Department of Regional Studies

Faculty of International Relations, Room 216, tel. 37-35-43

Head of the Chair - Syzdykov Satai Maksutovich, doctor of historical science, professor

Information about the Chair

The department was organized September 5, 2006, the opening of the department due to the need to improve training of the students taking Regional Science. In March 2009, in order to optimize the process of training the joint of the Chair of Regional Studies with the Chair of Oriental Studies was conducted.

Teaching staff

Chair of Area today is a successful fusion of experience, skill and youth. The department today consists of the 27 teachers: 10 men and 17 women. Of these, 3 doctors of sciences, professors, 8 Ph.D., associate professors, 5 masters and 2 doctors PhD. Work at the Department of Regional Studies attracts a large number of young teachers. Today the Department staff includes 7 young teachers in the age under 30 years. 

Educational Activities

The work of the Department of Area Studies is guided by SES and the internal standards of the University, as well as standards of quality management. Training on specialty "050505 - Regional studies" has been carried out since the 2004 academic year (license number 0000002 Order № 361 from 26.04.2004 years). Training is conducted in Russian and Kazakh languages full-time education. Awarded qualification – the Bachelor of  Regional Studies. Term of training - 4 years.

In 2009-2010 academic year, training is also conducted on the specialty "050209 - Orientalism". Training is conducted in Russian and Kazakh languages full-time education. Awarded qualification – the Bachelor of Oriental Studies. Term of training - 4 years.

Also, the department carries out training for Master Degree on specialty «6N0505 - Regional Studies». Term of study is 1 and 2 years. Training is conducted in Russian and Kazakh languages full-time education. Awarded qualification - the Master of Social Sciences.

In the short term, the chair is opening training for PhD Degree on specialty "Regional Studies" and training for Master Degree on  specialty “Oriental Studies”.
The Department provides training of specialists in Regional Studies and Orientalists in accordance with the regions of specialization:

Orientalism:

- East Asia (Chinese, Japanese, Korean);

- Middle East and North Africa (Arabic, Persian, Turkish).

Regional Studies:

- Western Europe (English, Italian, French, Spanish);

- North America (English, Spanish, French). 

The main lecture courses and applied courses

Department in training activities within the undergraduate and graduate teach more than 50 basic and elective courses in Russian and Kazakh languages.
By the basic courses of the department include such subjects as:

· The modern history of Asia and Africa

· The modern history of Europe and America

· The recent history of Asia and Africa

· The modern history of Europe and America

· Introduction to Regional Studies

· The history of the region of specialization

· Foreign policy in the region of specialization

· Political system of the region of specialization

· The economies of the region of specialization, etc.

· Introduction to Oriental Studies

· The department also gives courses of oriental languages such as Arabic, Turkish, Japanese, Chinese.

In the framework of elective courses, students have the opportunity to choose subjects such as:

· Civilized regions of the world and the international division of labor

· Ethnography foundations in studied countries

· The cultural history of the region under study

· Main regions of the world

· The cultural and civilizational specificity of the studied region

· The religious situation in the region under study

· International security

· Regional and national security

· Problems of regional security in Central Asia

· The formation of Foreign policy and Diplomacy

· Diplomatic Protocol and Etiquette

· Technique of the negotiation process

· Integration processes in the American Continents

· Problems of European Integration

· Regional cooperation and integration in Central Asia

· Constitution and legal system of the studied region

· The history of social thought in the region under study

· Demographic processes in the countries of the region under study, etc.

Lecture courses  are taught by experienced teachers with Academic Degrees of Doctor and Candidate of Sciences,  educated in the best universities of Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkey, China, Morocco (Zh.M. Tulibaeva, Duken Masimhanuly, S.A.Tulebaeva, V.N. Alekseenko, R.K. Baimbetova, T.V. Marmontova, T.V. Toporina, Zh. Agabekova, etc.). 

The main directions of scientific activity

The main scientific activities of the department are research publications in various journals, attending conferences, participating in various grant and project programs.

A large proportion of international cooperation is related to PhD doctoral students,studying in the department,  the Head of which is d.h.s.  Zh.M. Tulibaeva. In this regard, a scientific collaboration with V. Fournier, C. Pujol, T. Dronzinoyis conducted. Doctoral students go on study tours abroad, the geography of their internships is quite wide (Turkey, Bulgaria, France).

Head of the Department of J.M. Tulibaeva participated in such programs as:

- Programme for Basic Research MOES RK: "Kazakhstan in the system of relationships civilizations of the East: History, Sources, culture”, 2003-2005. - UDC 94 (574) MRNTI 03.19.00, 03.81.37, № state registration. 0103RK00100;

- PFI MOES RK: "History and Culture of Central Asia: antiquity, the Middle Ages and Modernity, 2006-2008. - UDC 32:061.234:297 (574 +58) MRNTI 11.15.71; 21.15.47; 21.41.41, № state registration 0106RK00544.

- Program INPF 055,149 "Ancient and Kazakh literary history written sources as the basis for developing the national idea of an independent Kazakhstan”, 2007-2009.

In the framework of state program "Cultural Heritage" in 2005, worked in the manuscript collections of Britain (Bodleian Library; British Library), France (Bibliothegue nationale de France), 10.3.3 Spain (Biblioteca Nacional), Italy (Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale Firenze) , Vatican (Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana) and Germany (Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin).

Many teaching staff also have the experience of foreign study tours and participation in grant programs.

Thus, senior faculty G.T. Zhienbaeva and lecturer L.S. Urakova attended the Eighth International Symposium for Teachers of Turkish language, organized by the Center for Study of the Turkish language "Tomer" at the University of Ankara from 7 to 8 March 2009.

G.T. Zhienbaeva gave a presentation on "Teaching Turkish Language in Astana”, L.S. Urakova - "The Methodology for Teaching Turkish in Kazakhstan”. The symposium is expected to issue a special journal. Symposium participants were given certificates of participation.

In the period from 12 to 23 April 2009 Head of the Department of Zh.M. Tulibaeva, Associate Professor S.A. Tuleubaeva and a senior lecturer in B. Zh. Mustafayev participated in the training program "Development of Education" organized by the National Research Centre in Egypt, Cooperation Centre with the Ministry of ARE in the face of the Egyptian Fund for Technical Cooperation with CIS countries, held in Cairo. Program participants are awarded certificates of participation.

Associate Professor T.V. Marmontova participated in carrying out research work under the state order for the budget program MOES”National Idea as a Basis for Development of Kazakhstan”; at NPC “Monitoring of Ethnic and Religious Spheres as a Method of Diagnosing the State of Kazakhstan’s Society and Its Effective Management”; in 2008 in conjunction with the Institute of Philosophy and Political Science at MOES RK.

T.V. Marmontova in February 2009 was contracted by GSTC (German Society for Technical Cooperation), to participate in the project "Vocational training for girls and women and support the process of reforming the education system in the Republic of Kazakhstan" –as an expert, the project was successfully completed in collaboration with Zh.M. Tulibaeva and V.N. Alekseenko.

Associate Professor Department T.V. Marmontova has won the following grants:

- To participate in the seminar TSARTS "Bilim" - Oral History in Central Asia, conducted in Almaty, in December 2008 - received the certificate;

- Travel grant to participate in the conference "Eurasia: Present, Past, Future". Istanbul. University of Maltepe Agency TIKA;

- To participate in a workshop on research in the archives of Orenburg May 24 - June 4, 2009 - received a certificate, document search conducted on the theme "Ethnic processes and national policies in Central Asia."

Associate Professor Department T.V. Marmontova is a participant to the 3-year project of the University "Turan" and HESP ReSet - “National historiography in the post-Soviet Central Asia”.