News

The “Kazakh Language Programme” for students from the University of Oxford has commenced at our University. This international project has been organised under a cooperation agreement between the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, our University, Wolfson College at the University of Oxford, and the Akhmet Baitursynuly Institute of Linguistics.

The programme aims to introduce international students to the fundamentals of the Kazakh language and develop their practical communication skills. It also seeks to familiarise them with Kazakhstan’s history and culture, literature and art, national traditions and spiritual values, while strengthening educational, scientific, cultural and humanitarian ties between Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom. The initiative is a practical continuation of Oxford Birsöz, a project designed to promote the Kazakh language within the United Kingdom’s academic community.

Opening the event, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Elmira Idrissova said: “Dear guests, welcome to Kazakhstan and to the sacred city of Turkistan! This project was launched in 2024 with the support of Sayasat Nurbek, Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan. We are delighted to see the project continue in practice at our University. Thank you for travelling from Oxford and showing such great interest in our native language. As the great Kazakh poet Abai said, ‘Every new language opens a new door.’ The Kazakh language has opened the door to Kazakhstan for you. Our country’s language and history have deep roots, and exploring them requires time. May your interest and enthusiasm remain strong throughout this journey. I wish you every success in your studies.”

She also presented the guests with commemorative gifts on behalf of the University.

During the programme, the international students will study the basic structures and usage of Kazakh at beginner level and improve their ability to communicate in the language in everyday situations. Classes will be delivered by experienced members of the University’s academic staff, who will use modern teaching methods to help the students acquire practical Kazakh-language skills effectively.

Researchers from the Akhmet Baitursynuly Institute of Linguistics contributed to the development of the programme’s academic and methodological content. They proposed teaching materials and linguodidactic approaches designed to teach Kazakh to international students at different proficiency levels.

Alumni of the Bolashak International Scholarship Programme have also contributed to the implementation of the project. The academic links they established with the University of Oxford helped lay the foundations for this cooperation.

In addition to Kazakh-language classes, the programme includes lectures, cultural and educational meetings, practical workshops, and other activities introducing Kazakhstan’s historical and cultural heritage. Participants will learn about Kazakh national traditions and crafts, taste traditional cuisine, and discover the rich artistic heritage of the Kazakh people.

The participants will also take educational trips to Turkistan, Shymkent and Taraz, where they will visit historical and cultural monuments, sacred sites, and notable architectural landmarks.

In addition, they will attend the Third International Symposium, “Kazakh as a Language of Science: Scientific Transformation in the Digital Qazaqstan Era,” to be held at Akhmet Yassawi University on 28–29 September 2026.