History of the FLD

 The Department of Foreign Languages was established in 1960 as a joint department of Russian and Foreign Languages, headed by Turedzhanova M.Sh. In the 1960–1961 academic years, the department was led by Neron I.B. In 1963, the department was divided into two separate departments: “Russian Language” and “Foreign Language,” the latter headed by Gromova R.K. From 1968 to 1990, the department was headed by Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor Umarov K.U. Having led the department for more than 20 years, he trained and educated more than one generation of highly qualified specialists.

In 1977, the department was divided again, resulting in the creation of the Department of Foreign Languages of the main building and the Department of Foreign Languages of the construction faculties. Scientific-methodological sections for German, English, and French languages were established within the departments. The Department of Foreign Languages attracted its students, starting from the first year, to the Student Bureau of Technical Translation, where they fulfilled orders from graduating departments and abstracted scientific and technical literature. Step by step, this work gave birth to a system and established a good tradition of organizing annual student competitions for the best translation of scientific and technical texts. Many students were distinguished by their excellent knowledge of foreign languages.

After Umarov K., the department was successively headed by Kashilov K.E., Usmanova S.S., Abdrakhmanova R.Zh., Yusupov F.I., Suyumbayeva A.A., and Chokmorova A.M. Under the leadership of Suyumbayeva A.A., the department staff began actively working on international programs and improving professional and qualification levels.

From 2010 to 2024, the department was headed by Associate Professor Chokmorova Ainura Myrzabekovna. Working actively with the department staff and university administration, and maintaining correspondence with international partners, particularly TEMPUS/ERASMUS+, in 2013 the department began participating in the TEMPUS FLEPP project (Foreign Languages for Professional Purposes). As part of this project, a Language Resource Center was established in May 2015 (room 2/622), equipped with 12 computers, 3 laptops, a document camera, a 3-in-1 printer, and modern literature. This enabled the department's instructors not only to conduct classes in English and German for university students but also to organize seminars, round tables, and conferences. Starting from 2016, English language courses were offered for both students and university faculty and staff.

Under Chokmorova A.M.'s leadership, international relations were actively developed, providing opportunities for the department staff to undergo professional development without interrupting their work. Extensive connections with partner universities in Russia and Europe require proficiency in foreign languages. Accordingly, today the department employs a different approach to foreign language teaching, taking into account the Bologna Process system.

Close cooperation with the U.S. Embassy in Kyrgyzstan opened new opportunities for the department staff and the university as a whole. Since October 2018, Fulbright scholars (native English speakers) have been invited to the department to teach free conversational English courses for students, faculty, and university staff.

Currently, the department staff continues active work on courses and research in the area of “Improving the Methodology of Teaching Foreign Languages in Non-Linguistic Universities.” Teaching and methodological work remains a priority. The department's instructors independently prepare and publish textbooks and teaching aids recommended by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic. The specialized classrooms 2/610 and 2/622 allow the use of new teaching technologies and provide accessible materials for both in-class and extracurricular work with students.

Since September 2025, the department has been headed by Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor Shakeeva N.M. Together with the head of the department, new tasks have been set aimed at improving the quality of the educational process, activating research work, expanding international cooperation, and increasing students' motivation for language learning and creative activities.