The session brought together school psychologists from Kostanay, representatives of the academic community, members of the academic committee, educational program developers, faculty members, as well as students and master’s degree candidates.
The aim of the event was to develop coordinated recommendations for updating the content and structure of bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, including 6B01102 Psychology (IP), 7M01101 and 7M01103 Pedagogy and Psychology, 7M01104 and 7M01105 Management and Leadership in Education, in line with current educational system requirements and the future development of the educational psychologist profession.
During the trend analysis stage, practicing school psychologists highlighted the key challenges facing modern schools, including psychological and pedagogical assessment, prevention of learning difficulties and socialization issues, student support, as well as the impact of digitalization on professional practice.
“Modern schools need specialists who possess not only theoretical knowledge but also practical tools for assessment, prevention, and student support. Skills in addressing emotional difficulties, behavior, and working within the digital environment are especially important,” participants noted.
The session also included a presentation and analysis of the existing educational programs, focusing on their strengths and areas for improvement in terms of developing professional competencies of graduates.
Particular attention was given to a competency gap analysis, through which participants identified:
As part of the preparation for the foresight session and to broaden stakeholder engagement, an online survey was conducted using Google Forms. The survey aimed to assess the relevance of educational program content and to identify priority areas for development for 2026–2028. It also collected feedback on course relevance and suggestions for updating, adding, or integrating disciplines.
Based on the discussion, the following key recommendations were formulated:
In her closing remarks, the Head of the Department, Roza Kalimzhanova, emphasized:
“Updating educational programs is impossible without systematic dialogue with employers. The foresight session allowed us not only to hear the real needs of schools but also to align them with the training of future educational psychologists. It is essential that graduates are ready for professional practice from the very first days of their careers.”
As a result of the meeting, an agreement was reached to establish a working group to further develop and update the educational programs, taking into account stakeholder input.
