S. Toraighyrov Pavlodar State University is among the best universities. Having rounded out the top leading universities of the country and Central Asia, the educational portal of PSU entered the top five best HEI website list compiled by the international Webometrics Ranking of World Universities considered to be one of the most authoritative ranking in the world. Our Alma Mater has grown in popularity both in Kazakhstan and abroad for the last year. Rector Aryn Orsariyev thinks that the University still has more development in it.

- Aryn Amangeldiyevich, you were appointed as Rector last year. What did you feel and think at that moment?

- First of all, I felt a great sense of responsibility. PSU is not simply an educational institution, it is a core element in the staff training system. 

Our University plays a special role in development of Pavlodar region, in formation of its managerial and engineering elite. The numbers tell the story. One in four students in the oblast taking UNT chooses PSU, and as the result, one in three top managers and one in two engineering technical and public sector workers have graduated from our University!

- What did the year bring you? Did you manage to solve the tasks? 

- I visited the University several times while working as Deputy Akim for Social Affairs, and having won the competition for the position of Rector, I knew exactly what to do.

Our University has an impact on the growth of the whole region in various fields. We would like every student, scientist and employee of the University to be actively involved in this process.

For this purpose, I set myself the four main tasks. Firstly, I am quite convinced that the key indicator of the competitiveness of our graduates is not just the employment rate, but for the most part it is sustainable wage growth. When I started working here, we calculated our 2014 graduates’ average salary for the last eight months. It was 65,6 thousand tenges. We have recently increased this rate through joint efforts. Now the average salary 87,000 tenges. 

The second task is to raise teaching staff members’ salaries. In order to get that done we focus their activity on the present-day market needs. As the result, people allocating funds to research started to put much more value on our researchers’ work and increased the amount of funding. In 2013-14, our scientists earned over KZT 100-120 million, and in 2015, they made KZT 160 million. But it is still not enough. 

We should increase the number of contractual research projects or find the way how to commercialize our inventions. This is what I want to improve. As we sell more knowledge, we make it more commercially successful. Thus, we both improve the quality of knowledge our students gain and strengthen the motivation of the teaching staff.

Then, we must integrate into international science. For this purpose, we should publish the research results in internationally recognized journals. We are making progress in this challenging area. 

So, if you turn your attention to the primary source of revenue for all universities, i.e. students, you will see that we have managed to increase the enrolment rate by 20 % in comparison with the previous year. It is a clear-cut victory, but, of course, much is left to be desired. What is more, we compete not only with Pavlodar higher educational institutions, but we compete at regional and international levels: with universities of Astana, Almaty, Omsk, Tomsk, Novosibirsk, China, Germany and the Czech Republic. About 20% of leavers prefer to continue their studies in other oblasts and countries. We try to improve this situation. 

- You have been a student of both national and foreign universities (Sorbonne University AN). Of course, it is not wholly correct to compare these two completely different educational schools. Nevertheless, what do you consider to be weak and strong points of these two systems? 

- Firstly, it should be noted that there is no reason to think the western education is better than ours. Nowadays, there is a wide variety of teaching methods in the world. For example, Oxford and Cambridge are universities that offer almost individual education focusing on research activity. Harvard is the land of cases, where students not only attend lectures and seminars, but they also gain knowledge from real-life situations relating to the field they major in under the supervision of the best specialists. Generally, American education schools are focused on earning money through innovations. Profitable projects constitute a larger portion of the total revenue of their teaching staff members. This is what we want to achieve. 

It is considered that the present-day traditional education school of Kazakhstan traces its roots back to the Soviet Union, where researcher and teacher were two separate professions. The Academy of Sciences used to be the only organization that was engaged in research in the Soviet Union, as for Western countries, universities carried out research activity. This is the defining feature of the Soviet Union’s education system. At the present time, we get “borrowed” knowledge, textbooks and books and use them here. And in fact it is normal to do so. But if we want to make progress and earn more money, we must create our own knowledge. 

- I agree with you, but unfortunately, science often fades into insignificance. Teaching takes the lion’s share of time. Much that was invented is now gathering dust, as no effective efforts are made to implement them. But your point of view on this issue is a radical departure from other’s opinions. 

- You are right, it is absolutely different. We want to become a research-entrepreneurial university, not just a research one. For this purpose, we teach our first-year students entrepreneurship fundamentals at the international level. Starting from autumn 2015, Alex Krol, Director of Krol Institute of the Silicon Valley, has been delivering lectures to our students. People, who have completed this course, are motivated to work. It is very important for me that students and employees work, run a business, make enough money. When I started working at the University there were only four-five students who carried on business. Now, there are about 20 students who do this. I think we will have the bigger number by the end of this year. Now, we can say that one in three hundred students of PSU become entrepreneurs. Ideally, we wish our graduates didn’t look for a job, but, on the contrary, provided employment opportunities themselves.

Also I think that the research carried out at the University must be, first of all, “useful” for society. At the present moment, the major problem in Pavlodar is ecology. The Competence Center for Ecological Technology has been recently established at our University. We have developed over ten advanced technologies which are ready for implementation. For example, it is the method of processing of the aluminum plant’s wastes into metallic ore. It may be applied at other plants in our region, such as Casting Plant and KSP Steel. We can recycle coal dust into briquettes as well. There is another good project: catalyzators used in oil refining. This project makes it possible to reduce the amount of wastes produced by Pavlodar Oil Chemistry Refinery. The objective is to implement these technologies into our life. Some of our enterprises have already agreed to fund the purchase and implementation of these technologies. 

- All this makes it possible for PSU to maintain its position as the top-ranked university in Kazakhstan…

- Exactly, so. PSU is one of the top five universities in Kazakhstan. It is quite good as for our country. But we need to move along. The universities of Novosibirsk and Tomsk which enter the world’s top 400 universities list are “around the corner”. I mean, we still have a lot to do. In order to be able to compete with Tomsk, Omsk, Barnaul and Astana, we should develop our full potential, grow and gain serious partners. That is why we have established partnership with Stanford University. Professors from universities of Duke, Columbia, Oxford and Cambridge, which are ones of the world’s top 30 universities, have already visited PSU to deliver lectures. Also we collaborate with best high educational institutions of the Russian Federation and Asia. It is important that we adopt best practices of our partners and rise to a higher level.

If you look at the world’s top 100 universities list, you will see that most of them offer tuition in English. In this regard, we have set a goal to improve the English language skills of our students and teaching staff members. For this purpose, we have developed additional language courses and established the TOEFL Center, providing them an opportunity to take TOEFL at the University. To help students apply this knowledge, we have opened the Bolashak Center. It is in our interest to make way for our students, not just teach them. It is our main task on internationalization. And this refers not only to students, but also to the teaching staff of our University. 

Another advantage is that the more foreign University teachers and students we attract, the more funds we obtain from international organizations. Thus, we will be able to maintain University facilities and improve the quality of knowledge we provide to our students. 

- You have headed the Youth Congress of Kazakhstan, while working as Deputy Akim and have been in charge of solving youth problems. In one word, your professional activity has always been closely related to youth. 

- You are right. And this experience helped prepare me for my current work. I understand our students, know their problems and what their life and interests are. In my opinion, a higher educational institution must control and maintain the educational process, take an active part in young people’s lives, fill their free time with useful things, provide money-making opportunities, help them realize their potential and become a highly qualified professional and simply a good person. 

As for youth policy, I think that young people can be divided into three groups: a deviant, constructive and competitive one. The main task of every collective that includes young ones is to increase the number of competitive youth, and decrease the number of deviant ones. At the present time, active and competitive young people study at PSU. Almost one in hundred of PSU students are the winners of various sporting, creative and intellectual competitions. My task is to increase the number of such students. That is why we hold different courses on leadership, trainings and develop youth organizations. There were 12 of them. But we are going to establish more youth organizations in future. It’s not the quantity that matters. More important is how many young people are involved in their activities and the quality of their work. And that is what we are working on now.

- PSU has always played a significant role in development and promotion of spiritual values, the national culture and civic engagement. Does it plan to continue its work in these areas?

- Of course, it does. At the present time, we are writing an encyclopedia of our outstanding countryman, Alkey Margulan. He made a great contribution to the history, ethnography and ethnology of Kazakhstan. We continue carrying out research on Zhussupbek Aymautov’s works. There is Mashkhur Zhussup Center established at our University. We will keep working and sharing the results of our activity with society. 

And our University will continue its constructive efforts towards development of spirituality. Other members of our society and I would like to see final results from our activity on promotion of culture and spiritual values: the decline in divorce rates, strengthening of a family, increase in labor productivity, reduction of crime rates, expansion of patriotic ideas and people’s desire to live in Pavlodar. It is a city with a decent standard of living. There are enough workplaces. As for me, it is hard to see people leaving the city.

- I think you are one of those people who become a part of the city not being its native residents. Listening to what you say, I understand that you love Pavlodar very much. Am I right?

- In my honest opinion, we all must be patriots of our country regardless of the place you were born in and the place you living in. Kazakhstan is our motherland. I was born in Almaty. But Pavlodar oblast has become home for me for the recent years. I have taken roots in Pavlodar. My daughter was born in Pavlodar. My son took his first steps here. My elder daughters study at Pavlodar schools. And none of them would like to leave the city. It became our home. We became real Pavlodar residents, and we can’t bear staying long in Astana and Almaty. When we are there, my children ask me all the time when we go home. 

Priirtyshye is the unique land. Nice people live here. Pavlodar region is an industrial oblast, and even the crisis of the 90s did not do too much damage to it. On the contrary, it made it stronger. We consistently overcome challenges. People living here believe in a brighter future of the region despite everything. They believe that everything will change for the better. We are optimists. This is what makes up our strong point. 

I can talk about interesting places of the city and oblast for hours. There are many Pavlodar people who I am really proud of. 

I love our Potanin Museum. I organize excursions at this museum for all our guests. There are so many amazing exhibit items. They give you an insight into the history of Pavlodar oblast, Kazakhstan, the world and the civilization. The museum guides are real professionals. This is one of the best museums of regional studies in Kazakhstan. I often visit the museum so I can give a museum tour that will last for four hours or more. 

I really like Pavlodar theatres. I wasn’t a big fan of theatres until I visited the drama theatre named after Chekhov. I respect Viktor Valentinovich Avvakumov and I consider him to be one of the best theatre managers in Kazakhstan. He manages to walk a fine line between economy and creative work. He has built up a strong team, where there are no intrigues. The theatre attendance is to be envied. It has an amazing repertoire. Stage directors and authors are real catches!

I love Yury Dmitriyevich Pominov. I am fond of his documentary works and I recommend for everyone to read his books. It is a pleasure to know Dzhafar Dzhafarovich Makhmutov. Pavlodar tramway cars are his merit. They are so old, but they still run like clockwork, up to now! This is amazing! Tramway cars are the distinguishing characteristic of Pavlodar city. As for Abi Sarkynshakovich Sarkynshakov and Naum Grigoryevich Shafer, they are legends. I got acquainted with them here in Pavlodar. 

Of course, I love Bayanaul as all people living in our oblast do. I adore Scherbakty region, especially, when buds shoot in May. You are lucky man if you find yourself in the forest during this time of the year. There is also the mausoleum of Gabdul-Uakhit Khazret in Scherbakty. I go there twice a year and recreate myself.

Oh, how beautiful the Irtysh is! It is the largest river in Kazakhstan. People living in Karaganda, Shimkent and Almaty are unaccustomed to the sight of such large rivers. We offer a tour along the river to all our guests. Foreigners like it very much. They take photos and capture this beauty on video. And of course, we pass under the bridge, giving them opportunity to make a wish. 

- I suppose your language skills help you communicate more effectively with foreign partners. 

- Knowing a foreign language represents a huge advantage. I started learning languages when I was a schoolboy. I was included in the French group, but I started learning English on my own, as my mother speaks it well. Later, I improved my English language skills during university studies. Now, I can speak it fluently. I can express my thoughts and I don’t need translator’s services when I am traveling abroad. I have basic knowledge of Spanish. It resembles French. When I was spending a month in Cuba, I tried to improve my Spanish language skills. At the present time, I am learning Chinese. It is the most common language spoken in the world, after English. Moreover, China is our neighboring country. Our University builds special relationship with this country. PSU established the Kazakh Language Development Center in Shanghai last year. Now, we are planning to open the center for development of the Chinese language at our University. 

- What other hobbies do you have apart from learning foreign languages? And what is more important, do you have enough free time for these hobbies? 

- I love to sing karaoke. I am not good at singing, but I do this with all my heart. Also I like going to the cinema. We often arrange activities such as family outings. We usually go to the theatre, cinema, attend various exhibitions and concerts. 

I try to spend all my free time with my family. We have four children. Most valuable things in my life are around my children. I love seeing my one-and a half year-old daughter waiting for me at the door when I get home. She is our youngest child. All family members always try to take her in arms, sniff and kiss her. When I come home and hear her calling me “papa”, I forget all my stresses and problems. 

- Despite the fact that the enrolment statistics substantiates the leading position of your University, one may notice that you have brought about a thaw in relations between universities of our region. Can you comment on this please?

- We shouldn’t forget that we all, PSU, InEU, PSPI and EETI, share one mission that unites us all. We are interested in providing our students with high quality education and helping them get a good job. We shouldn’t let people move to other regions and countries. Even trying to attract more students and grants, we have one task: to develop our region. While competing fairly, within the rules, as sport teaches us, we should operate as one team for the sake of our oblast and country. 

http://obozrenie.kz/interview/6236-pgu-vyhodim-na-mirovoy-uroven.html

Kseniya Mikhed

Photos by Rufina Torpischeva

Translated by Gulsym Kuanyshbayeva