International scientific-practical conference on anti-corruption education in Kazakhstan

April 25, 2024 In Almaty, at the site of the NARXOZ University, the International Scientific and Practical Conference “Anti-Corruption Education: International Experience and Development Prospects in Kazakhstan” was held, which was attended by representatives of universities in the city of Shymkent, including the Vice-Rector of SKMA Esirkepov M. M., compliance - SKMA officer Pernebaev N.A. and associate professors of the department of “History of Kazakhstan and social disciplines” Nurzhanbаeva Zh.O., Aidarbekova G.S. who gathered in the conference hall of the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Anti-Corruption in the city of Shymkent.
Foreign speakers spoke at the conference: experts from UNODC, the Office of the US State Department in Kazakhstan, the USAID educational project “Justice for All”, the Independent Anti-Corruption Commission of Hong Kong, universities in Serbia and others.
The event was also attended by rectors, vice-rectors and teachers of Kazakhstani universities, including specialized educational institutions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Ministry of Defense, and the Academy of Law Enforcement Agencies under the General Prosecutor's Office.
The goal is to discuss national and international practices in developing an anti-corruption culture through education and awareness, issues of implementation of the international GRACE initiative of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.
During the meeting, Kazakhstan’s experience in anti-corruption education was presented, and a new draft of a standard anti-corruption curriculum for universities, developed by NARXOZ University based on GRACE materials, was presented. The implementation of this initiative is provided for in the Anti-Corruption Policy Concept for 2022-2026.
Foreign experts were also presented with ongoing projects, such as the quest game “AntiParaCraft”, an anti-corruption online training platform, a collection of didactic games “Adaldyk Alippesi”, “Hour of Integrity”, “Fundamentals of Anti-Corruption Culture”, summer anti-corruption schools, anti-corruption Olympiad, Academic League honesty and others.
As part of the Conference, an exhibition of anti-corruption educational and media materials of the Agency was organized, including drawings, comics, board games, teaching materials, textbooks, booklets, videos, etc.
Formalism and imitation of education are the main scourge of the academic activities of universities and anti-corruption education in general. It is not so much anti-corruption measures that are important as integrity. That is, Education should be based on values. The rector of Narxoz University M.M. Daulenov spoke about this. The country's chief anti-corruption specialist, Zhumagali Aset, briefly outlined that all preventive tools should be aimed at ensuring that a citizen of the Republic of Kazakhstan “DOES NOT THINK about committing a corrupt manifestation of himself. I DID NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS. I was AFRAID of doing it.”
At the same time, he also believes that the most important and promising thing is the appropriate anti-corruption education
Following the event, participants discussed issues of strengthening and expanding cooperation in the development of anti-corruption training and implementation of international practice. As part of the International Scientific and Practical Conference “Anti-Corruption Education: International Experience and Development Prospects in Kazakhstan,” the department held a round table with the participation of 1st year students of the Faculty of Medicine on the topic “A Conscious Generation Against Corruption.”