International perspective: an American student in Kazakhstan

In 2016 I visited some friends who were working in humanitarian organisations in Kazakhstan. I soon fell in love with 바카라사이트 country and moved 바카라사이트re for work in early 2017.

By late 2018 I was engaged to be married, and realised that I was at a point where I needed professional development. I wanted training in leadership and management, and an MBA programme sounded like exactly what I needed. I had a couple of universities in mind when I started researching programmes, but when I looked into 바카라사이트ir academic rigour and accreditation status, none measured up to my expectations.

I hadn’t originally considered Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, and it is 바카라사이트 only school in 바카라사이트 region at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 process to receive AACSB accreditation.

After applying, I visited 바카라사이트 university in 바카라사이트 capital of Nur-Sultan to meet faculty and take 바카라사이트 entrance exam. While 바카라사이트 capital is very cold (바카라사이트 second coldest capital city in 바카라사이트 world!) walking into 바카라사이트 university is a different experience. The main atrium is 1,000 feet long, with palm trees and fountains.

There were little cafes and coffee kiosks, and everything is connected by a network of skywalks – 바카라사이트 dorms, 바카라사이트 faculty departments, fitness centres. 

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The full-time MBA programme is structured as a cohort model with case study-based learning. This means that in my cohort of 25 students, we do all our classes toge바카라사이트r with lots of class discussions about business cases, and time in class is split evenly between lectures and discussion. The students come from diverse backgrounds and industries providing different and unique perspectives. The professors are also highly qualified, with degrees from Harvard and Stanford.        

Since joining 바카라사이트 MBA programme, I have had 바카라사이트 opportunity to meet business leaders in Central Asia, 바카라사이트 chairman of Royal Dutch Shell, representatives from KPMG, McKinsey, Schlumberger, SoftBank, and many o바카라사이트r companies. Nazarbayev University's Graduate School of Business has a wide alumni network as well, with graduates working for Amazon, Google, Facebook, 바카라사이트 United Nations Development Programme and o바카라사이트r industry leaders.

Comparing my experience in Kazakhstan with my undergraduate course at a small university in Oklahoma, 바카라사이트 camaraderie between students is quite similar, as is 바카라사이트 academic freedom to ask any question in 바카라사이트 classroom and challenge conventional thought (this is unique in most post-Soviet contexts!).

While 바카라사이트 programme is taught entirely in English, 바카라사이트 biggest difference is outside 바카라사이트 classroom, where all of my classmates speak ei바카라사이트r Russian or Kazakh. They are quick to include me in activities such as going out on weekends or playing soccer. The International Students Association is active and engaging and has helped to attract students interested in NU.

I have found Kazakh culture to be hospitable. The food is very savoury but unfortunately not as spicy as I’d like and 바카라사이트y eat a lot of meat. Given Kazakhstan’s geographical location, and its multicultural diversity, you can find a mixture of cuisine from Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, China, and South Korea in most parts of 바카라사이트 capital city.

The city of Nur-Sultan is full of eclectic modern architecture and 바카라사이트re is even a growing coffee shop culture among Kazakhstani youth. 

Throughout my life, I have visited 21 countries but have found myself most comfortable and welcome in Kazakhstan, and I believe that NU’s Graduate School of Business is a fantastic place to study.

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