1932-2005
The history of formation and development of our higher educational institutions reflects stages of formation of history of Kazakhstan. In the thirties of the last century our republic there was sharply a problem of liquidation of illiteracy among the country population in our Republic. With this purpose primary and incomplete secondary schools were opened. Teachers staff was required to work at these schools but there was a great shortage of teachers . So, for example, in the thirties from 996 teachers working at schools of the West Kazakhstan oblast, there was no teacher with higher education. Small number of higher educational institutions could not provide requirement of skilled personnel. It was necessary to open higher educational institutions, including outlying districts. Therefore Kazakhstan district committee in July, 9th, 1932 decided: since October, 1st in the city of Uralsk to organise a teacher training college - the second teacher training University, after the Kazakh teacher training college, in Republic to which the name of the assistant to the people's commissar of the USSR ater M.N.Pokrovsky was awarded,and since 1937 the institute was awarded by the name of A.S.Pushkin.
Successfully having overcome difficulties of formation and development, years of military years, Uralsk teacher training college in post-war years became the large educational institution which is graduating annually more than 700 graduates on 18 specialities. For these years the contingent of students has grown from 72 to 4500 persons. Merits of collective of institute on preparation of pedagogical personnel were highly appreciated by the Government of Soviet Union. In honour of 50-year-old anniversary in 1982 the institute was awarded the order "Sign of Honour ".Considering high scientific potential, a wide profile of specialities and good material resources, Uralsk teacher training college after A.S.Pushkin in May, 1996 was transformed to the West Kazakhstan humanitarian university after A.S.Pushkin by governmental order of RК.
In February, 14th, 2000 the West Kazakhstan state university was founded by Governmental order №236 of RК ; in 2003 WKSU was awarded the name of Mahambet Utemisov.
In 2003-2004 academic year WKSU was one of the largest universities of the Western region of our republic where over 12000 students , undergraduate and post-graduate students were trained , about 1000 employees worked there. Preparation of experts was carried out at 11 faculties and 44 chairs on 56 specialities of humanitarian-social, is natural-scientific, pedagogical, economic, legal, fine arts directions at full time and part-time departments and accelerated modes of training. Besides, there has been begun preparation on 5 specialties of magistracy and 4 specialties of postgraduate study.
Taking into account the basic directions of state educational policy of RК the university to adopted the Program of development of WKSU for 2005-2010. West Kazakhstan state university after M.Utemisov has defined the mission as «Realization of educational activity on preparation of highly skilled experts with use of high technologies of training and a modern educational infrastructure according to inquiries of the person, a society and the state».
Infrastructure perfection, introduction of new educational technologies of training, introduction of new information and innovative technologies in processes of life cycle of educational services, modeling and guarantee of functioning of system of quality management on the basis of system and process approaches became strategic targets in realization of this mission.
The program was successfully realized. In 2005 the administration made strengthening of structure and association of faculties for management optimization by educational process in specialized institutes. The university structure consisted of four managements: human resources policy and the organization of educational process, innovative-educational programs, scientific policy and international relations, on affairs of youth and languages. Four institutes: pedagogical, economy and managements, cultures and arts, part-time and remote training, 43 chairs.
2005-2010
In 2005-06 academic year all specialties of the first course of teacher's college and economy and law institute were transformed to credit system of training, and in culture and art institute 5 specialties were transformed to credit system. According to typical working curriculum working educational plans were developed and approved, the catalogue of elective disciplines of the university was made. For introduction of main principles of new technology and coordination of educational process on credit system of training in WKSU the department Office of the registrar was created. In 2005-2006 academic year in all directions and specialties of preparation of students of WKSU the service of the academic instructors - advisors were organized.
The university was equipped by means of the newest computer facilities, means of telecommunications, software. At the university new computer classes for teachers and students and a reading room for undergraduate and post-graduate students were opened.
According to the order of MON RК «About development and introduction of system of quality management in the organizations of the higher vocational training» №822 as of December, 10th, 2003 and within the frame of realization of the Plan of works on the accelerated transition of the Kazakhstan enterprises to the international standards ISО of series 9000 for 2004-2005, WSKU after M.Utemisov carried out introduction and functioning SМК at university activity. In December, 2007 the university successfully passed external inspection and ресертификационный audit WKA Open Society «the National centre of examination and standardization» on conformity to standards ISО 9001-2000 «Quality management System. Requirements».
Among the first universities of Kazakhstan the university became the winner of "Gold medal SPI" to the International association of assistance of the industry which was awarded in 2005 in Paris. WKSU was awarded a prestigious award «EUROPEAN QUALITY». For high level of educational programs at the international conference WKSU was awarded "Euro Education 2006: integration of European experience" in Oxford (Great Britain). WKSU also appeared among metres of higher education of Europe, it was awarded «THE UNITED EUROPE» for the contribution to development of the European integration. In 2006 WKSU at the international summit in Moscow was recognized as "the Leader of national economy» and it was awarded by the certificate of honour and a medal. Innovative activity of the university was awarded at four international forums « Informatization of education of Kazakhstan and the countries of former USSR». WKSU at the International exhibition in Almaty received a nomination «For preparation of highly skilled experts». In 2006 at III Kazakhstan International exhibition «Science and education in the XXI-st century» in Astana WKSU was awarded the diploma «For development and introduction of the integrated educational programs and the diploma « For the best automated control system of university ». In 2007 at IV Kazakhstan international exhibition« XXI-st century Science and education »(Astana) the university was awarded diploma « For the best high school edition ».
The West Kazakhstan state university after M.Utemisov one of the first universities of Republic of Kazakhstan signed the Bolonskiy declaration directed on formation of world educational space.
All these achievements testify to the international recognition, about achievement by high school of results directed on improvement of quality of training and positive dynamics of development.
The university is today an institute of economy and management, culture and art institute, faculties: natural-mathematical, pedagogical, philological, history and law, college, the analytical centre, the centre of information technology, scientific library, the publishing centre and mass-media, test laboratory of ecology and biogeochemistry, educational-linguistic laboratory and other subdivisions of scientific, educational and production directions.
There are 23 chairs preparing personnel on 50 specialities of a bachelor degree, 24 magistracies, four specialities of doctoral studies PhD are opened. Today in WKSU over 5,5 thousand students, and post-graduate students are trained . Educational activity of WKSU is carried out according to the state licence № 0026241 series АB.
In WKSU there are some research centres : Regional resource centre NAO after Y.Altynsarin; the centre of development of languages; the Center of regional problems of economy; the cultural heritage Center; the Center of problems of ecology and wildlife management.
Providing
In WKSU the base computer and office equipments are formed. There are 760 computers of new generation in the computer park. In educational process interactive boards, graph projector and video projector are used. 600 computers are connected to a corporate network with Internet connection. Official Web-site of WKSU: www.wksu.kz. The university Intranet-site (http://inside.wksu.kz) is developed, allowing conducting operative office-work, corporate e-mail (mail.wksu.kz), and providing communication between internal and external subscribers.
The library fund makes more than 1 million units of storage. The scientific library of university has ten reading rooms.
The West Kazakhstan state university after M.Utemisov on the balance has 8 educational buildings, 1 hostel for students, 2 typical gyms, 3 adapted gyms, 2 open athletic fields, an agrobiological research station.
The university has accurately expressed structure optimum correlating educational and subsidiary divisions. The general principle of structure of management of the university is based on modern model of the mixed functional-divisional structure which assumes existence at top level of purely functional divisions working on all organization as a whole, on lower level – divisional structure on the basis of faculties and institutes with certain degree of their autonomy and certain responsibility. The university structure is approved at every academic year that allows to correct directions of strategic development, according to the accepted documents.
At university planning of different levels is carried out: current, long period term, strategic. In each division (in conformity with structure) the specified kinds of documents are developed. The structure of plans, terms of approval are registered in the matrix of planning placed on an internal site of the university and it is accessible to users. The purposes in the field of quality are formed on the basis of obligations of the Policy of university and include both strategic targets, as well as operative purposes. The similar document also takes place on an internal site of the university and does university activity transparent in all its directions (See the report section on self-estimation «Planning and efficiency»).
The effective control system is based on base of effective system of the motivation created in WKSU that provides educational institution development, raises its quality and does it competitive (See the report section on self-estimation «the Faculty and efficiency of teaching»).
The operating control system of university and mechanisms of its updating allow realizing mission, purposes and problems of the organization of education.
In WKSU a number of the internal standard documents directed on perfection of quality of formation are developed. The estimation of quality of development of educational programs is carried out by the organization and carrying out of current control of progress, intermediate and final control and etc. Results of activity of university in sphere of quality management of education are exposed to monitoring research.
In the generated control system monitoring takes an important place. In each structure of the university monitoring functions are carried out. It provides an estimation of quantitative and qualitative changes of processes which the given structure owns. At the same time in university structure there is a department of monitoring and sociological research, allowing following dynamics of processes at level of all higher educational institution.
Questioning of students and staff of professors and lecturers concerning the organization and carrying out of educational activity in the university is conducted annually. Particularly, monitoring «Conditions interethnic and inter-confessional relations and practice of use of a state language in the student's environment» is carried out. The estimation «Social state of health of teachers and students» is spent, «rating of the staff of professors and lecturers and structural subdivisions of the university are defined», «degree of development of categories of knowledge of students is estimated», etc. Results of measurements and control are published in the university newspaper "Orken", and it is also put up on an internal site of the university. The similar facts testify to formed quality of culture of control and measurements and presence of ways of support of mission, purposes and problems and an estimation of their efficiency.
Tradition
For the past of 77 years in ЗКГУ own traditions and values were generated, in particular the scientific and pedagogical heritage created by coryphaeus of the Kazakhstan science. It is possible to refer to their number: professor Ivanov V. V – the founder of botanical school of the Western Kazakhstan; Professor Tleuzhanov M. M – the founder of school of the Kazakh philology; Professor Abuzjarov R. A – the founder of school of Russian philology. Professor Rysbekov T.Z. – the founder of school on History of Kazakhstan. The senior lecturer Kushaev G. A – the founder of archaeological school. WKSU after M.Utemisov is alma-mater of the scientist-mathematician with a world name of Asan Dabsovich Taimanov. The first years of the working career were devoted to our university by the academician, the scientist-linguist, the author of the novel "Isatai-Mahambet" – Kazhim Zhumaliev. And it is not a full list of the scientists who brought the contribution to development of scientific and pedagogical thought and have made a name of our university.
Among outstanding graduates of the university representatives of political and scientific elite of Kazakhstan and the near abroad countries: B.S.Ajtimova – the former Minister of Education and Science RК, nowadays – the plenipotentiary of Kazakhstan in the United Nations; I.N.Tasmagambetov – the akim of Almaty, the doctor of political science, honourable professor of WKSU; L.I.Beda - twice the Hero of Soviet Union, the pilot; R.I.Nafigov - academician АS of Tatarstan, the doctor of historical science; B.Zhelezchikov - the director of Volga region institute of archeology АНS of the USSR, the doctor of historical science; Z.S.Kakishev and E.I.Tarasenko – deputies of Mazhilis of Parliament and many others.
Development of the Euroasian ideas, suggested by the President is connected with a university name. The Shalkarsky Forum of scientists-Eurasians, the international conference «Parity Eurosiistvo» and other actions directed on formation of civilization unity were conducted.
The great attention is given to care of people, continuity, the high standard of work and knowledge. Annually at university level the professional holiday «Day of the Teacher» is conducted, and the university congratulates veterans of work, teachers who bring the powerful contribution to university development. Carrying out of Reception by the rector of university of teachers, employees, students on the eve of a professional holiday became a tradition. Since 2003 at university a nomination is given according the results of scientific– methodical, educational work: «the Person of year»; «the Name which brings glory to native« Alma mater ";" the Science ";" the Best manual ";" Hope of WKSU; «Faultless work». For students on the eve of the International day of students scientific - public work on nominations is conducted: «the Best in science»; «the Best in study»; «the Best sportsman»; «the Best organizer»; «the Leader of year».
At university the health cult is high enough. Students of the university became champions and prize-winners of the largest competitions: the World championships, Europe, the Asian games. More than 500 graduates during study have received the certificate of masters of sports, thousand students became rated sportsmen. Regularly at university "Health" Games are conducted, health trips to the lake Chelkar are carried out, the alloy on the river Ural is made. Sections of HPT, shaping which teachers attend as well.
The great value is given to the state holidays, to events of Independence Day, 8th of May, Nauryz, the 1st of May, the 9th of May.
As a whole it is possible to ascertain that by 2009 WKSU took place as the state university and «the Program of strategic development of WKSU after M.Utemisov for 2005-2010» was executed. Result of this work was successful. In 2008 the university received the state certification.
At the same time a number of sections of the program need some specification or addition. Conditions of realization of educational activity have also changed.
Rating
Strategy of entering of Republic Kazakhstan in number of fifty most developed states provides that our society should be focused on domination of economy, knowledge and high technologies. It means that requirements to quality of educational services, increasing of requirements to abilities, skills, wide competence and to fundamental knowledge should be strengthened that also is caused by processes of internationalization of education. But it is necessary to notice that in the conditions of Kazakhstan there is a number of the system problems constraining competitiveness of higher education:
The university possesses old and steady image, it is promoted by that the regular positive information about university becomes a positive stereotype in consciousness of inhabitants of our and nearby region. These conclusions are confirmed with the data of sociological research. Since 2003, the university annually conducted elective polls of pupils of the eleventh classes for the purpose of finding-out of their educational intentions, preferences, motivations and revealing among them potential students of WKSU. By results of poll of pupils of eleventh classes of secondary schools of Uralsk conducted in March, 2009, on conformity of image of WKSU to key characteristics of "ideal university», it is visible that conformity of university to parameter «prestigiousness and popularity» is high for 70 % of respondents (in 2008 – 69 %); to parameter «presence of highly skilled teaching structure, maintenance of qualitative preparation on a speciality» – for 84 % of respondents (in 2008 – 64 %); to parameter «the guaranteed reception of the diploma» – for 82 % of respondents (in 2008 – 83 %); to parameter «the state status» – for 88 % of respondents (in 2008 – 88 %). Thus, it is possible to note presence of steady affinity of WKSU image to model of "ideal university».
The given employments of graduates which reach 70 % as a whole on university testify to quality of education and steady position of WKSU at a labour market. Also questioning of employers for the purpose of identification of readiness of graduates is widely used. So, very high, high and sufficient levels of readiness of graduates of WKSU are considered by overwhelming majority of the interrogated employers. See (The report section on a self-estimation "Trained").
On the basis of the given research and results of PGK, intermediate and final certification: so in 2007 by results of summer credit-examinations, progress in studies made 95,6 % quality of training ( of trained on “good” and “excellent") 77,4 %, and in 2009 - 98,4 % and 79,6 %. Accordingly; in 2007 3.25 % of second-year students did not pass intermediate state control, in 2008 – 0.77 %, in 2009 – 0,11 % of second year students, it is possible to draw a conclusion that in improvement of quality of training the university has reached good results. Trust level to quality of preparation in WKSU is high, but it is necessary to raise constantly level of knowledge and skills of students for growth of image of university as largest educational centre of our region.
This data are also confirmed with own analysis of resource potential of the university which has shown that the university possesses powerful resource potential, and these are:
- Stable high rating of the university in the country;
- Wide international contacts and university recognition abroad;
- Versatile character of activity of the university, allowing in full or in part to satisfy requirements of region for education spheres, economy and managements, culture and arts;
- Introduction of international standards ISO - 9001:2000 in activity of university;
- Presence of the operating monitoring system of quality of the education, including the internal standard documentation, the monitoring research, current, intermediate and final control of knowledge, a rating estimation and expert control of professional level of teaching staff, questioning of employers;
Potential
- Presence of material base corresponding to qualifying requirements;
- A combination of the state and off-budget financing;
- Growth of expenses on acquisition of computers, development of information-communication technologies that promotes information of educational process at the university;
- High level of scientific and methodological preparation of the teachers having scientific degrees and status;
- Experience of innovative activity - introduction of credit technology of training and its improvement;
- Formation of two-level system of preparation the bachelor-master on a number of specialities;
- Continuous perfection of a control system of the university.
Proceeding from the above-stated, there was an imperative need to result mission, the purposes and university problems according to available resources, possibilities of the university and market requirements, and state policy principles in an education sphere. In WKSU the Concept of development of the university to 2020, containing mission, the purposes and university problems has been developed. The concept of development of West Kazakhstan state university after M.Utemisov till 2020, purpose and problem mission were widely discussed at institutes and on chairs, it has been placed on a site of the university and is accepted by the decision of the Academic council of university 26.09.08 (the report № 5). The questions included in the Concept, were repeatedly discussing at sessions of chairs, faculties, institutes, administration and the Academic council of university within all year. By results of discussion and in connection with change of structure of the university amendments to the Concept and additions with the decision of Academic council of WKSU as of 28.10.09 Report № 2 were made.