Yuliya Melnyk, IJNet Russian editor

In Kazakhstan, the growth of the Internet has brought new opportunities not only to newsrooms, but also to universities and journalism schools throughout the country. Schools in New Independent States are using new technologies for communication, as part of curricula, in interactive classrooms and more. Last week, IJNet interviewed the Dean of the School of Journalism at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University in Almaty, Galiya Zhunusovna Ibrayeva. Professor Ibrayeva has a Ph.D in Political Science from Lomonosov Moscow State University. This year, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University celebrates 75 years since it first began training journalists in 1934.

IJNet: Seventy-five years since the inception of journalism training at the university, can you describe changes that have been brought to the school by new media and technologies?

New technologies have changed the content of [the university's] curricula. We have Internet, computers, web cameras and other technology in almost every classroom. This allows us to organize interactive lectures and invite guest speakers from Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and the United States. Large video monitors are also being placed on campus that will show local TV programs.

The School of Journalism has made giant leaps in terms of [integrating] new technologies. A new digital broadcasting studio recently opened, which cost the University about KZT 40 million (US$260,000). The facility allows students to prepare TV and radio programs, commercials, and other materials.

Moreover, the Internet gives our students an opportunity to read foreign media, which is especially important in international journalism courses. Students used to get such information from professors but now they have authentic sources. Plus, YouTube opens the borders and opportunities, and helps students become more creative and knowledgeable about creating video. Recently, our freshmen created video materials about the university's Museum of Nature and the Archeological Museum for KazTube.

On May 22, 2009 [wireless Internet] was launched on campus. The campus is about 250 acres; students can utilize the Internet everywhere: in a dorm, a cafe, on a bench or the lawn. The speed of the Internet has increased, too. This summer a new Internet café will be launched on campus -- a huge hall equipped with 300 computers, open 24/7.

Next academic year we will get a new electronic digital library. It will become the leading research center in Central Asia. The university has already subscribed to the program Elsevier, which grants access to 2,000 research journals published by the best universities around the world.

Do students take courses on creating news Web sites or on blogging?

Our school is preparing professionals to work in new conditions, as new media are developing and print media are decreasing. All professors are currently learning news Web site creation. Previously, only broadcast majors learned this skill. Starting in September, all students will be preparing news for the university radio, which will be published online and in the university newspaper, Journalist.

On April 15, on the Web sites of Moscow State Lomonosov University and Al-Farabi Kazakh National University School of Journalism, Journalist was first published. It was a mutual project of both schools.

Last year, sophomores participated in a distance learning program for journalists in Central Asia, offered by the Czech-based [journalism training organization] Transitions Online (TOL). The six-week course, "Introduction to New Media," included blogging and students were taught by teachers from the BBC learning center. They studied writing and the course improved the creativity of students. Moreover, they became more active Internet users. Our students also participate in online training organized by News University of the U.S.-based Poynter Institute.

Do students have the opportunity to learn newsroom software?

I know that Nokia Research Center has been developing newsroom software in cooperation with Reuters. Our university is very interested in participating in a project like this as a pilot university. In the meantime, we have had visiting scholars teach convergence. In April 2009 a journalism professor from Oklahoma, US, Maureen Nemechek, taught Convergence Journalism. After taking this course, our Ph.D student created a Web site.

New software allows students to create Kazakh language Web sites. For example, student Adilbek Zhakap created the Web site http://nurbolatuli.wordpress.com/, which mostly reflects his interest in the arts. He did write about a family that lived in a small store with their children for a few years. After he told this story, an anonymous businessman bought a one-bedroom apartment for the family.

You recently initiated a specialization in International Journalism. How is it developing? Are students finding jobs internationally?

The International Journalism specialization was created in 1993, but ended in 2000. This year we successfully renewed the specialization. A journalist with this major is a defender of national interests, a person who organizes public diplomacy in media and a personality who positions Kazakh national interests abroad.

Kazakhstan's inclusion into the information universe requires having our own journalists with deep understanding of other countries, who speak foreign languages fluently and are able to create high-quality content in text, audio, video and online.

We also have a Ph.D. program called "Political communication and journalism." For this program, the government gives about US$1 million which is designated for foreign mentors and sending students abroad. Students write their dissertations in English. By now we have only two alumni of this program. One of them specialized in the role of media in elections. She worked in Egypt and Lebanon. Another one is now in Great Britain. She is specializing in broadcasting.

As for employment, our alumni have been actively working in Kazakh, Russian, Kyrgyz and Canadian media.

How active are students in learning foreign languages?

Students are learning foreign languages, according to the current curriculum. However, we are planning to make changes in this curriculum. The major changes will involve the number of classroom hours [which will be increased]. President Nursultan Nazarbayev always highlights the importance of three languages -- Kazakh, Russian and English, for our youth. Three thousand young people from Kazakhstan go abroad to study annually with the help of the government-funded program Bolashak.

The Department of International Journalism offers a number of courses, including "Journalistic text in foreign media," "Standards of international journalism," "How to write for foreign media," and others. We used to offer students the course "How to write about environment for foreign media," taught by the editor of Science magazine, Richard Stone. This year we will host a visiting professor from North Carolina, Hall Foster. He is also an editor of the newspaper Focus published in English in Almaty. We offer three to four courses in English. Some of them are required and others are electives.

We have also prepared a manual in cooperation with American journalism professor Jami Fullerton, called "One hundred assignments in journalism." From it, students will learn how to write for different target audiences which differ in language, location, mentality and culture.

How does the Internet help to develop the International Journalism specialization?

The Internet obviously is the major source of information about international organizations and institutions. It provides an opportunity to find contact information and keep in touch with foreign journalists and journalism professors. It gives access to educational Web sites of journalism organizations and is a tool for distance learning.

The Internet also provides unique opportunities for international journalism. Our curriculum requires all journalists to learn technologies, foreign languages, Kazakh history and world culture. Without this knowledge it is impossible to bring up a knowledgeable and competitive journalist.

For more information, go to http://www.kaznu.kz/en/257.