The memorandum was signed by Talgat Narikbayev, Chairman of the Board of MNU, and Robert Taylor, Director of the British Council in Kazakhstan. The document aims to enhance the quality of the educational process, develop students’ language skills, and provide conditions for taking the IELTS international examination. The parties also intend to raise students’ awareness of international certification opportunities, exchange expertise, and support the development of competencies among both faculty members and students.

The British Council is the United Kingdom’s international organization for cultural relations and educational opportunities, fostering cooperation in education, the arts, and English language learning between the UK and other countries. It operates in more than 110 countries worldwide. MNU has been actively cooperating with the organization for the past six years.

It is worth noting that the university’s cooperation with British partners also covers academic mobility, research collaboration, and institutional engagement. MNU has cooperation agreements with leading UK universities, including the University of Cambridge and Queen Mary University of London. In addition, the university annually hosts students from the United Kingdom who come to study Russian as a foreign language.

Earlier, MNU also hosted an educational seminar on preparation strategies for the TOEFL international examination.

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During the event, experts provided a detailed overview of the TOEFL iBT structure, explored the specifics of the reading section, and discussed approaches to working with academic texts. They shared practical tools for helping students develop the ability to understand complex language structures and presented recommendations for creating objective assessment systems. The seminar was organized in partnership with Educational Testing Service (ETS), the largest nonprofit educational testing organization in the United States.

“This event is of great importance for the development of the country’s education sector. Our educational programs are evolving in response to the demands of the time, and we strive to make timely and meaningful adjustments. In addition, TOEFL Experience Day has become an excellent platform for productive collaboration,” said Zhamilya Bopurova, Dean of the School of Liberal Arts at MNU.

TOEFL Experience Day brings together educators and professionals who support talent development through international examinations. The event is held worldwide in countries where the TOEFL iBT test is administered. During the seminar, participants had the opportunity to ask questions to ETS representatives and experienced MNU instructors, helping them design effective pathways for preparing students for international exams in today’s educational environment.

It is worth noting that MNU recently announced the launch of a new academic program, Linguistics (TESOL) and Translation Technologies.

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The event brought together the university’s partners, including executives and experts from leading domestic companies and major international organizations. During the discussion, MNU Deputy Chairman of the Board for Science, Innovation, and Artificial Intelligence Sergey Pen shared his vision for adapting the university’s academic programs to modern technological challenges and the opportunities presented by AI. MNU Provost Anar Ibrayeva also emphasized the importance of synergy between academia and the real sector.

“Such dialogue platforms allow us to thoroughly analyze current labor market demands, respond promptly to global technological changes, and keep pace with the times. Through this collaborative work, we can efficiently transform the educational process in order to provide students with high-quality, relevant, and востребованное education that fully meets employers’ expectations,” said Anar Ibrayeva.

Participants of the meeting were introduced in detail to the activities of MNU’s Higher School of Liberal Arts and the prospects for the development of its educational programs. Employers shared a number of proposals and positively assessed the plans to launch the educational programs “Linguistics (TESOL) and Translation Technologies” and “Tourism and Hospitality Management.” In addition, representatives of partner companies were presented with letters of appreciation for strategic cooperation and organizing internships.

“This event clearly demonstrates how deeply the university studies future trends and understands the needs of employers. As an MNU graduate, I personally experienced the high quality of education, as the knowledge I gained helped me secure a managerial position within a short period of time. Our company is already cooperating with the university — just last year we hired an MNU graduate who is currently showing excellent results,” noted Olga Abeldinova, Director of the Department for Tourism Product and Service Development at Astana Tourism Development Center.

It should be noted that the X meeting of the Business Council of MNU’s International School of Economics was also held earlier.

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The conference was held in a hybrid format. Participants discussed the development of applied research in the humanities, interdisciplinarity, and the integration of modern technologies. During the event, students, master’s degree candidates, and faculty members from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Turkey, Sweden, Scotland, Spain, Portugal, Indonesia, and Thailand presented their reports.

“Applied research in the humanities and social sciences plays a crucial role today in understanding and addressing global challenges. Our goal is to create a dynamic space where scholars and practitioners can share innovative ideas and research findings, contributing to the development of society and the academic environment,” noted MNU Provost Anar Ibrayeva.

The main focus of the discussions was the integration of modern technologies into humanitarian fields. The participants’ presentations covered a wide range of topics, from the challenges of preserving cultural nuances in machine translation to the implementation of AI in hospitality and psychological support services. Supporting young researchers and students was also an important part of the event, giving them an opportunity to present their projects and receive guidance from experienced colleagues.

It should be noted that a conference proceedings volume was published following the event.

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The talks focused on strengthening academic collaboration and expanding international ties between the universities. The participants discussed the implementation of academic mobility and dual degree programs, as well as the exchange of best practices in education. Following the meeting, the parties agreed to prepare a cooperation agreement that will formalize the key areas of partnership between the universities.

It should be noted that the University for Continuing Education Krems is one of Austria’s well-known young universities. Located in the city of Krems an der Donau, the university was founded in 1994. Today, it offers more than 25 educational programs.

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The event served as a platform to identify and support talented youth, as well as to develop their professional competencies in both written and oral translation. The main goal of the Olympiad was to foster analytical thinking, intercultural communicative competence, and the ability to effectively apply modern translation techniques in professional practice. Particular attention was given to developing simultaneous interpreting skills in conditions closely resembling real-life settings.

The competition consisted of two rounds in the English–Kazakh language pair and included a comprehensive assessment of professional skills. In the first round, participants completed written translations of socio-political, popular science, and professionally oriented texts. The second round focused on simultaneous interpreting, where students translated audio and video speeches in real time, demonstrating their ability to quickly analyze and accurately convey meaning.

According to the results of the Olympiad, first place was awarded to Tamiris Rakhymzhan, a student of Abylai Khan University of International Relations and World Languages. Second place was shared by Aktolkyn Asylbek from SDU University and Gaziza Askar from L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University. Third place was awarded to Adiya Yerkenova from Maqsut Narikbayev University, as well as Zhannur Zhunisali and Amina Amaneldi from SDU University.

It is worth noting that earlier, MNU students also won prize places at the Republican Olympiad in Journalism and the National Olympiad on Financial Security.

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The agreements were reached during a visit to MNU by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Indonesia to Kazakhstan, Mohamad Fadjrul Rahman, and representatives of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences of UIN Surabaya. The Indonesian partners familiarized themselves with the university’s activities, its academic programs, and research potential. MNU Provost Anar Ibrayeva noted that students from Indonesia are currently studying at the university.

“We consider Indonesia as one of the priority areas for international cooperation. International applicants can participate in a special educational grant competition. In this regard, we invite talented students from Indonesia to take advantage of this opportunity,” Anar Ibrayeva emphasized.

It is worth noting that Sunan Ampel State Islamic University Surabaya is among the top five universities in Indonesia. The university offers 77 academic programs and enrolls more than 20,000 students. This year, the institution celebrates its 65th anniversary.

Earlier, MNU also signed a memorandum with one of the prestigious universities in the United States – George Mason University.

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During the negotiations, promising areas of cooperation with leading universities of the Kingdom were explored, along with opportunities to expand access to Spanish language learning and deepen cultural interaction. Currently, MNU successfully delivers academic programs that enable students to study several foreign languages. The guests also attended a class at the university where a Spanish language course was being taught.

The Director of the Cervantes Institute in Istanbul also shared plans to expand the organization’s presence across Central Asian countries. It is worth noting that the Institute operates in more than 90 countries worldwide and is a leading organization in teaching Spanish as a foreign language and promoting Spanish and Latin American culture.

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The competition, organized jointly with Middlebury College (USA), took place over three months. The organizers reviewed 10 projects and conducted interviews with the participants. The project “Speech for All” by Zhazira Karataeva, a student of the School of Liberal Arts, dedicated to inclusive access to early speech therapy support in Kazakhstan, was selected as the best.

Projects for Peace is a global program for young people aimed at developing innovative, community-oriented, and scalable solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. Through their work on the projects, student leaders expand their knowledge and improve their skills. The competition was founded in 2007 by Kathryn Wasserman Davis, who believed that young people should be motivated to take on the challenge of preparing for peace.

It should be noted, that MNU is a partner of Middlebury College. As part of the competition, the best projects are selected from students at over 100 universities worldwide.

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In the context of globalization and digitalization, language is not just a subject of study but also a practical tool for professional activity. This principle underpins the Applied Linguistics program, offered by the School of Liberal Arts at MNU. The university was the first in Kazakhstan to launch this specialization in 2019. Today, more than 400 students are enrolled, and the program consistently ranks highly among humanities and linguistics fields, as confirmed by the Atameken university program ratings and international FIBAA accreditation.

The curriculum emphasizes the practical application of language. Students not only study linguistic theory but also learn to apply their knowledge in real professional contexts. Courses include linguistics, theory and practice of intercultural communication, text analysis, academic writing, fundamentals of corpus linguistics, and digital technologies in the language sphere. The program follows a hybrid learning model, allowing students to study theory while immediately applying their skills in practice. Classes are conducted interactively through case studies, project work, presentations, research, and hands-on assignments.

“A strong point of this program is the integration of a TESOL minor, which broadens graduates’ professional opportunities in teaching and language technologies. We are currently enhancing the program by introducing a digital linguistics module and expanding the Kazakh language module, ensuring that our graduates remain in demand in a rapidly evolving linguistic and digital environment,” – said Anar Ibrayeva, Provost of MNU.

Particular attention is given to early professionalization and interdisciplinarity. Starting from the second semester, students immerse themselves in the profession of language teaching through the course Introduction to Applied Linguistics, which emphasizes both teaching and research activities. The faculty consists of research professors, including PhD and candidates of sciences degree holders, as well as practicing professionals with experience in translation, education, journalism, and international projects.

“During our studies, it is important not only to know a language but also to understand how it functions across different domains. Applied Linguistics helps students see how linguistic knowledge can be applied in practice and used in their future careers,” – emphasized Amina Dulat, an MNU student.

Graduates of the program successfully pursue careers in translation, education, international companies, media, analytical centers, and the IT sector. Their versatile language skills allow them to work in both humanities and interdisciplinary fields. For more information about the Applied Linguistics program and admission opportunities, please, follow this link.

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