The International Scientific and Practical conference «Models of Teaching International Journalism for Sustainable Development (MTIJ)» was held for the seventh time this year at the al-Farabi Kazakh National University within the framework of Farabi readings. Innovative technologies and products, intercultural discourse and their role in the tense and unstable situation on the planet formed the core of the scientific platform, which brought together the opinions of representatives of international organizations, academic circles and Kazakhstani practitioners.
The UNESCO Chair in Journalism and Communication, in cooperation with the UNESCO cluster office in Almaty, is actively working to strengthen educational programs in the field of journalism, spread the best educational practices in the field of communication among higher educational institutions of Central Asia, implement scientific and applied projects in the most popular areas of the media sphere.
Dean of the Journalism Faculty, Nurzhan Kuantaev, congratulated the participants of the scientific forum and noted that al-Farabi Kazakh National University, keeping long-standing traditions, develops the most advanced methods of new media through international experience.
Sergey Karpov, a specialist of the communications and information department of the UNESCO Cluster Office in Almaty, introduced the main activities of the UNESCO organization aimed at increasing the capacity of media systems and contributing to journalistic education, supporting democracy, communication and tolerance. Vlastimil Samek, the head of the Global Communications Department of the UN in Kazakhstan, spoke about the scientific environment, ecology, climate change, gender policy, migration, etc. noted that the conference will contribute to solving global problems on the agenda.
Representatives of the academic environment and scientists, together with representatives of the industry, have a significant influence on solving the problems of updating the educational process. Globalization, multimedia, and expanding the boundaries of media literacy are at the core of the changing media reality. That is why this conference, which is held every year with the participation of scientists and practitioners from all over the world, discusses the models of modernization of journalism education.
The conference, which brought together practitioners and representatives of the academic environment in the training of competitive, professionally qualified journalists, is bearing fruit. In 2015, after the adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the UNESCO Chair in Journalism and Communication presented the first conference. Within 15 years of achieving the goals of sustainable development, the goal was to train specialists with creative, innovative potential, high creative activity, who know how to effectively use sustainable development and political-social, environmental resources. In 2016, as a result of the Conference Resolution sent to the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the specialty «International Journalism» was opened at the bachelor’s level. Practitioners are involved in the educational process, and their proposals related to the training of professionals are included in educational programs. For this purpose, the first conference held in 2016 as a result of a joint decision with the Communication and Information Department of the UNESCO Cluster Office coincided with the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the UNESCO Chair in Journalism and Communication. During 2016-2023, 122 international media representatives, journalism teachers and media researchers, representatives of 75 academic institutes (including 43 foreign ones) took part in the conference.
Several innovative international and national projects were implemented on the Chair. In the recent years, the projects of the International Program for the Development of Communication and the UN Women’s Office, as well as the US Embassy, have been implemented. This academic year, the Chair developed and launched four massive open online courses based on UNESCO resources on the topics of safety of journalists, reporting on violence against women and girls, conflict-sensitive journalism and climate change for 19 universities of Central Asian countries, as well as implemented a project to strengthen gender competence in the Central Asian region.
According to Avshar Zakir, dean of the Journalism Faculty of Haji Bayram Veli University, who participated in the conference, it is very important to maintain mutually beneficial relations not only between countries, but also between journalists, in order to deliver a variety of information to citizens of different countries. Social media and new media have played a big role here. But now international standards are used to protect from false information in social networks and it is recommended to master media education skills. Professor Radoslav Fiedler of Adam Mickiewicz University (Poland) also supported this opinion and pointed out that the amount of fake newsand fake information portals is increasing every day.
Almasha Arenova, head of the Political Cooperation Department of the RK MFA representative office in Almaty, noted that now public opinion is formed by both journalists and bloggers. «Climatic change, saving the planet for future generations are on the agenda, and it is very sad that society does not know about it. «UNESCO is actively contributing to the preservation of the ecosystem in the country, especially the project on the restoration of the Aral Sea, and it is important to inform the public about this,» she said at the end of thespeech.
Scientific ambassador to Hungary, PhD student of Debrecen University Nazira Abdinasyr (Hungary), President of Internet Media and Communication Broadcasting Association, editor-in-chief of «Sonnokta Haber», «Koridor» newspapers Serdar Akzhol (Turkey), President of Turkic World Journalists’ Federation Menderes Demir participated in thescientific discussion.
Elira Turdalieva, Dean of the Journalism Faculty of «Ala-TOO» International University (Kyrgyzstan), K. Altyn Asanova, dean of the Karasaev Bishkek State University, Galina Zueeva, associate professor of Penza State University (Russia), Nare Gevorkyan, journalist of the «Mediahub» portal (Armenia), Nazia Zhoyamergen, president of the Foundation of Turkic-speaking Journalists (Kazakhstan) and others wereinvolved.
Participants of the conference from different countries discussed the concepts of sustainable development of society, new formats of intercultural communication, the potential of journalistic tools and local mass media in maintaining stability. Among the recommendations of the conference, there are urgent issues such as organizing master classes on the dissemination of international journalism standards, including those recommended by UNESCO, holding contests for the best programs, publications, blogs on publishing sustainable development problems, and strengthening scientific cooperation between Western and Eastern scientists. Journalists must maintain journalistic ethics and carefully check the information they disseminate to the public, and bloggers must adhere to these standards.
The work of the conference was followed by master classes of experienced practitioners.
Head of the UNESCO Chair in Journalism and Communication Shyngyssova Nazgul