Vanderbilt graduate Kashkinbekov: Bolashak scholarship was a good start in life
Tell please about your career?
In 1988 I graduated with distinction from the Karaganda State University. Just after the graduation I went to the USA to study at the Vanderbilt University by Bolashak program. Considered the "Harvard of the South" this university ranks among the top 20 universities of the country. In a couple of years I got a Master's Degree in Economy. It was a very good experience for me, I got really qualitative education.
Coming back to Astana I started working as a chief analyst in one of the leading companies of that time - KazakhOil. It was not a major post but I found work in the department for strategic planning of foreign economic relations very interesting. In 2002 on the basis of KazakhOil was established KazMunaiGaz National Company. I worked there till mid-2004. That year at the invitation of the foreign colleagues I moved to Almaty and was appointed Director of the Association "Kazakhstan Council of Foreign Investors".
It was my first experience of working at senior posts. I was engaged in communication with top managers of Kazakh and foreign companies, holding of plenary sittings, total coordination of activity of five working groups, joint projects with the state bodies. In a year and a half I was invited to work as manager for business development and government affairs at the US oil firm ConocoPhillips.
In 2006 the Fund of Sustainable Development "Kazyna" was founded in Kazakhstan. I worked in one of its development institutes "Kazinvest" for about a year. Thereafter I got the position of Executive Manager for Almaty at KazEnergy Association. A year ago I was invited to work as Advisor to Economy Minister of Kazakhstan Bakhyt Sultanov. Then I was Manager of the International Cooperation department of Samruk-Kazyna National Welfare Fund. For three months I have been working in ArcelorMittal - a world market leader in steel production. In Kazakhstan this company is widely represented. Karaganda Metallurgy Plan, Aktau Steel Pipes Plant, coal mines in Karaganda and many iron mines countrywide belong to ArcelorMittal. At present the company is diversified. Probably it will work on energy projects.
In your opinion, what makes the national education different from the education abroad?
We, Bolashak graduates, are pleased by the fact that the difference in the quality of education is gradually reducing. New modern universities are opened in Astana. The difference in quality and methods of education, professors' preparation was essential in the 90s. Today the level of education in the republic is more efficient. Another change is that the youth understands that education is the first step in building successful career. But the difference in education quality still exists, as long as the universities of the West having many centuries' traditions, multimillion budgets are able to employ professors from all over the world that can give better education. "Bolashak" program is unique. Its uniqueness is in its size - 3000 scholarships. I believe, it will show its effectiveness in the nearest future.
However we should not forget about the Kazakhstani education. We must increase its level to the international standards. "Bolashak" program was a good start in life for me.
Issue on exclusion of the bachelor degree of the "Bolashak" scholarship is under consideration. What do you think about it?
The program has existed in such a format for ten years now, and there is nothing bad about it. It is returning back to providing studies on master's degrees and narrow specialties. I think that it is better to go abroad having post graduate education and some experience.