Second-Year Students of the 6B05209 – Geography Programme at the Department of Physical and Economic Geography Completed Academic Practice in the Almaty Region

From 1 to 20 June 2026, second-year students of the 6B05209 – Geography educational programme at the Department of Physical and Economic Geography, Institute of Natural Sciences, L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, completed their academic practice. A total of 79 students took part in the practice: 75 students participated in the field stage in Almaty and Almaty Region, while 4 students completed the practice programme at the university. The practice was supervised by Н.Б. Зинабдин, Е.К. Шұлғаубаев and Г.Т. Оспан.

The field stage of the academic practice took place at natural sites in Almaty and Almaty Region. ENU provided two large buses for each route. The students travelled by these buses to research sites along the following routes: Lake Esik, Turgen Gorge, Charyn Canyon, Kolsai Lakes, Medeu, Shymbulak, Butakovka, Ayusay and Big Almaty Lake.

As part of the practice programme, the students studied mountain, foothill, forest, desert, lake and canyon landscapes. During route-based observations, they recorded GPS tracks using smartphones, marked observation points and described relief, soil cover, vegetation, water bodies and natural processes. The PlantNet mobile application was used to identify plant species, while field journals included landscape descriptions, photographic records and route data.

The students also visited the Institute of Geography and Water Security, where they became familiar with key areas of scientific research. Particular attention was given to geoinformation technologies, geographical studies, regional climate change, landscape science, environmental management, geotourism and geomorphology.

After completing the field stage, the students continued the desk-study stage at the university, at the Department of Physical and Economic Geography, until 20 June. During this stage, the collected materials were systematised and processed using Google Earth and ArcGIS Pro. The students prepared route maps, landscape profiles, thematic maps and individual practice reports. Each student submitted an individual report through the Smart ENU platform.

The academic practice strengthened the students’ professional preparation and developed their skills in the integrated study of natural complexes. It helped connect theoretical knowledge with practical work in physical geography, landscape studies, geomorphology, biogeography, water resources, natural hazard assessment and GIS-based mapping.