Political science department of LN Gumilyov Eurasian National University was founded by the decision of the Academic Council Rector's order № 87 dated June 16, 1999 for the preparation of students on level:
· 5В050200 «Political Science»,
· 6М050200 «Political Science»,
· 6D050200 «Political Science».
The first head of the department was a well-known Kazakh scientist - Abdirov Murat Zhetkergenovich, doctor of historical sciences, professor, academician of the Kazakh National Academy of Education. In this period of formation of the Department, veterans - Ph.D. Kenjebayeva KK, Ph.D. Baimbetova RK have made significant contribution.
From 2002 to 2005 the department was headed by candidate of Political Sciences Urazbayeva Saule Koyshibaevna. During this period educational program of the profession "6M050200" – Political science and then “6D050200”-Political science were started in 2002 and in 2005, respectively. Moreover, a lot of work has been carried out for the successful implementation of educational programs, the invitation of highly qualified personnel.
From 2005 to 2008, the department was headed by Nurtazina Roza Autalipovna - Doctor of Political Sciences, Professor, Honored Worker of Higher Education of Kazakhstan, member of the Academy of Political Science of the Russian Federation (ALP). In this period considerable work on the staffing of scientific and teaching staff and material and technical base of the department was conducted.
The head of the department was candidate of Political Sciences, Professor E.L. Nechaeva from 2008 to 2020, PhD, Associate Professor I.S. Rystina from 2020 to 2021. Today, the department is part of the Faculty of journalism and political science. Currently, the head of the department is an professor, candidate of historical sciences Gabdulina Bagysh Akhmetqyzy.
During this period the department has developed as a leading center for training of political scientists in Kazakhstan. Educational programs, implemented at the department, occupy a leading position in the national rankings. In 2012, educational programs 5B050200 "Political Science" and 6M050200 "Political Science" obtained specialized international accreditation in international accreditation agency ACQUIN (Germany), which allows our graduates to have the European Diploma in 2014 educational program 6D050200 «Political science" accredited by the Independent Kazakh Agency Quality Assurance in Education (IQAA).
Department offers a wide range of courses on the problems of domestic and foreign theoretical and applied political science, such as: state policy, modern theory of politics, national security, world politics and the political process in the Republic of Kazakhstan, the theory and practice of parliamentary institutions, political and electoral technologies, security in Central Asia, and more.
Political Science Department combines great traditions and experience of political science knowledge gained over a decade of its existence, uses the new technologies and principles of the educational process, actively introducing the new educational methods. During this time, teachers of the department developed authors courses, prepared and published more than 50 textbooks and manuals.
Political science graduates are now working in different political and social spheres of our republic. For example, the candidate of political sciences Shoykin G.N. heads the Committee for Religious Affairs of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Civil Society, Turtaev A. - deputy of the V convocation of Majilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Sydyknazarov M. K, doctor PhD in "Political Science" - the director of the Institute of Contemporary Studies, Zholdybalina A.S. – senior scientific researcher of the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies, Selteev U.K. - Deputy Chairman of the NGO "Congress of political scientists". The department has prepared more than 10 candidates of sciences, 15 doctors PhD.
Teaching is conducted by qualified faculty in Kazakh, Russian and English. The great contribution to the training of professionals were made by scientists and public figures of the Republic Kazakhstan - Sultanov K.S., Dyachenko S.A., Seidumanov S.T., Burhanov K.N., Dzhunusova Zh.Kh., Zheksembekova V.A., Karin Y.T., Babakumarov E.Zh., Erimbetov N.K. – they worked in different years at the department.
Schools of leading scientists have been made by Kaliyev N.K., Nurtazina R.A., Askeeva G.B., Nechaeva E.L., Imakova G.O., Onuchko M.U. - leading scientific and research work in the field of theoretical and fundamental problems of political science, applied research on specific Kazakhstan material in order to verify and test theories on the international example of Kazakhstan and forecast political development of Kazakhstan on the basis of international experience. Teachers developed author's courses on issues of actual problems of political science in various areas.
The results of scientific activity reflected in scientific publications, speeches at conferences and scientific forums, issue of monographs, textbooks and teaching aids on the theme's research. In the past, the department has been leading on three fundamental research projects and participated in more than 20 applied projects. Teachers of the department are involved as experts and consultants by various government agencies and authorities. Only in the last 5 years there have been published more than 50 books, it has become a good tradition to hold annual scientific conferences and national competitions of students' scientific works, significantly increased the number of scientific publications of the department in the publications included in the international bibliometric databases.
One of the priority directions of activity of the department is the development of international cooperation with the leading universities of the world. Department of Political Science-partner universities are the University of Louisville, USA, University of New Mexico, USA, State University of San Francisco, US Sophia University, Orchidsky University in Sofia, Bulgaria, University of Paris 10 Nanterre, France, University of Warsaw, Poland, Lomonosov Moscow State University, etc.
A significant contribution to the training of political analysts at the level of international standards was made by foreign teachers - Charles Ziegler and Jason Geynouz (University of Louisville, USA), Gregory Glissen (Marshall Center, Germany), Tatiana Dronzina (Sophia University K. Ohridski, Bulgaria.), Tomohiko Uyama (Hokkaido University, Japan), Edward Tsirson (University. Adam Mickiewicz, Poland), Sebastian Peyrouz (G. Hopkins University, USA), Ruben Azizyan (Honolulu University, USA), Andrzej Wierzbicki (University of Warsaw, Poland), A. Schwartz (New School, USA), E. Schatz (University of Toronto, Canada), and many others.
Currently, the department has 3 doctorate in political science, 12 candidates of science and 5 doctors PhD, passed training in leading scientific and educational centers in the USA, Belgium, Italy, Japan, Czech Republic, Great Britain, etc., graduates of the International program "Bolashak" holders of the honorary title "The best teacher "
The department creates necessary conditions for self-realization of the identity of students: meetings with prominent domestic and foreign scientists, politicians, round tables, scientific and methodical conferences, thematic curator hours are held; sports competitions in different types of sport; visit of cultural objects is organized: exhibitions, museums, theaters
On the basis of faculty of journalism and political science the student's club of political scientists, an open classroom on political science operates on English. Students actively play sports, participate in city and university sporting events, are published in scientific publications of the FSU and beyond.