On January 23, a ceremony was held in Almaty to transfer minor programmes developed by the Academy of the Astana International Financial Centre to Kunaev University. The educational modules cover key areas of modern finance and are aimed at increasing the competitiveness of Kunaev University students in the labor market by providing relevant knowledge across various segments of the financial sector.

The minor programmes were developed by the AIFC Academy with the support of Freedom Broker through the corporate foundation Freedom Shapagat.

The minor programmes are short-term certification courses integrated into the general educational curricula of higher education institutions. Depending on the field and level of complexity, the duration of study ranges from three to four months.

Ruslan Dzhumashev, managing director of the Freedom Shapagat corporate foundation, stated:

“Supporting educational initiatives is one of the key priorities of the Freedom Shapagat Foundation. We believe that investments in human capital development have a direct impact on the sustainable development of the financial sector and the economy as a whole. The transfer of the AIFC Academy’s minor programmes to Kunaev University creates additional opportunities for students to acquire practice-oriented knowledge that is in demand by the market and contributes to the formation of a new generation of professionals ready to work in a rapidly changing financial environment.”

Zhanna Kashenova, director of the Department of educational projects at Freedom Broker, added:

“The list of transferred minor programmes includes courses such as ‘Derivative Securities: Options,’ ‘Asset Management,’ ‘Financial Market Regulation,’ and ‘International Commercial Dispute Resolution.’ These programmes are designed to provide students with additional opportunities to expand their skills and knowledge, enhance their competitiveness in the labor market, and better prepare them for interdisciplinary tasks.”

Aigul Kazbekova, project manager at the AIFC Academy, noted:

“Minor programmes help students quickly adapt to changes and labor market requirements by providing additional skills in new and promising areas. Students acquire additional competencies, while the financial sector, in turn, gains opportunities for sustainable growth through the entry of well-trained professionals with up-to-date knowledge into the market. The AIFC Academy is pleased to contribute to the development of higher education in Kazakhstan by sharing its expertise and experience in the field of finance.”

The integration of the minor programmes into the educational process is expected to begin in the current academic year. Students of Kunaev University will be able to select these courses to study and deepen their knowledge in key areas of the financial sector.

Omirali Zhazira Omiralikyzy, provost of Kunaev University, emphasized:

“Today is an important and milestone day for us as we are opening a new chapter in the development of Kunaev University by officially launching four minor programmes that will expand students’ educational opportunities and enhance their practice-oriented training. We sincerely thank our partners for their trust and productive cooperation. I am confident that the new programmes in financial markets, asset management, and international commercial dispute resolution will help our students acquire relevant competencies, enhance their competitiveness, and confidently build their professional future. For its part, the university will ensure all necessary conditions for the high-quality integration and successful implementation of these programmes.”