OREANDA-NEWS. March 19, 2010. The educational specialists welcomed the Resolution of President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov “On the Structure of Higher Educational Establishments of Turkmenistan” and the Decree on the approval of the quotas of admission to the institutions of postgraduate study and doctoral candidacy by branches of science, the registration of applications for academic degrees and admission to the institutions of clinical studies as an effective step to foster the reforms of the national education and science.

These important documents are a logical continuation of the comprehensive reforms initiated by the Turkmen leader to ensure the further progress of the Turkmen state and society. This was the focus of the meeting, which was conducted at D. Azadi Turkmen National Institute of World Languages. It brought together the cabinet ministers, the heads and representatives of the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan, public organisations – the members of the Galkynysh National Movement, the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan, the National Institute of Education and the chancellors, university professors and students of the higher educational establishments of Ashgabat.

“We should keep abreast with scientific and technological advances” – this statement of the Turkmen leader defined the tone of the participants’ reports and presentations. They noted that the new documents opened up vast opportunities to improve the national education system, offered a powerful incentive to further development of higher educational science, introduction of advanced technologies in the educational process, close collaboration between the sectoral research institutions and educational establishments. In accordance with the documents in 2010 the substantial changes would take place in the structure of the higher educational establishments of the country. Thus, it is planned to open 48 new departments and seven new faculties. 45 specialists will be admitted on a competitive basis to the institutions of postgraduate study, 9 – to the institutions of doctoral candidacy and 57 – to the institutions of clinical studies in various branches of science. In 2010, the number of applicants for academic degrees will increase as many as 47 and will be 286.

The new important tasks set to the educational and research institutions were discussed. It was noted that that the need for broad collaboration of all educational and research institutions was conditioned by the realities of the new historical epoch as well as the rapid pace of development of the independent Turkmen state. The participants emphasized that their duty was to fulfill the tasks set by the Turkmen leader to scientists and teachers to foster research activity, place scientific and technological advances at the service to the state and society, train a new pleiad of highly qualified specialists and researchers.

The issues relating to enhancing moral education of youth and the activities to combat such a social evil as drug abuse were discussed during the meeting. It was emphasized that Turkmen educational specialists considered it their major duty to bring youth to love the Motherland and follow the high spiritual and moral values and promote integrated development and high-quality education of young people of the country.