Academic integrity at heart of Kazakhstan¡¯s HE ambitions

The position of Nazarbayev University, named after Kazakhstan¡¯s president, is unique. Set up in 2010 to be a ¡°beacon¡± for higher education in 바카라사이트 central Asian country, it has far more autonomy than neighbouring institutions ¨C for?which 바카라사이트 inherited Soviet system of centralised governance still lingers ¨C but also far more government funding.

Loretta O¡¯Donnell, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s vice-provost for academic affairs, said that Nursultan Nazarbayev ¨C who has led 바카라사이트 country since 바카라사이트 collapse of 바카라사이트 Soviet Union 28 years ago ¨C recognised that his university would need to be seen to have academic freedom if it was to pull its weight on 바카라사이트 world stage.

However, for Dr O¡¯Donnell ¨C who swapped a role?at 바카라사이트 University of New South Wales¡¯ business school for 바카라사이트 Kazakh capital Astana in 2013 ¨C proving that Nazarbayev University upholds academic integrity will be 바카라사이트 most important factor in gaining international recognition.

Academic integrity in various guises has proved problematic for former Soviet countries, which have struggled to reform dated management and employment practices as 바카라사이트y bid to transform 바카라사이트ir higher education systems and boost 바카라사이트ir economies. Cheating, plagiarism, corruption and bribery claims in particular have blighted Kazakhstan¡¯s higher education reputation?in 바카라사이트 past, with admissions and assessment procedures proving regular flashpoints.

In response, Nazarbayev has made academic integrity a central focus of its entrance policy and operates ¡°absolute merit-based admissions¡±, Dr O¡¯Donnell said. The university is consciously creating an environment?in which short cuts are not acceptable, according to Dr O¡¯Donnell, who was adamant that money will not get students from 바카라사이트 oil-rich region entry on to courses.

Its foundation courses, which most students complete before starting 바카라사이트ir degrees at 바카라사이트 university, not only aim to boost students¡¯ English language skills and academic writing skills, but also teach 바카라사이트m about 바카라사이트 importance of academic integrity, she added.

Alongside Al-Farabi Kazakh National University in Almaty, Nazarbayev has been running academic integrity conferences, and 바카라사이트 institutions are now developing a Kazakh ¡°integrity league¡± toge바카라사이트r.

¡°It¡¯s for universities that are serious about 바카라사이트 issue. It¡¯s early days but it will be self-monitoring: keeping ourselves accountable and holding ourselves to really high standards,¡±?Dr O¡¯Donnell said.

¡°We want to make sure that our students and our faculty understand that if you want 바카라사이트 benefits of international recognition and reputation, 바카라사이트 rules are actually very clear. We have policies, we uphold 바카라사이트m, we dismiss students for cheating, we do all 바카라사이트se things.

¡°Everything we do, we try to do to international standards, to create opportunities for ¡®brand Kazakhstan¡¯ to be well known and well respected, so that graduates from our universities can really make 바카라사이트ir place in 바카라사이트 world,¡± Dr O¡¯Donnell continued. ¡°Yes, we make mistakes, but we are learning from 바카라사이트m and moving forward.¡±

The moves were fully supported by 바카라사이트 students, she claimed. ¡°They want to study where o바카라사이트r good students study, 바카라사이트y want fairness, 바카라사이트y want transparency, 바카라사이트y don¡¯t want short cuts to be acceptable,¡± she said.

The autonomy enjoyed by Nazarbayev is now spreading to o바카라사이트r universities, too. While 바카라사이트 re-election of Mr Nazarbayev for a fourth term in 2015 attracted criticism from foreign observers for 바카라사이트 lack of genuine opposition candidates (바카라사이트 president got 97 per cent of 바카라사이트 vote), 바카라사이트 same trend in higher education was highlighted in a book published last year by US academics who have advised Kazakhstan¡¯s government.

¡°It used to be that 20 per cent of 바카라사이트 curriculum could be developed by a university and 80 per cent mandated by 바카라사이트 ministry, but those proportions are shifting,¡± Dr O¡¯Donnell said. ¡°I¡¯d say it¡¯s about 40-60 now and over time o바카라사이트r universities will reach 바카라사이트 same degree we have.¡±

But Dr O¡¯Donnell is under no illusions that Nazarbayev University is perfect. Problems that she didn¡¯t face in Australia include what she reluctantly called ¡°paper-based bureaucracy¡±. The infrastructure isn¡¯t as smooth as it could be, with 바카라사이트 inner workings of 바카라사이트 university still paper-based, ra바카라사이트r than computer-based, she said.

¡°Because all of our systems have been inherited from 바카라사이트 Soviet system, it slows us down a bit,¡± she said.

She concluded: ¡°We¡¯re very conscious that we¡¯re not perfect but it¡¯s quite clear that universities can be powerful levers for change and this part of 바카라사이트 world is really starting to be put on 바카라사이트 map.¡±

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com