A new subject “Service Learning” will appear in Almaty universities

The subject of Community Service Learning, which has been taught at AlmaU for 3 years, will also be introduced in other universities of Almaty.

This was announced today at the seminar of Alliance of Universities of Almaty “U38”, dedicated to transmitting world experience in implementing Community Service Learning program to universities in Almaty.

Rector of Almaty Management University Gulmira Kurganbayeva stressed that this discipline has an important function in education of students:

“Service Learning should be the fundamental program of“ Rouhani zhangyru ”. On one hand, this is a logical, and on the other, a qualitatively new step. We thought about how universities should help development of society. How to make our graduates focus on not only career, success, salary, good position in society, but also think about those who cannot achieve this, due to different life situations, they find themselves in a difficult situation. We must develop not only mental, but also emotional intelligence. Preparing professionals is only 50% of the University’s activities, and the other 50 is raising a socially responsible citizen, a patriot of his country, a family man, a person who is ready to help others regardless of their social or career position. ”

Chairman of "U38" Alliance, Vice-Rector of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University Sholpan Jamanbalaeva stressed the importance of introducing “Service Learning” subject into the curriculum of all universities in Almaty and noted the role of Almaty Management University as the coordinator of the program within the framework of “U38” alliance.

The head of AlmaU registrar Office, Zhuldyz Elubayeva, shared AlmaU's experience in teaching “Service Learning”. According to her, in these lessons, students attend orphanages, homes for disabled and elderly people, and other social organizations. The students choose a work area based on their own social skills. 

Initially, Service Learning program was developed and tested in the USA. Then gained distribution in Argentina, Chile and some European countries. Until today, the subject of Service Learning did not exist in Kazakhstan, and in fact the introduction of this discipline is an innovative step by AlmaU in shaping students' social experience in serving the community, educating future entrepreneurship of humanity and moral values.

1 semester in the amount of 2 educational credits (about 75 hours per group) is usually assigned to study the discipline of Service Learning in universities. Students will attend lectures and practical classes, and then deepen their knowledge in a particular public organization, performing socially useful work for benefit of others. As a result, students will have opportunity to comprehend the experience of socially useful activities and demonstrate acquired knowledge and skills.