The Bolashak’s Centre for International Programmes (CIP) and the Ministry of Education and Science of Kazakhstan recently announced that they would be switching from the current one-year abroad language training system to a six-month programme to optimise the intensity of the language courses and save the country money.
Gani Nygymetov, CIP President.
“In 2015, the Ministry of Education and Science together with CIP is planning to implement the new initiative on language training in Kazakhstan within the framework of 6+6 [formula]. The new formula implies that the first six months of language preparation will be taken in Kazakhstan and then [with scholars reaching the IELTS 5.5 level] they will start further training abroad,” CIP President Gani Nygymetov told The Astana Times.
“Such a formula not only lets us save money for the budget, its main objective is the optimisation of the language courses’ intensity. Scholars with a low level of English will get an opportunity to enhance it in a common environment. One of the outcomes we are expecting to receive is the growth of language teaching potential in Kazakhstan; [the] Bolashak language courses might be the basis for the future development of an international level school for studying foreign languages,” he explained.
According to Nygymetov, CIP is planning to introduce another new project this year.
“[The] 6+6 formula is not the programme’s only innovation. This year, we are also starting the full implementation of the Split PhD project, which had been successfully tested last year in partnership with Nazarbayev University. The Split PhD is a doctorate programme that makes it possible for students to conduct research in two partner universities – one in Kazakhstan and one abroad. Such a mechanism lets Kazakhstan scientists develop their national research projects in the world’s leading universities. This also serves as an instrument for the enhanced integration of Kazakhstan in international scientific society,” he said.
The CIP president also stressed that the centre is preparing to celebrate its 10th anniversary this month.
“To emphasise this event, the Ministry of Education and Science is organising an academic and research conference with the participation of government representatives, [former] presidents,’ partners and employers of [the] CIP Bolashak graduates,” he said. “The theme of the conference is “Training of competitive staff for industrialisation and the new economic policy of Kazakhstan Nurly Zhol [and the] experience and perspectives of [the] Bolashak International Scholarship.”
