INSTITUTION
TYPES & CREDENTIALS
Types of higher education
institutions:
University
Institute
Academy
Conservatoire
School leaving and higher
education credentials:
Attestat o Srednem
obščem Obrazovanii
Diplom o Srednem
Spetsialnom Obrazovanii
Bakalavr
Diplom Specialista
Kandidat Nauk
Magistr
Doctorate (PhD)
Doktor Nauk
STRUCTURE
OF EDUCATION SYSTEM
Pre-higher
education:
Duration
of compulsory education:
Age of
entry: 6
Age of
exit: 15
Structure of school system:
Pre-Primary
Type of
school providing this education: Kindergarten
Length
of program in years: 1
Age level from: 5 to: 6
Primary
Type of
school providing this education: Primary School
Length
of program in years: 4
Age level from: 6 to: 10
Basic
Type of
school providing this education: General School, Secondary School, Gymnasium
Length
of program in years: 5
Age level from: 10 to: 15
General Secondary
Type of
school providing this education: Secondary School, Lyceum, Gymnasium
Length
of program in years: 2
Age
level from: 15 to: 17
Certificate/diploma awarded: Atestat o Srednem
Obrazovanii (Certificate of Complete Secondary Education)
Vocational
Type of
school providing this education: Professional Lyceum, Vocational School
Length
of program in years: 2
Age
level from: 15 to: 17
Certificate/diploma awarded: Diplom o Srednem
Spetsialnom Obrazovanii
Professional
Type of
school providing this education: Professional College, Vocational School
Length
of program in years: 4
Age
level from: 15 to: 19
Certificate/diploma
awarded: Diplom
o Srednem Spetsialnom Obrazovanii
School
education:
Primary education lasts for four years
preceded by one year pf pre-school education. Secondary education consists in
three main educational phases: primary education (forms 1-4), basic general
education (forms 5-9) and senior level education (forms 10-11 or 12) divided
into continued general education and professional education. These three levels
of education can be followed in one institution or in different ones (e.g.
primary school, then secondary school). Recently, several secondary schools,
specialized schools, magnet schools, gymnasiums, lyceums, linguistic and
technical gymnasiums, have been founded. Secondary professional education is
offered in special professional or technical schools, lyceums or colleges and
vocational schools.
Higher
education:
At present, there are universities,
academies, and institutes, conservatoires, higher schools and higher colleges.
There are three main levels: basic higher education that provides the
fundamentals of the chosen field of study and leads to the award of the
Bachelor degree; specialized higher education after which students are awarded
the Specialist's Diploma; and scientific-pedagogical higher education which
leads to the Master's Degree. Postgraduate education leads to the Kandidat Nauk
(Candidate of Sciences) and the Doctor of Sciences. With the adoption of the
Laws on Education and on Higher Education, a private sector has been
established and several private institutions have been licensed.
Main
laws/decrees governing higher education:
Decree:
Law on
Higher Education Year: 1993
Concerns: Public and private higher education
institutions
Decree:
Law on
Higher Education Year: 1996
Concerns:
State
institutions
Academic
year:
Classes
from: Sep to: Jun
Languages
of instruction: Kazakh,
Russian, English, German, French, Chinese, Arabic
Stages
of studies:
University level studies:
University
level first stage:
Diploma
of Specialist, Bachelor:
A Diploma of Specialist or Diploma of
Specialized Higher Education in a particular field of study is generally
awarded at the end of a five-year course (former system). Bachelor's Degrees
are now also conferred after four years' studies.
University
level second stage:
Aspirantura,
Master's:
Full-time postgraduate studies (Aspirantura)
leading to the qualification of Candidate of Sciences (Kandidat Nauk) normally
last for three years. The submission of a thesis is required. Master's Degrees
are also conferred after a further two years' study beyond the Bachelor's
Degree.
University
level third stage:
PhD,
Doctorate (Doktoratura):
In the new system, a
PhD is conferred after two to three years' further study beyond the Master's
Degree. The Doctor of Sciences (Doktor Nauk) is awarded after the Kandidat Nauk
after completion of a thesis based on original research.
Teacher education:
Training
of secondary school teachers
Secondary school
teachers are trained at universities. They follow a five-year course leading to
a Specialist's Diploma.
Non-traditional studies:
Distance
higher education
Several universities offer distance
education.
Lifelong
higher education
Many higher education
institutions have special departments that are responsible for running professional
updating courses.
NATIONAL
BODIES
Administration
& co-ordination:
Responsible
authorities:
Ministry of Education
and Science
Head: Birgamin Aytimova, Minister
Republic
avenue, 60
473000 Astana
Kazakhstan
Tel: +8(3172) 333 325
Fax: +8(3172) 333 412
EMail: pressa@edu.gov.kz
WWW: http://www.edu.gov.kz
Role of
governing body: The
main aim of the Ministry of Education and Science is the realization of state
policy in the field of education and science, general scientific and methodical
guidance over all educational and scientific institutions.
ADMISSIONS
TO HIGHER EDUCATION
Admission
to university-level studies
Name of secondary school credential
required: Attestat
o Srednem obščem Obrazovanii
Name of
secondary school credential required: Diplom o Srednem Spetsialnom Obrazovanii
Entrance
exams required: In
2004, school leavers will have to pass a new exam, the Edinoe Nacional'noe
Testirovanie (Unified National Testing Exam) and its diploma the Certificat o
Rezul'tatah EHT (replacing the Kompleksnoe Testirovanie (Complex Testing Exam)
to enter Universities.
Recognition
of studies & qualifications:
Studies
pursued in foreign countries (bodies dealing with recognition of foreign
credentials):
Ministry of Education
and Science
Astana
Kazakhstan
Deals
with credential recognition for entry to: University
Services
provided & students dealt with: Responsible for quality assurance (through
licensing, attestation and accreditation), state standards in higher education
and decides which institutions have the right to grant degrees.
Multilateral
agreements concerning recognition of foreign studies
Name of
agreement: Convention
on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees in Higher Education in Asia
and the Pacific
Year of signature: 1983
Name of
agreement: Convention
on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees in Higher Education in Europe
Year of
signature: 1979
STUDENT
LIFE
Student
expenses and financial aid
Student
costs:
Home
students tuition fees: Minimum: 0 (Tenge)
Maximum:
90000
(Tenge)
Foreign
students tuition fees: Minimum: 2000 (US Dollar)
Publications
on student services and financial aid:
Title: Study Abroad
2004-2005, 32nd Edition
Author:
UNESCO
Publisher:
UNESCO
Publishing
Year of
publication: 2003
INTERNATIONAL
COOPERATION & EXCHANGES
Principal
national bodies responsible for dealing with international cooperation and
exchanges in higher education:
Ministry of Education
and Science
Head: Adil Mukhambet, Head of
International Cooperation Division
Respubliki
Square 60 (Kazakh Oil Building
473000 Astana
Kazakhstan
Tel: +7(3172) 333-325 +7(3172)
214-230
Fax: +7(3172) 333-412
+7(3172) 333-178
EMail: monrk@mail.ru;sarin2002@mail.ru
GRADING
SYSTEM
Usual
grading system in secondary school
Full
Description: 1
- 5 scale. 5: excellent; 4: good; 3: satisfactory; 2: unsatisfactory; 1 totally
unsatisfactory
Highest
on scale: 5
Pass/fail
level: 3/2
Lowest
on scale: 1
Main
grading system used by higher education institutions
Full
Description: Marking
is on a 1 - 5 scale. 5: excellent; 4: good; 3: satisfactory; 2: unsatisfactory;
1 totally unsatisfactory
Highest
on scale: 5
Pass/fail
level: 3/2
Lowest
on scale: 1
Other
main grading systems
In 1999-2000, most
higher education establishments adopted the rating system (%). Highest rating:
100%-90%; Pass/fail level: 90%-60%; 60%-40%.
NOTES
ON HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM
Data
for academic year: 2004-2005
Source:
Soros
Educational Advising Centre, Almaty, 2001, updated from Swedish NARIC, 2004
(except for governing bodies, updated 2005)