About the Museum of the Faculty of Pre-University Education

(85th anniversary of the

al-Farabi Kazakh national University is dedicated to)

2019 is the year of the 85th anniversary of the flagship of education of Kazakhstan, al-Farabi Kazakh national University. The history of creation and development of the University is rich in interesting facts and events. Throughout its already legendary history, the University has always been at the forefront of the implementation of the most pressing problem-the training of highly qualified specialists for all sectors of the economy of the country.

In 1985, the decision of the Council of Ministers of the USSR in the Kazakh state University created a preparatory faculty for foreign citizens. It should be noted that the process of creating a new unit was accompanied by comprehensive support from the relevant departments of the center: teachers were trained in Moscow universities, the faculty received the necessary literature, and specialized specialists from the capital came and conducted master classes… This was a completely new, but infinitely interesting direction of the University activity.

Today, the structure that deals with the language training of foreign citizens is the Faculty of Pre-University Education. The faculty has 2 departments: Department of Language and General educational of foreigners, as well as Department of pre-University training. The scope of work of the departments includes teaching Russian and Kazakh as foreign languages. The main contingents of students, studying at the departments, are foreign citizens. The geography of citizens arriving for training is very extensive. Over the 34 years of the structure’s existence, representatives of more than 100 countries of the world have received language training at the faculty.

Teachers of the Department of Language and General educational of foreigners, respecting the past of their unit, undoubtedly feel a sense of pride from participation in the glorious history of the University, in general, and the faculty, in particular. Evidence of this is the existence of the faculty Museum. For more than 3 decades, teachers carefully collected documentary evidence related to the creation of the structural unit, photos, student reviews, their letters, gifts, made by the hands of students, various Souvenirs, national costumes… The exhibits of the Museum acquaint with the faculty from the unofficial side: each of them is a part of the soul of grateful students and, of course, teachers who treat their work with great love. This is confirmed by the warm touching letters of students who graduated from the University at the time, went home, but did not forget about their mentors. Unfortunately, in this age of electronic correspondence, such evidence is rare!

Everyone who visited the Museum can make a note of their impressions in the “book of reviews and suggestions”. But this clerical name does not fit the heartfelt notes left by guests who have seen the exhibition.

In a brief overview, it is impossible to describe everything that can be seen, and most importantly, to feel when visiting the FDO Museum. Newly arriving foreign students visit the Museum with great interest, realizing that the place of their education has a legendary history.

The exposition of the Museum is constantly updated. In December 2018, on the eve of the anniversary of the University, the Museum was modernized. In the near future there are plans to create a virtual version of it.

A.K.Akhmedova, A.E. Sadenova.

al-Farabi Kazakh national University,

Faculty of Pre-university Education,

Department of Language andgeneral education of foreigners

www.kaznu.kz