The Department of Foreign Languages takes its origin at the Gumilyev Eurasian National University since the foundation of the university. According to the Order No. 544 dated September 27, 1996, Department of foreign languages in science majors and Department of foreign languages in humanities were organized.
The department has undergone a lot of changes and reorganizations that required a highly qualified leadership represented by leading experts in the field of foreign language teaching: - associate professor Kemeleva Raushan Birgebayevna (1996 - 2006): Department of foreign languages in humanities;
- associate professor Savenkova Nina Andreevna (1996 - 2006): Department of foreign languages in humanities;
- associate professor Aubankirova Aiman Kairlovna (2006 - 2008): Department of Foreign Languages (the Department of Practical English and the Department of Practical German and French Languages are united);
- candidate of pedagogical sciences Tussupova Gulden Kabdrashovna (2008 - 2012): Department of Foreign Languages.
Since September 1 2012, the Department has been headed by candidate of pedagogical sciences, associate professor, corresponding member of the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Kazakhstan Sagimbayeva Jannat Elemesovna.
In accordance with the constant process of university transformation, the faculty faced serious objectives in the formation of linguistic, professionally oriented, socio-cultural, communicative and cognitive competencies, which provide the future specialist with an opportunity to effectively perform his/her professional activity applying a foreign language as an instrument of professional activity.
According to the Mission: To become the leading structural educational unit of the Faculty of Philology, providing research and obtaining advanced knowledge, training specialists with a foreign language proficiency for the development of priority sectors of the economy, responsible to the state and society for the performance results, first of all, the department sets the relevant objectives:
- increasing the professional level of the faculty members;
- formation of an effective and high-quality educational system that implements foreign language teaching programs in the university;
- promote the development of the scientific sphere by popularizing and promoting the research results in the Russian and international information space;
- development and strengthening of professional relations at the national and international levels;
- expansion of joint educational conditions for the exchange of faculty and students.
The Department of Foreign Languages is one of the largest departments in the university concerning to the number of faculty members that teach the following disciplines in English in accordance with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages:
- "Foreign Language 1"
- "Foreign language 2"
- "The practice of oral and written speech,
- "The practice of scientific and technical translation"
- "Foreign language (professional)" (for master's programs).
The faculty of the department performs a significant amount of academic work in non-linguistic specialties at the University of Philology, Physics and Technology, Architecture, Civil Engineering, Economics, Mechanics and Mathematics, Transport and Energy, Information Technology, and Science Faculties. Highly-qualified specialists represented by PhD doctors, candidates of pedagogical and philological sciences, associate professors, senior lecturers, master of science work at the Department: Ustelimova Natalya Anatolyevna, Tussupbekova Madina Zhambyrbayevna, Tussupova Gulden Kabdrashovna, Kasymbekova Nurilya Sabetkanovna, Mukhtarkhanova Aynagul Madievna, Kurmayeva Dina Kassymbekovna, Balkhimbekova Perizat Zhanatovna etc.
As a result of well-coordinated teamwork, methodological materials of the new generation were developed that perform the function of managing the cognitive activity of students. Faculty members pay particular attention to modern methodical techniques and new educational technologies in teaching the language of professional communication. Optimization of the educational process through the introduction of a variety of methodological and information technologies (mini-conferences, project technologies, cognitive technologies, round table discussions, educational debates, presentations, business and role games, etc.) greatly contribute to the improvement of communicative and professional competences, fuller implementation of creative abilities of students. Moreover, the department managed to implement the new paradigm of language education "I AM LEARNING" instead of the traditionally accepted "I am taught".
Undoubtedly, such results required the evolution of teaching methods and technologies that had a huge impact on the effectiveness of professional foreign language education and corresponded to best practices:
- digital platforms: Microsoft Teams, Google Classroom, Facebook, and others;
- online text resources for specialties and different fields of science (corpora);
- on-line discussions, joint implementation of tasks;
- mobile applications Padlet, Nearpods, Quizziz, Quizlet, Edpuzzle and others;
- digital educational programs;
- solution of cases,
- projects and others
As a result of a productive work, the number of students has increased participating (in foreign languages) in:
- national and international congresses, conference;
- academic mobility programs;
- exchange programs and dual-degrees diploma.
The number of student publications and awards in international subject Olympiads has increased. Thus, the sufficient contribution to ENU graduates being in demand increasing the number of foreign students, in a stable position in the QS World Universities rating, the growth of publications in internationally recognized research journals should be considered due to the language vocational-oriented training carried out by our department.
The department conducts research mainly in the field of teaching methods of foreign languages, the application of innovative methods and the development of professionally-oriented language training. Accordingly, the main results of the research activities of the faculty are reflected in the publications in journals and conference proceedings of the following countries: Germany (Freiburg), Great Britain (London, Sheffield), USA (New York, North Charleston), United Arab Emirates (Dubai), Japan (Osaka), France (Aix-en-Provence), Bulgaria (Sofia), Austria (Vienna), Ukraine (Kiev), Canada (Westwood), Russia (St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Magadan, Tambov, Moscow, Chelyabinsk, Kazan, Sterlitamak, Makhachkala, Barnaul), Belarus (Minsk), Poland, Cyprus, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan. In addition, the faculty members are systematically awarded republican and international scholarships (Bolashak, Orleu, Erasmus Mundus, Erasmus+), DAAD, Goethe Institute grants, etc.) for advanced professional development courses, research internships in such countries, as:
- Great Britain (Cambridge, Exeter, Reading);
- The USA (Minnesota);
- Germany (Berlin, Munich, Göttingen, Frankfurt am Main);
- Sweden (Uppsala);
- Netherlands (Leyden);
- India (Noida);
- Spain (Cadiz, Bilbao);
- Poland (Warsaw);
- Russia (Omsk);
