Training Future Journalists as Part of a Dual Education Project
The Kazakh-American Free University will continue its dual journalism program at the Altai TV channel during the first semester of the 2025-26 academic year. This format combines university training with work in a real newsroom, allowing students to immediately integrate into a professional environment, acquire practical skills, and understand the demands of the modern media market.
Under the guidance of a practicing instructor, Deputy Director and Editor-in-Chief of «Altai TV» channel M.I. Karibayeva, and the entire editorial team, students take practical classes. They learn to gather and verify information, work in the field, record reports and interviews, edit video, write voice-overs, and prepare stories for broadcast. They also learn the fundamentals of media safety and the standards of responsible journalism. 2nd, 3rd and 4th year students at KAFU actively participate in the television channel’s work: they travel with the crew to filming sites, observe and participate in the preparation of live broadcasts, work on-air, film surveys and city reports, and assist camera operators and correspondents. This semester, a meeting was held with Zauresh Akhmetzhanova, leading journalist for «Channel One Eurasia» in East Kazakhstan, during which the students discussed the specifics of fieldwork, the specifics of preparing materials, and developing a professional trajectory.
Practical training is seamlessly integrated into the curriculum’s disciplines, including news journalism, camerawork and directing, modern media genres, interviewing, and more. The assignments students complete in these courses are directly related to the television channel’s production process.
Particular attention is currently being paid to developing news storytelling skills, working in a correspondent-cameraman-editor team, and developing professional competencies, including meeting deadlines, teamwork, and adhering to ethical standards. The dual training model at the «Altai TV» channel provides KAFU students with stable access to a real professional environment and allows them to gradually develop the necessary practical skills, portfolio, and understanding of media market requirements. This format helps them develop individual career paths and navigate their future career specialization.
