Visiting PhD student Dinara Tlepbergen

Who are you and where do you come from?
I am Dinara Tlepbergen, a PhD student from Kazakhstan. It has been two weeks since I arrived in Tallinn, which turned out to be a wonderful city with its cobbled streets, colourful architecture and surrounded by medieval city walls. Tallinn University has already shown itself to be very modern and interdisciplinary.

What has brought you to Tallinn University?
I am a 2nd year PhD student at the Department of Foreign Philology, L.N. Gumilev Eurasian National University. My dissertation research is related to language policy and planning in the context of contemporary integration processes. My local supervisor is Dr. Assel Akzhigitova. At the outset of my research, we looked for a foreign academic expert to help point us in the right direction. After learning about Professor Anastassia Zabrodskaja's academic background and familiarising ourselves with her publications, we realised that her research experience is exactly in line with the topic of my dissertation, and her supervision can certainly give me a new perspective in my research. Fortunately, Professor Anastasia Zabrodskaja agreed to collaborate with us. In addition, as part of the doctoral programme, our university provides the opportunity to go abroad for scientific internship and to receive advice from foreign supervisor. I am fully convinced that this internship will not only be a truly unforgettable experience for me as a PhD student, but also a great opportunity to collaborate with Professor Zabrodskaja and use the resources of the Baltic Film, Media and Arts School at Tallinn University.

What do you plan to do here as part of your PhD?
During the scientific internship, I have been working with library resources and databases on the topic of the dissertation research. I investigate different models of language policy and planning in different countries. I plan to develop an optimal strategic model of language policy and planning in Kazakhstan in the context of modern integrative processes. I am sure that access to the extensive library system will enable me to discover many different authors and research papers.

What else are you going to do here under Professor Anastassia Zabrodskaja’s supervision?
In addition, I hold lecture-seminars on intercultural communication for both undergraduate and graduate students, with the help and support of my supervisor in Tallinn, Professor Anastasia Zabrodskaja. I find it very interesting to meet students at Tallinn University for intercultural communication lectures, because in a multicultural environment, mutual interpersonal contacts, building relationships, learning about each other and reaching agreements take place predominantly on a cultural level. Training in intercultural communication is incredibly important for breaking down cultural barriers and awareness of cultural norms, as well as for increasing self-awareness and developing communication skills. The visit to Tallinn University has inspired me in many ways, and I consider it an important step in my career development.