Aitkozhin Kosybay Aitkozhinovich (1939-2011) is rightfully considered one of the founders of the formation of higher technical education in Northern Kazakhstan. This wonderful person has many regalia: excellent student of public education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor, Honorary Worker of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan. There was even a victory in the category “Best University Teacher of the Republic.” But those who knew and were friends with him in life, according to fate, note first of all his human and professional authority, decency, natural aristocracy, sincerity, ineradicable honesty, loyalty to his calling, dedication to his chosen cause. Just think: out of half a century of experience, the learned teacher devoted forty-five years to training competent specialists, whose efforts and work enthusiasm the republic urgently needed - engineers, builders, technologists, economists. What was the long path to the heights of your career like? A graduate of a rural school, winner of a gold medal, the young ambitious Kazakh successfully graduates from the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of the Peter and Paul Pedagogical Institute and begins his career at a heavy engineering plant, where at that time there was practically not a single representative of the indigenous autochthonous state-forming nation among the engineers. This fact hurt the national pride of a person with a heightened sense of national dignity, and from now on all his aspirations are connected with a persistent, tireless desire to strengthen the qualitative composition of the Kazakh national engineering and technical intelligentsia of northern Kazakhstan. The young specialist, without stopping there, decides to continue self-education, improve the possibilities of basic pedagogical education, and becomes an assistant at the branch of the Pavlodar Industrial Institute in the city of Kokshetau. This is where the difficult ascent to the heights of science begins. In 1981, Kosybai Aitkozhin defended his PhD thesis in the capital of the USSR, in the heart of a huge power - Moscow. Needless to say, how difficult it was to implement a daringly bold plan, but also quite prestigious in those days, was the defense of one’s own scientific research and research by young Kazakh scientists at one of the largest universities of the USSR - the Lenin Moscow State Pedagogical Institute. In the minds of the intelligentsia of the Soviet period, Moscow was associated with the truly scientific center of the country, the cradle of the creative elite of a powerful, internationally recognized state. Not everyone could decide to take such a step as to challenge their scientific achievements and developments in methods of teaching complex mathematics in such a respectable academic environment. The Moscow intelligentsia are democratic people, liberals, but when it came to scientific objectivity and evaluation of scientific works, they were adamantly tough, strict, demanding, but also fair. Let's not forget: Aitkozhin was the first to pave this difficult path, who opened the way for his colleagues... From 1966 to 2011, scientists passed the path from assistant to doctor of sciences, professor. At different times, he was appointed head of the department of general scientific disciplines, head of the department of higher mathematics, dean of the general technical faculty, director of the Kokshetau branch of KARPTI, dean of the polytechnic faculty, dean of the engineering and economic faculty, and adviser to the rector of the university. Kosybai Aitkozhin left his unique mark on the history of Kokshetau University named after Shokan Valikhanov, having worked as the dean of the Faculty of Economics since the establishment of the university in Kokshetau. Let us note that the learned teacher made an unprecedentedly significant contribution to the training of engineering and technical personnel throughout the northern virgin region, to the rise of university scientific and technical education in northern Kazakhstan. He did enormous organizational work as the head of the Kokshetau General Technical Faculty of the Karaganda Polytechnic Institute, and later of the branch of this university itself, which opened in 1993. Let us recall that the flagship of technical science in Kazakhstan, Karaganda Polytechnic, was recognized as one of the best specialized universities in the country, and, in addition to Kokshetau, had branches in such cities of Kazakhstan as Temirtau, Petropavlovsk, Dzhezkazgan, Balkhash. Now few people will remember that the General Technical Faculty successfully filled the shortage of engineering, technical and construction personnel in the Virgin Lands. Here, students of the correspondence department were trained without interruption from work and successfully taught them at the evening department of the branch, which was very convenient for working youth. Previously, at the general technical faculty they continued their studies until the third year, then the boys and girls completed their studies, already transferring to technical universities literally just Union. Thanks to the organizational skills of Kosybay Aitkozhin and his titanic persistent efforts, a full-time department of a branch of the Karaganda university was opened, which made it possible to significantly expand the range of specialties, and from now on the children could defend their diplomas directly on the spot. At that time, for young villagers this was a comfortable opportunity for a social lift, to combine study with practice, realizing the dream of becoming leading engineers, technologists, designers in various industries... Doctor of Economic Sciences Aigul Toksanova recalls the period of work with particular warmth: “In 1991 year, the branch began to recruit students in the specialty “Management Organization in Construction,” and Professor Aitkozhin invited me to lecture for a group of 25 people. I still remember many from the first graduating class, because the most successful students reached heights: Rinat Suleimenov, Tatyana Rybakova, Elena Sapargalieva. Such a sincere, honest person as Kosybai Aitkozhinovich managed to unusually unite and truly unite a small team of employees and teachers. Aitkozhin knew how to see the personality in each of us, tried to help unobtrusively, and took care of our everyday life. Of course, we wanted to work better and better, because our leader tried to provide the most comfortable conditions for successful activities. Even one remarkable biographical fact speaks volumes: as a teacher, I was provided with a 2-room apartment in the Central microdistrict of Kokshetau.” University veteran Tynyshtyk Mukatovna Akhmetova has known the professor since his youth, from his student days: “This then young, attractive man was distinguished by his extraordinary inquisitiveness; from his youth, his organizational gift, leadership qualities were obvious, his energy was in full swing. It was he who came up with the idea of creating a youth intellectual club “Orken” and bringing to life the creative youth of student construction teams on tour in remote rural districts, organizing the production of theatrical plays and festive concerts that delighted the villagers.” The range of his interests was not limited to mathematics, to which he was devoted all his life. Kosybai Aitkozhinovich loved and knew Kazakh literature and poetry, often appeared on local television, he was valued as an expert on the works of Chingiz Torekulovich Aitmatov, Magzhan Zhumabaev, Ilyas Yesenberlin. There is a common expression “simplicity as an expression of truth.” For me, this great leader and great scientist-teacher, first of all, remained a simple person, wise with worldly experience, possessing the undeniable dignity of always remaining himself under any circumstances, never envying anything and always feeling sorry for people. Kosybay Aitkozhin belonged to a galaxy of multifaceted personalities, tireless true scientists and ascetics who devoted themselves without reserve to the service of science and research. It is not for nothing that in 2008, already at a mature age, Professor Aitkozhin deservedly achieved the high title of “Best University Teacher” in the republican competition. His scientific school of a competent organizer, a tactful and wise leader was based not only and not so much on the requirement of knowledge, but on the cultivation of the intellect, the development of a range of thinking. And human kindness was evident in everything. Colleagues shared their plans and ideas with him and trusted the scientist. This man knew how to faithfully serve science, and there was no idle moment in his life. Aitkozhin was distinguished by his amazing concentration, orderliness in his thoughts, and restraint in his assessment of his subordinates and students. He tried to reason, but not to judge. It was during the years of his leadership that the educational and laboratory building for a thousand places was built. And this noticeable building at 30 Temirbekova Street is simply called the Polytechnic University. Let us note that it was built practically without attracting budget funds, thanks to such large industrial enterprises of the regional center as the KDA plant, the instrument-making plant, the radio plant, the Nauka plant, Altyntau JSC, and the Kokshetaustroy 1 and 2 trusts. Aitkozhin’s active and energetic participation in the difficult process of uniting three universities, the Kokshetau Pedagogical Institute, the local branch of the Central Agricultural Institute and the branch of KARPTI, into a single regional university is significant and significant. The then deputy akim of the region, Bolat Suleimenovich Zhanadilov, remembers this well. Memory does not die if it is preserved. In this very polytechnic building, into the construction and infrastructure of which the enthusiast Aitkozhin invested his soul and all the power of his ebullient energy, there is an audience named after him. A glorious name that is honored and will be remembered by subsequent generations of students and teaching colleagues. In the house at number 24 on Sadvakasova Street there is a memorial plaque in memory of the scientist-teacher and researcher. Reformer. There are people around whom it is easier to breathe. And their absence is acutely felt in the moral atmosphere of society and the life of the collective. Their energy continues to simmer in their followers and students, in the children and kindred spirits of loved ones, because communication with them spiritually enriches, continuing to influence magically and kindly. A person must first of all be a good person. Especially the leader. Hundreds of good people at all levels of government can raise good generations, a morally healthy people... And this is exactly the kind of person Kosybai Aitkozhin was and will remain in our memory.
