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Abstract

Background. This scientific work examines the role and importance of humanities, specifically the discipline «History of Kazakhstan» for foreign students in medical universities. The study focuses on West Kazakhstan Marat Ospanov Medical University as a case study.The article emphasizes the significance of studying the history of Kazakhstan for foreign students in medical universities. Studying the development of the historical process, the formation of the political system of Kazakh statehood, and the culture and traditions can aid foreign students in adapting to the social conditions of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Methods and results. A questionnaire survey among first-year students of the International Medical Faculty of West Kazakhstan Marat Ospanov Medical University revealed the necessity of studying the course «History of Kazakhstan». During the pedagogical observation, the study revealed the differing attitudes of Indian and Pakistani students towards the basic principles of building a socialist system in the USSR, as well as their views on the traditions and customs of Kazakhstani society. The aim of this research is to determine the significance of studying the history of Kazakhstan for students from India and Pakistan at a medical university, using appropriate research methods. The study analyses theoretical sources on pedagogical axiology and medical education using a general scientific method. Additionally, a pedagogical experiment was conducted based on a questionnaire survey of first-year students at the International Foreign Faculty during the 2023-2024 academic year. Data was processed using SPSS software. The research also employed the method of pedagogical observation as a generalising stage. Conclusion.The survey results of first-year medical students indicate a positive attitude towards studying the history of Kazakhstan. The study identified the main historical periods that foreign students found most interesting. Pedagogical observation revealed the foreign students' unique perception of communist ideology and traditional Kazakh culture due to their different mentality.

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Standardized testing is associated with the rise and spread of the neoliberal agenda that emphasizes the value of efficiency, growth, and accountability to achieve an economic success in a globalized world (Rizvi & Lingard, 2010). Standardized testing is a new form of governance and control that ensures that schools, teachers, students, and parents focus on the achievement of the particular curriculum standards and benchmarks (Graham & Neu, 2004).

The debates regarding the importance and need of standardized testing is infinite and indefinite. Some scholars argue that standardized assessments provide valuable information about student performance in a way that teachers can tailor their instruction based on the students’ learning needs (e.g., Hamilton et al., 2002). In addition, educational data can improve and support education (Campbell & Levin, 2008). However, standardized testing may corrupt teaching and learning. It occurs when teaching to the test is prioritized, when more time is allocated to the tested subjects and topics (Koretz, 2017), and when testing increases educational inequalities (Au, 2016). Some accountability measures can directly influence on school funding systems. One of such measures is value-added models (VAM) that identify the relationship between teacher instruction and student achievement (Amrein-Beardsley & Holloway, 2019). These models examine to what extent teacher instruction either adds value or detracts from student learning. This approach can become high stakes for teachers involving bonuses, corrective measures, and even the threat of being dismissed from a teaching position.

The implications of standardized testing and value-added modeling for Kazakhstani education system are important since Kazakhstan has recently piloted new updated version of the External Monitoring of Student Achievement. This low-stakes assessment is aimed to provide substantial information regarding the student performance in science, math, and literacy. However, it is essential to ensure that the process of test design is rigorous and follows the conventional standards of test development. Is is also important to ensure that no sanction are applied to the schools based on the student performance to minimize the impact of value-added modeling which as a tool could be used for research purposes.

Implications of testing are also crucial to discuss because given the high-stakes nature of the Unified National Exam and other high-stakes language tests in Kazakhstan, teaching and learning can become governed by the tests, thus jeopardizing the nature of quality education.

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This paper explores the concept of education for sustainable development (ESD) in educational policy in Kazakhstan by employing a systematic content analysis of the national and institutional level policy documents. The review of national and institutional policies reveals a fragmented integration of ESD principles, with only partial inclusion of elements such as active citizenship, lifelong learning, healthy lifestyles, and student government. As such, despite Kazakhstan’s active promotion of UN SDGs at the national level from different perspectives, the country seems to be overlooking a wholesome approach of integrating the concept of sustainability through education, particularly at the university level. This finding resonates with international discourse highlighting that sustainability and ESD concepts are still evolving. Kazakhstan's case reflects the need for a more comprehensive and systematic approach to ESD implementation. Further exploration is needed to understand how ESD is reflected in practice.

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International trade is the foundation of all economic activity in a globalized world today. The importance of tourism as a job and revenue source, as well as a significant contributor to the balance of payments for many nations, has drawn more and more attention from regional and municipal authorities, the business sector, and governments. One of the most significant trade agreements, particularly for developing nations, is GATS, which aims to liberalize trade in the services sector. GATS made achieving a progressively higher level of liberalization through the removal or reduction of trade barriers, promoting the interests of all participating countries in a mutually beneficial manner, and securing an overall balance of rights and obligations—all while paying appropriate respect to national policy objectives—the main goal of the negotiations on services. Uzbekistan wholeheartedly supports these goals and thinks that more global liberalization and the removal of obstacles in the services sector will boost global economic growth, significantly increase trade in services, attract foreign investment, and improve and the enhancement of productivity in the manufacturing sector.

In this regard, the research aims to identify and analyse topical issues for the Republic of Uzbekistan concerning the regulation of tourism services within the WTO, as well as law enforcement practices that Uzbekistan should consider during the process of accessing to this international organization.

Majority of researches on GATS and tourism have been conducted in multidisciplinary spheres, such as, economy, tourism, international relations and international law. Consequently, while conducting the research on this topic all these spheres, the sources and methods were intersected. The research examines the impacts of GATS and WTO on tourism legislation and regulations in Uzbekistan. The research was carried out based on the answers to the following questions: “What are the motivations and preparations for signing the GATS?”; “How the GATS agreement regulates the sphere of tourism?”; “How far do the governments and supply sector understand how to use the GATS to achieve their goals?”; “What are / were the challenges in domestic regulation and market access in tourism services in developing countries?”; “What will be the impacts of GATS on tourism development in Uzbekistan?”.

It comes as no surprise that the key to the success of tourism in Uzbekistan is the government’s clear awareness of the importance of tourism in the country’s economic development. Consequently, further development of Uzbekistan’s tourism sector in a sense connected with the GATS’ enforcement.