OSCE Centre helps improve journalism education in Kazakhstan

Ambassador Natalia Zarudna (l), Head of the OSCE Centre in Astana, speaking during a roundtable meeting on the current state of journalism education, Almaty, 31 October 2013. (OSCE/Maria Dissenova)

ALMATY, Kazakhstan, 31 October 2013 – Improving the quality of journalism education was the topic of a two-day roundtable discussion and training seminar, organized by the OSCE Centre in Astana in co-operation with the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Minber Public Foundation, and the UNESCO Almaty Cluster Office, which began today.

Some 40 media professionals, university teachers and civil society experts gathered to discuss the current state of journalism education and develop a set of recommendations for its improvement. Participants of the meeting paid special attention to the use of new media tools for this purpose. Organizers of the event presented selected journalism education courses from the UNESCO model curricula and fostered a discussion on possible Kazakh-language teaching resources that could be used to follow the international model.

The discussion was followed by a training course for journalism faculty members from various universities across the country on the use of new media tools.

“Supporting independent mass media to strengthen democracy, and ensuring the observance of the freedom of expression principle is one of the main priorities of the OSCE’s work in the human dimension. Improving the quality of journalism education is an important step towards achieving this goal,” said Natalya Zarudna, Head of the OSCE Centre in Astana. “Initiatives like that help identify and address challenges faced by the Kazakh-language journalism faculties. The OSCE Centre in Astana, together with our partners, is committed to continue supporting these efforts.”

Omirkhan Abdimanuly, Dean of the Journalism Department at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University added, “Journalism faculties face many difficulties in keeping up with the changing realities, including the use of new media tools. Activities similar to this seminar and training are absolutely indispensable for moving forward and improving the professional level of journalists.”

The event is part of the OSCE Centre’s efforts to assist Kazakhstan in enhancing the professionalism of journalism, in promoting the freedom of media and the public’s access to information.

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