A second-year doctoral student in the Art Studies program, Gaukhar Aspandiyarkyzy, is currently undergoing a scientific internship in Germany at the renowned University of Passau (Universität Passau).

The internship involves close collaboration with her international academic advisor, Professor Birgit Beumers, a well-known film scholar, as well as experience exchange with faculty members and young researchers. It also includes studying modern approaches to teaching and conducting research, gaining new knowledge and professional skills that will be applied to her dissertation work and teaching activities.

The doctoral student successfully presented at the "Eco-Discourse" scientific seminar, dedicated to the issues of the Aral Sea, held in Innsbruck, Austria. Her presentation, titled "The Aral as a Mirror of Human Emotions. The Aral as a Place of Tragic Love and Fate," analyzed the image of the Aral Sea in Kazakh cinema through two iconic films—"The Forty-First" (1956) and "Needle" (1988). The seminar brought together researchers focused on ecology, culture, and cinema, providing a platform for discussions about the significance of the Aral Sea in artistic and social contexts.

During the internship, the doctoral student actively attends lectures by top professors at the University of Passau, such as:

Lecturer: Prof. Dr. Karsten Fitz

Course: Culture of American Politics

Topic: Cultural Messages (from Reagan to Trump).