The Bologna Process in Kazakhstan: assessment of the status and prospects of development

Abstract

At present, the Bologna process is the primary mechanism of higher edu­ cation reform in Europe, as well as an integration initiative. The objective of the process ­ the creation of a European Higher Education Area, which will lead to the emergence of a truly pan­European integration project in this area. At realization of the Bologna Process, all European countries face differ­ ent kinds of challenges that are associated with the degree of correlation of national models with pan­European ideal, and with a choice of approaches. Kazakhstan in the late 90s fragmentary collaborated with the Common­ wealth of European partners, tried to modernize the education system accord­ ing to the formula of the Bologna process. Main arguments in favor of the reforms were the quality of education, the autonomy of universities, research autonomy, the use of new financing schemes. Since 2010 in our country grad­ uate education model became fully uniform. Credit system of education and quality control system of education were introduced. National Accreditation Centre was opened in 2012 that has been transformed into a Center of Bolo­ gna process and academic mobility of the Ministry of Education and Science. Each university has departments of academic mobility, majority of universities have student organizations set up by the Bologna Process. Therefore, Kazakh university system in the European educational space lasts for more than 20 years. Currently, almost all the 139 universities of Kazakhstan, among which there are national, public and private, follow the principles of the Bologna Declaration. The paper presents some results of the sociological research “Bo­ logna process in the eyes of experts” conducted in May 2015.