UNESCO model curricula for journalism education in the Kazakh language

4 April 2014

Presentation of the book UNESCO Model curricula for journalism education in the Kazakh language was held in KazNU at the conference "Innovation and continuity in the training of journalism, publishing and PR".

152 page book includes course descriptions, detailed syllabuses, assignments, readings in Kazakh, Russian and English languages. Translation and adaptation of the publication supported by OSCE Centre in Astana, and direct participation of UNESCO Almaty Office.

Translation and adaptation of the model was made by academia representatives and media practitioners: Karlyga Mysaeva, Esengul Kapkyzy, Bakytbek Bamishuly, Askhat Erkimbay.

The book was discussed with an interest at academic conference, the full text is available here.

Journalism training required same volume of reading materials and practical exercises, especially in Kazak language. growing of ICTs and innovations required maintenance of journalism training institutions based on needs of media industry

Ms. Esengul Kap, Director NGO Minber Public Fund

The Conference was opened by professor Omirhan Abdimanuly, he said that the Conference organized for the first time in the framework of the International al-Farabi readings that will help to find talented students, who can engage in research at the university and also in international programs.

Ms. Karlyga Mysaeva, vice dean for scientific innovations informed, that release of the Kazakh version of UNESCO Model curricula for journalism education in cooperation with NGO Minber Public Fund within the framework of the OSCE Project "Journalism education in Kazakhstan: the features of new media.

Ms. Esengul Kap, Minber Director and one of the project leader informed "Journalism training required same volume of reading materials and practical exercises, especially in Kazak language. growing of ICTs and innovations required maintenance of journalism training institutions based on needs of media industry."

Professor Gulmira Sultanbaeva noted - "Model UNESCO provides us with the necessary practical skills in investigative journalism promotes international standards and materials to help the tutors. Cooperation with UNESCO has enabled me to effectively conduct summer and winter schools of journalism in Kazakhstan and has attracted universities of Central Asia to a cooperation.

Professor Sharvan Nurgozhina expressed: "The heritage of KazNU academicians is important! It is based on readings of: Kozhakeev, Barmankulov, Bekhozhin and Amandosov. It has to be included to the curricula of journalism training."

Ms. Nazgul Shyngysova , Ph.D. , professor of KazNU, Head of UNESCO Chair. Merging three Chairs: International Journalism, Public Relations and PR took place in 2011. It helps us to maintain UNESCO Model curricula for journalism education, so that is flexible and has a general character and can be adapted to the specific needs of the KazNU and other universities in Central Asia.

UNESCO issued in 2013 a compendium of new syllabi: module the Gender and Journalism also discussed.

Ms. Marlan Negizbaeva, Head of methods department of the UNESCO Journalism Chair: "I passed the training sessions on the basics of gender mainstreaming. The application of such knowledge in practice requires wisdom and responsibility. Gender and journalism requires a detailed study."

Ms Konyr Mukataevna, member of publishing department informed about the importance of media legislation knowledge in publishing industry. Many graduates, after the establishment of private publishing houses are quickly forced to close their business, because of lack of knowledge of the basics of copyright and elementary features output publications leads to their closure. In this regard, Sergey Karpov, proposed enable the UNESCOs Open Solutions:

Open Educational Resources (OER)
Open Access (EA) to scientific information and
Free and open source software (FOSS)

In particularly to teach the publishing FOSS Scribus, as well as OER. At UNESCO Chair in KazNU create an academic council to enable inclusion of local and new teaching materials to Kazak Journalism Model. The council could cooperate with universities to synchronize UNESCO Models worldwide.

Full text of UNESCO Model curricula for journalism education