Academic Collaboration with the University of Illinois (USA): Contemporary Approaches to the Training of Social Pedagogues

On April 7, 2025, an international online scientific and practical meeting titled "Contemporary Approaches to the Training of Social Pedagogues" was held.

The event was attended by faculty members of the Department of Preschool Education and Social Pedagogy at Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University - PhD holders and associate professors Anar Alimbekova and Assem Bulshekbayeva. The scholars provided a scientific analysis of the content-based, methodological, and value-oriented aspects of professional training for social pedagogues. In their presentations, they emphasized the importance of value orientation in shaping the personality of the social pedagogue, the ability to work in inclusive environments, and the development of professional competencies.

The academic coordinator of the meeting was Professor Meiramgul Bulakbayeva, Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, from Kazakh National Women`s Teacher Training University. She is currently undergoing a scientific internship at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (USA) through the international Bolashak scholarship program. Initiated by Professor Bulakbayeva, this event served as a significant platform for deepening international academic collaboration and exchanging modern practices in the field of socio-pedagogical education.

The keynote speaker of the meeting was Ekateryna Woodford, MPA, Undergraduate Programs Coordinator at the School of Social Work, University of Illinois. In her address, she outlined the structure and content of the educational system for training social workers in the United States, described the practice-oriented nature of the programs, and presented a professional training model based on the principles of inclusivity, social justice, and intercultural communication.

During the meeting, participants discussed the transformation of educational content aimed at modernizing the training process of social pedagogues, the implementation of a competency-based approach, and the development of skills necessary for working in digital and inclusive environments. Particular attention was given to the social mission of the teaching profession in the context of contemporary societal challenges.

The online meeting was joined by representatives of Kazakhstan`s leading higher education institutions engaged in the training of social pedagogues. Among them were faculty members and young researchers from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Kazakh National Women`s Teacher Training University, K. Zhubanov Aktobe Regional University, and E.A. Buketov Karaganda University.

At the conclusion of the meeting, participants emphasized the importance of developing modern conceptual foundations for the training of social pedagogues, implementing joint international research projects, and enhancing academic mobility as key areas for future academic cooperation.