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The Kazakh New Year Heralds a New Dawn for Local Compass Group Business Students with the Award of UK Qualifications

In a state-of-the-nation speech on 28th February 2007 the Republic of Kazakhstan (ROK) President Nursultan Nazarbayev proposed far-reaching education reforms as part of Kazakhstan's drive to join the 50 most competitive countries in the world.

"Almost all successful modern states which are actively integrated in the international economic system have staked their future on an 'economy of the mind'. To create this, we have to primarily develop our own human capital ... including online learning and educational TV ... and a method to accredit educational institutions in line with international standards."

ESS Support Services (Kazakhstan) is part of Compass Group PLC, the prestigious UK Institute of Administrative Management (IAM) and its online eLearning development partner NewLeaders had already anticipated this need. Together they have worked to develop and pilot an eLearning version of the IAM's Post Graduate Certificate in Administrative Management that is specifically contextualised for Kazakhstan. The Certificate is a core component of the ESS Future Leaders programme geared towards up-skilling local managers enabling them to take over responsibilities from their expatriate colleagues and ultimately take on new and challenging roles working for ESS at international locations.
On the 21st of March, the eve of Nauriz (the Kazakh New Year), the first cohort of 13 students graduated at a gala ceremony in Atyrau, the administrative centre for the Oil & Gas Industry in Western Kazakhstan. The awards were presented by David Woodgate, the CEO of the IAM, in the presence of the senior management from Compass's Central Asia, Middle East & Africa (CAMEA) business and senior delegates from national and regional government along with colleagues and family of the graduating students.

Mr Sharypayev, Department Head of Technical & Professional Education at the ROK Ministry of Education, began by congratulating the students on their achievements and stating that,

"It is important to recognise the need to develop the best talents within organisations" David Woodgate added, "The Certificate that I'm awarding on behalf of the IAM is fully accredited. It is an internationally recognised qualification that will be accepted by employers anywhere in the world ... This evening sees three important firsts for us in Kazakhstan - the coming of age of the ESS Training Centre, our first accredited centre in the whole of Central Asia, the delivery of our first eLearning programme (specifically contextualised for an non-UK audience) and the graduation of our first Kazakh students - I really believe that ESS has chosen a superb cohort of Future Leaders and it is entirely fitting that they graduate on the eve of Nauriz, the Kazakh New Year"

Graduating Future Leader Ms Gulnaz Pazylova caught the mood of the evening by remarking that,

"Kazakhstan is a very young country, a developing country and it needs well educated and professional leaders and those Future Leaders are us."

he Kazakh New Year Heralds a New Dawn for Local Compass Group Business Students with the Award of UK Qualifications