The role of "global competence" in professional competencies of Kazakhstan future educational psychologists

Relevance. The study addresses the crucial need for training globally competent educational psychologists, particularly within the context of Kazakhstan universities. As professionalism becomes vital for effective labour market inclusion, the development of global competencies in future educational psychologists is essential. Purpose. The research aims to identify the training needs of globally competent educational psychologists, and graduates of the "Pedagogy and Psychology" educational program, and to pinpoint priority areas for the development of global competencies among Kazakhstan university students in this field. Methodology. A pilot survey was conducted among students in the "Pedagogy and Psychology" program to assess their current level of global competence and gather their views on international news, cultural diversity events, and global issues discussions. Results. The survey results indicate an overly optimistic view regarding the potential to train globally competent educational psychologists. The findings underscore the necessity for highly educated and qualified specialists, aligning with state policies on optimizing the national labour market. Conclusions. The study highlights the importance of developing global competencies in educational psychologists to ensure their effective inclusion in the labour force. Training programs must focus on enhancing professionalism to meet the demands of the national labour market and support state policies on workforce development. Keywords: educational psychologist; globalization; professional competencies; global competence