ALMA University acted as the exclusive educational partner of the «Kazakhstan Expert 200» Forum in Astana and became the organizer of two panel discussions on innovation and entrepreneurship.
Today, in light of the beginning of a new five-year plan of the Government Programme on Accelerated Industrial-Innovative Development, Kazakhstan gradually come to rethink of the universities’ role in building a new type economy. What is the "entrepreneurial university" and why are they needed? Why sensational "triple helix" concept of the famous scientist Henry Etzkowitz puts exactly universities at the top in the formulation and implementation of new ideas and technologies? How to stimulate the development of entrepreneurial universities in Kazakhstan and what should they be?
These and other questions were discussed during the panel discussions organized by Almaty Management University (ALMA University), formerly IAB, in the framework of VI Economic Forum of national business "Expert-200-Kazakhstan" on November 14 in the «Radisson» capital hotel.
The main speakers of the two panel discussions: "Innovation and competitiveness of the national economy: how to use the internal capacity?" and "Business, Government and Universities - the role and responsibility in the development of personnel for the economy" were specially invited by Almaty Management University:
- Henry Etzkowitz (Stanford University, USA), author of the acclaimed model of "triple helix"
- David Kirby (British University in Egypt), the owner of the Royal Award for Enterprise Development
- Oren Simonian (Tel-Aviv University, USA), the startups guru.
Leading representatives of state bodies, Kazakh business, universities, experts in the field of business and business education also took part in the discussion. Among the participants:
- Yerlan Sagadiyev, Vice-Minister of Investment and Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
- Takir Balykbaev, Vice Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
- Talgat Doskenov, President of Kazakhstan Association of Entrepreneurs
- Dmitry Grishankov, General Director of "RA Expert";
- Lyazzat Ibragimova, Chairman of the Board of JSC "Damu" “Entrepreneurship Development Fun”, and others.
Stanford University professor Henry Etzkowitz, special guest of the forum, invited by ALMA University, gave a key lecture during the first discussion, “Competitiveness of national business”. The scientist told about the concept of the "triple helix", according to which universities, government and business must work as a team for successful innovation adoption. “There is the concept of public-private partnerships, which are the defendants in government and business. But the role of the universities in the West has been so powerful that it was impossible to ignore them. A "triple helix" appeared instead of a public-private partnership in the end, as an example of successful cooperation between government, companies and universities”, - said Etzkowitz.
David Kirby, the Vice-president of the British University in Egypt, following the conference, noted the lack of knowledge and understanding of how to create a new economy in Kazakhstan: "You are at the very beginning of this process. And of course, people here underestimate the role played by universities in this process", - said the expert.
"I liked the idea that to discuss the future of the economy the conference was convened. Modern economy must operate with the help of the government, industry and education. This is a very important point - said Kirby – I do not like the fact that the discussion on the topic of education is not held in the morning. The significance of education should be higher. Its significance is critical for the future economic and social development; and as I realized at the conference yesterday, people do not fully understand it".
Oren Simanian, the president of the Center for Entrepreneurship «StarTAU» at Tel Aviv University, speaking on his impressions about Kazakhstan, expressed the opinion that our country is a very liberal and open to different cultures, religions, etc., so that anyone can safely keep his own business here: "People talk about entrepreneurship, they have a desire, a passion. I noticed that, judging by the fact what did Prime Minister, Minister of National Economy and deputy Minister of Education say. But I've never heard of real programs, how you, say, find an entrepreneur and give him money – there is no such programs yet. I learned that there is a will, there is money, there is potential, but there are no functioning programs. I would be happy to hear more about real programs, such as venture capital, which is supported by the government as incubators and accelerators, "- said O. Simanian.
Summing up, the moderator of the panel discussions, Assylbek Kozhakhmetov, rector of ALMA University, stressed that business and society should be involved in the training of future specialists not less than the universities. "Today, the share of corporate business in the educational economy of Kazakhstan is about 1%, while in the west, this figure reaches 30%. Of course, this implies the involvement and control by the business - the company checks the content of educational programs, classrooms equipment, book research to universities, etc.” Such active participation of the business, according to A. Kozhakhmetov, allows raising the quality of education in the Western universities. While our business and civil society will not begin actively influence the process of personnel training, nothing budges. Secondly, the speaker emphasized the importance of the autonomy of higher education institutions - not just national, but private. "If in the next 10 years, the situation in this regard will not change, then education will stagnate in Kazakhstan ", - concluded the expert.
In the end of the panel discussions, its organizer and moderator Assylbek Kozhakhmetov was surprised. ALMA University rector was honorably awarded with the Medal of 1 degree "For loyalty to the cause!" from the National Economic Chamber "Atameken".
*** Forum "Expert-200 Kazakhstan", whose exclusive educational partner was Almaty Management University (formerly IAB), has collected about three hundred representatives of big business and government. It is held annually in Kazakhstan, and it discusses the most pressing problems of the modern domestic business.