Higher education in Kazakhstan
At present a new system of education is introduced in this country — a distance education system. This computer system of learning helps working professionals to continue their education while remaining at their jobs. This system enables people to get knowledge and a good foundation in the sciences basic to his or her field of study. Distance learning has developed over years from satellite video courses to modern videoconferencing through personal computers.
The academic year usually lasts 9 months and is divided into two terms (semesters). The first- and second-year students obtain thorough instructions in the fundamental sciences of mathematics, physics, chemistry and drawing as well as computer engineering and a number of others. The curricula are enriched and broadened by instructions in such subjects as foreign languages, history and economics.
At the third year students get more advanced knowledge and begin to concentrate on their special interests, so to say, their «major» subject and take many courses in this subject. Specialized study and courses will help students to become specialists and prepare them for their future work.
After four years students will get a bachelor's degree. Then the students may go on with their studies and in a year or two of further study and research get a master's degree. After graduating from the university they may go on with their study and research and may get a still higher degree.
About 75 percent of students receive state grants and 15 percent are sponsored by enterprises. Universities have their own students' hostels and some of them have large and excellent sport centers.
Education is a process through which culture is preserved, knowledge and skills are developed, values are formed, and information is exchanged. Education is the way to success.
Oxford University
The University of Oxford (informally Oxford University or simply Oxford) is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom.. It is the second oldest surviving University in the world and the oldest university in the English-speaking world. Although the exact date of foundation remains unclear, there is evidence of teaching there as far back as the 11th century. The University grew rapidly from 1167 when Henry II banned English students from attending the University of Paris. In post-nominals the University of Oxford was historically abbreviated as Oxon. (from the Latin Oxoniensis), although Oxf is nowadays used in official University publications.
Oxford is one of the oldest universities in Europe. It didn`t come into being all at once. Oxford had existed as a city for at least 300 years before scholars began to resort to it.
The end of the 12th century saw the real beginning of the University. The first group of scholars at Oxford may have been joined by others from Paris, from other parts of Britain. A characteristic feature of Oxford is that many traditions of the Middle Ages are still current there. One of them is that the students have to wear gowns.
The earliest college buildings seem to have no definite plan. They expanded as the need for more room arose.New College had the first regular quadrangle.
Perhaps the most famous colleges are Christ Church, University College and All Souls. Nowadays there are 29 colleges for men, 5 for women and another 5 have both men and women members.
Oxford is a place of great beauty, but it is not just a shrine to the past. It is a living entity and its historic buildings are the homes of masters and students whose learning, thinking and ideas have a profound influence on culture, education, science and politics. Many eminent world- known scholars and scientists have been educated at Oxford. All the graduates of Oxford never forget "spirit Oxford".
Most undergraduate teaching at Oxford is organised around weekly essay-based tutorials at self-governing colleges and halls, supported by lectures and laboratory classes organised by University faculties and departments. League tables consistently list Oxford as one of the UK's best universities and Oxford consistently ranks in the world's top 10.
The University is a member of the Russell Group of research-led British universities, the Coimbra Group, the League of European Research Universities, and International Alliance of Research Universities and is also a core member of the Europaeum. It forms part of the “Golden Triangle” of British universities.For more than a century; it has served as the home of the Rhodes Scholarship, which brings students from a number of countries to study at Oxford as postgraduates or a second bachelor's degree.