Since the recognition of the independence until today in the relations of Kazakhstan and South Korea continues to increase the potential for cooperation in the field of higher education. The most common format of interaction between the two countries is students’ education through dual degree programs and academic mobility. The formation of inter-institutional relations of Kazakhstan and South Korea originates from this. KAZGUU Higher School of Economics has developed active partnerships with colleagues from the Land of the Morning Calm since 2015. The dual-degree program in the field of business started since that time in cooperation with Solbridge International School of Business.

SolBridge International School of Business is located in Daejeon city, which is the heart of the Korean Peninsula, just an hour’s drive from Seoul. The city is famous as the Korean “Silicon Valley” – Center for research and place of high-tech development, and as the city with 5000 years of history. Studying at home country and abroad, KAZGUU students have the ability to simultaneously receive two undergraduate degrees – Economics and Business and Business Administration. The format of cooperation is simple – the first two years KAZGUU students gnaw the granite of science in the walls of their native alma mater, and the last two years study at Solbridge University. That said a leading South Korean university recognizes 2 years of training at KAZGUU and KAZGUU University – education at Solbridge.   

Education at the University is conducted in English with additional study of one of the three Oriental languages ​​- Japanese, Korean and Chinese.

“I had the unique opportunity to become one of the first participants of academic mobility programs and to study at an international school of Solbridge. During the first semester I studied 6 subjects in English. SolBridge International School of Business offers a program for training business leaders, internships in leading companies, the American education system and other popular areas for professional growth. It is a modern building equipped with high-tech equipment, which has students from around the world and employs highly qualified professors from top universities of the US, Britain, Canada, China, South Africa, Australia, India, Japan and so on”, – says Kazybek Orynhanov, a student of KAZGUU Higher School of Economics.

He is currently continuing his studies in Solbridge, but within the dual degree program. Explaining his choice, the future financier, primarily focused on the fact that Solbridge became for him the very niche where he can gain useful experience in the field of development of the world economic system and current knowledge of the chosen specialization.

– How is it realised in practice?

– Today Solbridge organizes student internships in advanced technology companies in the world, here are conducted various studies in the most dynamic sectors of the economy and finance. They implemented a program of mandatory and elective subjects and subjects for specialization. One of my favorite subjects – the launch of startups «Launching start-up business» – this is a business incubator, where a group of people work on the birth of new ideas and their subsequent implementation. Also for students organized various outreach tours in which they will present their business ideas, for instance «Asian case study», «Asian case work shop», disciplines aimed at addressing the different kinds of cases. At the general sessions are organized various competitions, the winners are provides the opportunity to travel to other countries and to continue to work with the analysis of new cases and other competition level. My goal for the next academic semester is to develop my own case on these subjects, and win a trip to the Philippines, China and South-East Asia.

– Kazybek, how did you pass the period of adaptation to the new conditions and how quickly did you get used to the unfamiliar environment?

– In the beginning, there was organized an orientation week for new students: familiarity with the university, filling out documents, city tour. We were divided into groups, where the curators were senior undergraduates. The hostel is comfortable, although it was far away, but the university has provided a bus. When registering disciplines each of us has received ID and password to log on to a special website. A unified system of newsletters Outlook is developed; it codifies all the necessary information on the curriculum. Also there is used Moodle system, where you can find the whole course of student disciplines with all materials (lectures, presentations, videos, homework, etc.). I must say that student life is full of very interesting and rich events. The University support has been an undoubted advantage: organizing trips to the cinema for us with the provision of discounts, to amusement parks and historical sites, trips to other cities. For example, there was a trip at the lowest price to the border with North Korea. During these trips, people usually come together and gain new friends. I was left with a lot of impressions and positive emotions. I really liked it there. University is a huge family where everyone knows each other. It is an international school, where students come from different countries. This gives the opportunity to develop networking, exchange of experiences, ideas, making any conclusions that will help in the identification, development and implementation of business ideas. We are taught by the best faculty.   

– What can you recommend to Kazakhstani students who would like to study abroad?

– I would like to advise not to be afraid, but go ahead, try yourself in new activities, it is great experience: meeting new people from different parts of the world, the opportunity to establish useful business and personal communications, an attempt to feel a variety of academic programs, learn other languages, change the world, improve adaptation. It is necessary to take every opportunity that helps in the future to become a competitive specialist of international level. Another important factor is that studying abroad allows you to learn from the experience and then implement it in our homeland, in Kazakhstan.

– What are you planning to do after your graduation?

– I want to connect my life with the chosen specialization – finance, plan to work in the Ministry of Finance. In parallel, during training at KAZGUU, thanks to the participation in the Leadership Development Programme of the Higher School of Economics I discovered leadership qualities in me, which then “sanded” in the learning process in Solbridge. In addition, I have a great desire to see the world, to travel, to negotiate. Maybe I can learn a further specialization in the future and become a professional diplomat, or at least to combine these two directions.

– We wish you a successful implementation of all the goals!

– Thank you!

Photos of Kazybek from the personal archive and the photo of Partner University, and Kazakh-Korean dual degree diloma

Material prepared by the marketing department of JSC KAZGUU University
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