Visually-impaired version 
On April 24, Kazakhstan hosted a large-scale discussion on the future of journalism. At a round table organized by Kazakhstan’s Institute for Social Development, deans and leading specialists from 28 universities in the country gathered to discuss topical issues of journalism training.
The roundtable participants noted that the profession of journalism is undergoing significant changes due to the development of digital technologies. Modern journalists must not only be able to write high-quality texts, but also have skills in working with video, audio, data and social media.
Aigul Zhamalova, Dean of MNU International School of Journalism, emphasized the importance of developing entrepreneurial skills in future journalists. According to her, European and American media schools have long been training specialists capable not only of creating quality content, but also of successfully promoting their media projects.
The participants of the roundtable discussed the following issues:
- How to prepare journalists to work in a rapidly changing media landscape?
- What skills and competencies do future journalists need?
- How can international experience be used to improve the system of journalism education in Kazakhstan?
The discussion resulted in a resolution reflecting the main recommendations for improving the system of journalism training. In particular, it was noted that educational programs should be more practice-oriented and include the study of modern digital tools and technologies.