Faculty of Philology

The Department of Russian Language and Literature has a strong scientific potential. The department employs 8 Doctors of Sciences, 16 Candidates of Sciences, 7 PhDs, 11 holders of Master’s degrees, and 6 lecturers. Among them is a distinguished research professor, L.V. Safronova. Eight faculty members are recipients of the international “Bolashak” scholarship program for 2022–2025 (Acting Associate Professor D.A. Sabirova, S.K. Serikova, F.M. Erzhanova, Lecturer A.B. Umarova, PhD G.E. Zhandykeeva, Candidate of Philological Sciences G.Zh. Baishukurova, Doctor of Philological Sciences B.S. Zhumagulova, Candidate of Philological Sciences A.B. Irgebayeva).

Seven faculty members have been awarded the grant of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan (MSHE RK) and the title “Best University Lecturer” (Professor S.D. Abisheva, G.A. Kazhigaliyeva, M.Sh. Mussatayeva, L.V. Safronova, D.D. Shaibakova, Zh.B. Ibrayeva, Acting Associate Professor D.A. Sabirova; notably, Professors M.Sh. Mussatayeva and L.V. Safronova have received this title twice). One faculty member has been recognized as the “Best Lecturer of Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University” in the “Innovative Teaching Mastery” category (Professor Zh.B. Ibrayeva). Two faculty members have been awarded the State Research Fellowship “For Outstanding Contribution to Science” (Professors S.D. Abisheva and M.Sh. Mussatayeva), and one holds the State Scientific Fellowship for Young Researchers (Acting Associate Professor D.A. Sabirova). One faculty member was awarded the title “Best Researcher of the CIS” and the A.S. Pushkin Medal (Professor M.Sh. Mussatayeva). The honorary badge “For Contribution to Science” has been awarded to Professors S.D. Abisheva, M.Sh. Mussatayeva, and L.V. Safronova, and Professor S.D. Abisheva also received the “125th Anniversary of K. Satpayev” Medal.

The department’s faculty actively participate in the development of research projects at both international and national levels. During 2022–2023, three grant-funded research projects supported by the MSHE RK were implemented (Professors S.D. Abisheva, G.Sh. Baishukurova, F.M. Erzhanova), along with one youth project funded by the MSHE RK (D.A. Sabirova), five “Zhas Galym” grants (PhD Zh.Sh. Sametova, E.T. Zhanysbekova, B. Baizhigit, M. Moldagali, MA A.U. Baibolov), as well as international Erasmus+ projects (Prof. S.D. Abisheva, Acting Assoc. Prof. D.A. Sabirova, S.K. Serikova), and joint projects with George Washington University and Radio Dimashi Poland (Acting Assoc. Prof. D.A. Sabirova, PhD M.B. Moldagali). Five research projects have also been funded by the Rector’s Grant of Abai KazNPU (supervised by Prof. S.D. Abisheva).

The research and methodological work of the department’s faculty, including their active participation in various academic events both in Kazakhstan and abroad and the development of school textbooks for the Republic, contributes to maintaining the University’s high reputation. The department collaborates with scholars from neighboring countries (Russia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan) and further abroad (USA, China, Japan, Israel, Turkey, Malaysia, Italy, Poland, Czech Republic, Croatia, Switzerland, Estonia, and others).

The department also actively cooperates with schools, the “Almatykitap” publishing house, the Russian House in Almaty, and the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Almaty. Faculty members serve as jury members for school Olympiads, competitions, and student research projects.

In the 2024–2025 academic year, the department’s faculty published 187 research articles, including 22 in Scopus-indexed journals, 72 in international journals, 17 in journals recognized by the Committee for Quality Assurance in Education and Science of the MSHE RK, and 45 in conference proceedings and other journals. Five monographs and three school textbooks were published, and 12 certificates of authorship were obtained during the year.

Every three years, the department traditionally organizes the International Scientific and Theoretical Conference “Problems of Poetics and Versification.” On May 23–25, 2024, the jubilee 10th conference was held, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the veteran of the Great Patriotic War, writer, scholar, and educator Kh.A. Adibayev. The co-organizer was the department’s strategic partner — Pomeranian University in Słupsk (Poland).

Among the significant annual events organized by the department are the International Scientific Seminar for Young Scholars “Abai: Philosophy, Poetics, Reception” (jointly with the Abai Kazakh Culture and Science Center at Pomeranian University in Słupsk, Poland), which was held for the seventh time on June 27, 2025, at the Polish university. Other regular events include the “Faculty Research Presentation Day” within the framework of the Science Decade, the Republican Seminar for School Teachers with international participation “Current Issues in Teaching Russian Language and Literature at Schools and Universities,” international scientific and educational online and offline meetings, and the literary salon “I Have Discovered a Poet…” (in collaboration with the Russian House in Almaty and students of Specialized Lyceum No. 165 in Almaty). The department also offers professional development courses for school teachers entitled “Fundamentals of Philological Education.”

The research activities of the faculty are closely integrated with the supervision of student, master’s, and doctoral research projects: the topics of theses, dissertations, and conference presentations align with the research interests of the department’s faculty and the scope of ongoing scientific projects.

Students, master’s, and doctoral students actively participate in academic conferences both in Kazakhstan and abroad and publish their work in national and international scientific journals. Annually, philology students take part in the Republican Olympiad in Russian Language and Literature and the Republican Student Research Competition, consistently achieving prize-winning places.

The department holds three regular research seminars each month (faculty seminar — head: Prof. G.A. Kazhigaliyeva; master’s seminar — head: Prof. D.D. Shaibakova; doctoral seminar — head: Prof. L.V. Safronova). Four student clubs are also active: “Current Issues in Literary Studies” (head: Zh.B. Ibrayeva); a local history club (head: A.B. Irgebayeva); “Literary Life” (head: A.U. Baibolov); and the literary salon “I Have Discovered a Poet…” (head: S.D. Abisheva)