Visually-Impaired Version 
The 9th meeting of the Business Council of the International School of Economics (ISE) — a vital platform for dialogue between academia and industry — was held at Maqsut Narikbayev University (MNU). During the session, participants engaged in discussions on the current competencies of graduates, the transformation of academic programmes, and expressed strong support for ongoing initiatives aimed at advancing the School’s development.
The Business Council serves as a permanent advisory body to the International School of Economics. It comprises prominent and influential employers who actively contribute to the growth and strategic direction of the School. In his welcoming address, MNU Provost Sergey Pen underscored the role of the Council in shaping the university’s future.
“We are constantly faced with the challenge of aligning the diverse interests of various professional domains — business, management, finance, international relations, and human resources — within a single Business Council. Thus, when organisations come together to formulate a collective recommendation, the university’s leadership is obligated to consider it seriously and report back on its implementation at the next meeting,” Sergey Pen stated.
Meanwhile, Saule Kemelbayeva, Dean of the International School of Economics, delivered a comprehensive report outlining the School’s progress in several strategic areas. In the 2024/2025 academic year, the BBA in Marketing programme received international accreditation from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (UK), while the accreditation of existing programmes from ACCA was successfully renewed. Additionally, professional affiliations with CFAI and ICAEW were reaffirmed. Noteworthy milestones included the signing of a memorandum to launch joint bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes with Montpellier Business School (France), and the graduation of eight students from the dual-degree programme with Hof University of Applied Sciences (Germany). Career development and employment-focused initiatives such as Big Week, EY One Day Offer, and Mock Interviews were also launched.
“Research activity has seen substantial growth: two dedicated research centres were established, twelve scholarly articles — seven of which appeared in Scopus Q1–Q2 journals — were published, and a number of seminars and analytical studies were conducted, including those commissioned by government agencies. Moreover, international research collaborations have been reinforced with institutions across Central Asia and Europe,” noted Saule Kemelbayeva.
Employers welcomed the university’s ambitious development agenda and shared practical insights for further modernising the educational process. A key recommendation was the enhanced integration of artificial intelligence into the curriculum, alongside the introduction of specialised courses in fact-checking, semantic and statistical analysis—skills that are becoming increasingly vital in the era of digital transformation. The Business Council’s valuable suggestions were duly acknowledged and will inform future decisions of the ISE administration.
