This year, Summer School in Russian and Eurasian Studies (SSRES) at Nazarbayev University in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan is an intensive academic program that offers students the chance to immerse themselves in the Kazakh language and to experience Kazakh and post-Soviet culture.
In 2021, SSRES will offer an 8-week online program in Kazakh language, with 20 contact hours per week.
Program Overview
This year, SSRES will be offering an intensive course in Kazakh. Students will be placed according to their level of proficiency: beginner, intermediate, and/or advanced.
The main component of SSRES 2021 will be intensive courses in Kazakh, offering the equivalent of a full academic year (8-weeks) of instruction in all aspects of the language. Language courses at SSRES are taught using the communicative method of instruction through linguistic and cultural immersion. Students are placed into appropriate groups, according to their levels of proficiency (as defined in ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines). Courses are taught by professionals, trained in current methodologies and experienced in teaching international students.
The program is open to international students from undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as to working professionals.
Nazarbayev University is a Western-style university located in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, where English is the language of instruction. This is the first university in Kazakhstan that is committed to working according to international academic standards, guided by the principles of autonomy and academic freedom.
Student Tutors: In addition to attending regular office hours held by instructors, bilingual student tutors provide additional support and conversational practice in Kazakh. Our program fosters close contact with local NU students to help SSRES students to forge lasting international friendships.
Virtual Excursions: This year, our online program will enable students to take regular virtual excursions to various cities and sites in Kazakhstan, hosted by student tutors, as well as instructors, and program staff. The virtual platform will enable students to experience Kazakhstan, well beyond the city of Nur-Sultan.
Eurasian Studies Lecture Series Nazarbayev University is a world research leader in Eurasian studies. The School of Sciences and Humanities at Nazarbayev University offers both an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Eurasian Studies, taught in English. It is the first of its kind to be offered in Kazakhstan, and one of only a handful across the Eurasian region.
Designed to be broad in focus and accessible to general audiences, the series contains a variety of lectures on topics related to the culture, history, politics and literature of Kazakhstan are given by the Nazarbayev University professors who introduce students to the most current research in their fields. The Lecture Series is open to the SSRES 2021 participants, as well as to the NU community, including students and faculty.
Eurasian Studies Lecture Series for SSRES 2019 included the following presentations:
- Hélène Thibault “Gender Issues in Central Asia”
- Daniel Beben “History of Islam in Kazakhstan”
- Alexei Trochev “Dealing with Victims of Stalin’s Terror in Kazakhstan”
- Zohra Ismail Beben “Environmental Problems in Central Asia”
- Uli Schamiloglu “The New Kazakh Latin Alphabet: Perspectives and Problems”
- Halit Akarca “Eurasia between Turkey and Russia”
- Andrey Filchenko “The Linguistic Composition of Central Eurasia”
- Nikolay Tsyrempilov "Visualizing Sacred Geography of Kazakhstan"
- Eva-Marie Dubuisson “Expressive Culture in Central Asia”
- Clare Griffin “Killing Ivan: Reconstructing the Medical Life and Death of Ivan the Terrible”
- Ulan Bigozhin “Beket Ata: ‘Tribes’ and the Cult of Saints in Post-Soviet Kazakhstan”
