In an interview with The Astana Times, Chan Young Bang, the Founding President of the Kazakhstan Institute of Management, Economics, and Strategic Research (KIMEP) University, said that the main mission of any academic institution is to maximize and optimize the well-being of its students toward sustainable quality in learning with the help of the Ministry of Education.

        Dr. Bang formerly served in the Kazakhstani government, most notably as the Economic Advisor to Kazakhstan's first president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, and as the Vice Chairman of the Expert Committee in 1990.

        KIMEP University, which was founded in Almaty in 1992 and has 14 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in seven disciplines, became internationally renowned and accredited under his leadership, and met the country's need for Western-style education as part of a larger effort to sustain economic and social change.

        "The presidents and teachers are here to help students. That necessitates a worldwide cultural shift with the assistance of the Ministry of Education, which should "constantly analyze and review the degree of student happiness and make appropriate decisions based on that criterion," he added.

        In the 30 years since its founding, KIMEP has grown to include four colleges: Bang College of Business, College of Social Sciences, College of Humanities and Education, and the Law School. Qualified professionals, professors, and academics from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, South Korea, Germany, Canada, Uzbekistan, Italy, and other nations make up the global teaching team.

        "Our academically prepared faculty members have PhDs in their relevant fields from reputable Western universities, as well as a track record of research and publications," he stated. Dr. Bang highlighted essential elements of KIMEP University's involvement in the growth of the country's education sector, such as globalization and high rate employability, as well as competent professionals and government officials from the university's alumni list.

        "Many of Kazakh society's approximately 14,000 graduates have made significant contributions." One of our graduates presently serves as Kazakhstan's Prime Minister. Another alumna is the current Chairman of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms, not to mention a third, who was appointed Chairman of the National Bank of Kazakhstan in February of this year," Dr. Bang said. "Our alumni work for famous multinational firms such as KPMG, PWC, Western Union, and Ernst & Young," he continued.

        Kazakhstan has made progress in higher education, according to him, with the signing of the Bologna Declaration, the adoption of the European ECTS credit system, and the promotion of the Bolashak scholarship program, which has allowed thousands of students to obtain foreign degrees and return to Kazakhstan with their skills.

        Chan Young Bang also listed what he considers to be key flaws in the higher education system, such as centralized control over the educational process. He believes it is critical to create a climate that encourages healthy rivalry among institutions, as well as quality and innovation.

        "The Ministry of Education's mission is to serve as a facilitator, allowing universities and academic institutions to compete and succeed. Kazakhstan, on the other hand, has inherited aspects from the Soviet era that have influenced the education system to this day. Different criteria should be used to create a competitive and innovative environment in higher education, such as the percentage of faculty with a relevant terminal degree, internationalization, international program-based and institutional accreditations, student employability, and student satisfaction," he said.

        Dr. Bang believes that colleges need to be innovative and creative in their management concepts, and that education must keep up with the times. "This concentration of authority has major negative effects, such as nepotism and resource waste. Transparency, integrity, and accountability should underpin the operation and organization of higher education institutions, he stated. "Professors must obtain relevant degrees, particularly in the social sciences and humanities, business and management, or education," he noted, "to offer students with the tools to fill positions in the present market environment."

        The inadequacy of digital infrastructure in schools and colleges throughout the world was shown during the start of the epidemic. Dr. Bang also offered the university's learning experience during the COVID-19 epidemic for this piece. "We identified a competent organization, SB Science Management Group, a German consulting firm, with whom we negotiated a deal. "Approximately 111 of our 142 faculty members completed the given program, received their certificate, and are now completely ready to teach online and plan classes and curriculum," he stated.

        Higher education institutions, according to Chan Young Bang, should be ready to support the growth of hybrid and remote learning, therefore expanding the geographic reach of high-quality programs. "In that sense, KIMEP made laptops available to students who did not have one, allowing them to continue their studies." The most crucial concern was to ensure the quality of the programs, which is why we performed surveys on a regular basis to gauge student happiness," he explained.