The First Meeting of the ROUMS Educational-Methodical Council Project Group on “Turkology” Was Held at ENU

The L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University hosted the first meeting of the Project Management Group of the Republican Educational and Methodological Council’s Educational and Methodological Association (REMC UMO) in the field of “Turkology”.

The meeting was opened by Ardaq Beisenbai, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs of L.N. Gumilyov ENU and Deputy Chair of the Project Management Group. In his opening remarks, he emphasized the strategic significance of training specialists in Turkology. He highlighted the need to advance scientific directions related to the Turkic world, study national values, and ensure the systematic teaching of linguistic and historical heritage in the context of modern globalization.

The Head of the Project Management Group for Turkology, Zhadyra Aidarbekova, presented the section’s work plan for the 2025 – 2026 academic year and outlined its key priorities. The proposed plan included:

• updating educational and methodological documents,
• aligning educational programmes with current labour market requirements,
• enhancing the quality of research activities,
• strengthening professional exchange among faculty members.

The plan was discussed and unanimously approved. The updated composition of the section was also introduced, which now includes highly qualified specialists from leading universities and research centres of the country. The renewed membership is expected to enhance the section’s expert capacity and improve its overall effectiveness.

Gulzhanat Begimova, Associate Professor of the Turkology Department at L.N. Gumilyov ENU, presented a proposed action plan to be implemented jointly with leading employers in the field. The plan includes organising annual meetings with major employers, developing a professional portfolio platform for graduates (including resumes, research work, letters of appreciation and achievements), and launching joint projects aimed at strengthening students’ practical training. The initiative was positively received and approved by the participants.

Raushan Avakova, Head of the Department of Turkology and Language Theory at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, highlighted the importance of coordinating and approving the list of master’s and doctoral research topics for the 2025–2026 academic year at the inter-university level. She emphasised the need to ensure consistency, relevance, and continuity in academic research, as well as to systematize the database of topics from the past five years. The proposal received full support.

Senbek Beisembekuly, Head of the Turkic Philology Department at Khoja Ahmed Yasawi International Kazakh-Turkish University, presented the challenges in implementing the “Turkology” educational programmes and proposed solutions. Among the highlighted issues were the shortage of relevant teaching materials, the limited number of practice-oriented disciplines, the need for improved digital resources and archives, and the expansion of international academic mobility. Participants supported the development of joint projects, the enhancement of digital platforms, and the strengthening of academic partnerships.

Members of the section also raised the issue of introducing elective courses such as “Turkic Civilization”, “Turkic Culture”, and “Ancient Turkic Inscriptions” in schools and colleges. Furthermore, the importance of universities and research centres actively participating in state grants and international projects aimed at developing digital archives and modernising writing laboratories was emphasized.

The meeting was marked by rich and productive discussions. Participants not only reviewed the current challenges facing the field of Turkology but also outlined strategic priorities for the coming academic year. The members expressed their readiness to continue working together to advance research on the Turkic world, improve educational programmes, and expand international cooperation.