07.12.2021 All news
On December 7, 2021, at the Almaty University of Power Engineering and Telecommunications named after Gumarbek Daukeyev, the international forum "Safe Environment" was held in a mixed format. The goal was to prevent the destructive behavior of student youth and the role of the psychological service of the university. Leading experts in psychology and educational work, as well as experts in the fight against extremism and terrorism were present at the event.
The Rector of AUPET Sagintayeva Saule Savetovna opened the forum with a welcoming speech, outlined current challenges for the safety of the learning environment and expressed readiness to cooperate in this area with all interested partners. After the welcome address of the rector, the speakers made their reports. Director of the Communal State Institution "Center for the Study of the Problems of Religions" Dulat Ibragimov and professor of the Kainar Academy, academician of the Kazakhstan National Academy of Natural Sciences, President of the RPO "Kazakh Psychological Society" Mukhan Perlenbetov in their reports spoke about the state policy on the prevention of destructive behavior, since in a pandemic there is an increase in aggressiveness and radicalization among young people. This is expressed in open rejection of the generally accepted dress code in educational institutions and attempts to open prayer rooms in student dormitories, which is contrary to the constitutional order of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Mukhan Perlenbetov's presentation aroused interest among the participants. He presented an innovative program for diagnosing the self-destructive behavior of youth, which includes the automated systems for diagnosing the mental state "Resource" and "Signal". He also spoke about the wide possibilities of the electronic system "Psychologist's Office". It is worth noting that the speaker Lola Shakimova expressed her expert opinion about the “Psychologist's Office” system: “A single electronic system is needed for a psychologist so that there is no such situation as in Perm and Kazan”.
Director Dulat Ibragimov shared interesting data: “160 thousand students live in the city of Almaty, many of them are from other cities. We have 96 hostels in which 101 thousand students live. You need to work with them. In addition, it is a serious concern that young people are looking for a religious path through the Internet. We have also established the facts of propaganda of extremist ideology among students ”. Such challenges and problems require the combined efforts of universities. The director of the Department for Youth Policy and the moderator of the forum Zarema Abdullina shared her opinion on this: “We are all acting separately. Now there is a need to unite our efforts to combat the security challenges of the learning environment".
Three speakers spoke about the practical aspects of combating the processes of radicalization among young people - a teacher-psychologist at the University of Toronto, Laura Kasymova, an expert-psychologist of the Republican Information and Outreach Group and a participant in the Zhusan special operation, Lola Shakimova, head of the Department of Outreach and Preventive Work Center for Monitoring and Analysis of the Department of Social Development of the city of Almaty Erlan Berikbayev. The speakers gave recommendations on how to correctly diagnose the threat of shooting, how to form a tolerant attitude among young people towards negative social and other factors leading to destructive behavior. For example, Laura Kasymova, an educational psychologist at the University of Toronto, noted: “The problem of destructive behavior is relevant for Kazakhstan and for other countries. A psychological service that is able to make diagnostics on time is very important".
In their reports, the third group of speakers - Head of the Department of the Assembly of the Peoples of Kazakhstan and Social and Humanitarian Disciplines Zamza Kodar, Professor Kalimash Begalinova, Associate Professor of South Kazakhstan State Pedagogical University Bayan Aryngazieva - paid attention to gender violence and security in the information environment. In particular, Professor Kalimash Begalinova warned that new pseudo-religious subcultures and organizations are actively using the Internet and social networks to increase their destructive influence on young people. These criminals use recruiting mechanisms to destructively program a fragile psyche and consciousness.
The range of issues and recommendations was expanded after the end of the plenary session. Within the framework of the forum, three modules were held, in which topical topics, tasks and problems in the field of security for students were considered. This all helped them to work out accurate recommendations.
At the end of the forum, the vice-rector for social and educational work Serik Makhmutov summed up: “This is a relevant topic. We have finally started this process. The role of our psychologists is very important. After all, many freshmen are lost before the end of the first semester. They need the help of psychologists. I am sure that the proposal of the Rector of AUPET to open a Coordination Center for Psychological Services of Universitieson the basis of our university is a necessity for the country".
After summing up all the results, the following recommendations for educational institutions in Kazakhstan were formulated:
1. To take measures to ensure the level of security of universities in accordance with the current regulatory requirements: installation of an external fence, the required number of CCTV cameras, turnstiles, conclusion of contracts with specialized security agencies, etc.);
2. To ensure the regularity of the exercises, as well as the awareness and preparedness of workers and students to behave in emergency situations.
3. To provide a systematic approach to the implementation of youth policy and the prevention of destructive behavior of student youth;
4. To strengthen targeted work with students;
5. Develop an algorithm for working with students belonging to socially vulnerable categories of the population;
6. To use systematically the available forms and methods of monitoring and identifying "risk" groups;
7. To introduce into practice the regular holding of Forums, training seminars of a practical orientation on the prevention of destructive behavior;
8. To make a proposal to develop a professional standard "Psychologist of higher education".
9. To introduce an additional professional program to provide advanced training for employees of psychological services through educational programs (EP) based on postgraduate training of specialists;
10. To create a Coordination Center for psychological services of universities to resolve all issues related to the coordination of their activities, exchange of experience, provision of methodological and organizational assistance on a regular basis;
11. To carry out on a systematic basis consultative work with the faculty, staff and students of the university to raise awareness and prevent destructive behavior at the university.
