International webinar "Transformation of Higher Education for Sustainable Development" and dedicated to the International Day of Education

International webinar "Transformation of Higher Education for Sustainable Development" was conducted online on January 24, 2023, organized by the UNESCO Chair in Education Science and Teacher Training at the JSC "Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University".

The aim of the webinar was to discuss the initiatives of the Summit on the transformation of higher education, existing methods, resources and solutions for the successful implementation of digital education tasks.

The Education Transformation Summit, held in New York City in September 2022, concluded with the adoption of the following global initiatives: transition to green and digital technologies, promoting gender equality, basic education, education in crisis, and fair education.

Before the webinar, we surveyed university teachers (39 participants) and young teachers (49 participants).

The survey allowed the speakers to provide answers to most of the questions that were of interest to the audience, as well as to share methodological resources of UNESCO on achieving quality education through relevant digital tools, including tools for creating educational content, enhancing student motivation, monitoring the quality of learning for sustainable development.

Speakers of the webinar: Rector of Abai National Pedagogical University, Mr. Darkhan Bilyalov; Acting Director of UNESCO Almaty Cluster Office for Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, Mr. Magnus Magnusson; Director of the Analytical Research Centre "Eurasian Monitor", Mr. Alibek Tazhibayev; Heads of UNESCO Chairs in Kazakhstan: Ms. Meruert Abuseitova (Head of the UNESCO Chair on Science and Spirituality and Director of the Republican Information Centre for the Study of Historical Materials at the R.B. Suleimenov Institute of Oriental Studies), Ms. Barbara Janusz-Pawletta (Vice President on International Cooperation and Public Relations at Kazakh-German University), Ms. Tursynkul Bazarbayeva (Head of the UNESCO Chair on Sustainable Development at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University); Programme Specialist, UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education, Ms. Tatiana Murovana; Head of the Department for Supporting the Development Strategy of Abai National Pedagogical University. Ms. Baglan Kulumbayeva; Methodologist of the City Scientific and Methodological Center for New Technologies in Education, Ms. Svetlana Shapkina.

While discussing opportunities for implementing the Summit`s initiatives to transform higher education, speakers shared experiences in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals, methodological developments and cooperation in areas such as inclusive, equitable higher education; the role of critical thinking and discussion skills in professional life, work, and sustainable development; green and digital technologies.