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Aida Balayeva, deputies of the Senate and the Mazhilis, representatives of local executive bodies, the leadership, staff and faculty of Kozybayev University, as well as artists, scholars, and teachers of the region. The draft of the new Constitution is not merely an updated Basic Law of the country. It reflects a system of values, principles, and fundamental guidelines that should become a solid foundation for the development of our Motherland. “Thanks to the Constitution, we have become a dynamically developing country. Today Kazakhstan is a respected member of the international community. The preamble of the Constitution clearly states that Kazakhstan is a democratic, secular, and rule-of-law state. Therefore, the state will always fulfill its social obligations. Even private universities provide opportunities for free education through state grants. We live within an insurance-based system and have access to free medical care. The state preserves all its social obligations in the new Constitution as well,” noted Deputy Prime Minister Aida Balayeva. Kozybayev University is the only higher education institution in the North Kazakhstan Region. This provides significant opportunities while also imposing great responsibility. “Today we are promoting the university and the region as a center of attraction for talented youth. At the same time, Petropavlovsk is confidently developing as an academic hub of Northern Kazakhstan. Our university educates students from all regions of Kazakhstan and from 17 countries worldwide. I would also like to emphasize the importance of our strategic partnership with the University of Arizona. This partnership has become a powerful driver of academic and research development in the region. Not long ago, it was difficult to imagine that in Petropavlovsk, in northern Kazakhstan, there would be an opportunity to obtain a world-class education. Today, this is a reality and has become a unique ‘window of opportunity’ for more than 1,200 young people,” emphasized Chairman of the Executive Board - Rector of Kozybayev University, Yerbol Issakayev. The new Constitution has become a shared landmark reflecting the maturity of society and its readiness to build the future on the principles of justice, openness, and respect for the individual.  

The Kazakhstan Winter Presidential Multi-Event Championship was held in Petropavlovsk. Students of our university represented the North Kazakhstan Region team under the leadership of their coach, Senior Lecturer Alexander Naumov. As a result, our students won five medals: three gold, one silver, and one bronze. In the 18–20 age group, Zhanely Nuralina (group FCS-25-3) claimed first place. Medet Zhumanov (group FCS-24-2) won silver. In the same age category, Alikhan Tastanbekov finished third in the republic. In the 21–23 age category, Danila Svirzhevsky (group FCS-22-1) won the gold medal. In the veterans’ group, Alexander Vladimirovich Naumov once again secured the absolute championship title of the republic, becoming a 58-time national champion.   We congratulate our students and their distinguished coach on this outstanding achievement!