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Kazakhstan Alumni Association Conducted Briefing Meeting for New Students

  • Date 2022-09-23 11:33
  • CategoryStory
  • Hit1215

Why are Alumni associations important?

Alumni associations are the greatest asset of every university and graduate school. Besides other engagements, they are often, in collaboration with student affairs of their alma mater, involved in developing and conducting different orientation activities and programs for the newly admitted students to equip them with necessary information. In this regard, on 13th August 2022, the Kazakhstan Alumni Association of KDIS conducted an introductory session with newly admitted fall students, which took place in Nur-Sultan; the gathering was attended by both the alumni representative and newly admitted students. 

Goal of the meeting 

The main purpose of the meeting was to provide basic and necessary information for the new students from Kazakhstan who will be joining the KDIS for the coming fall semester. For instance, the alumni representative Ayan Tazhibay briefed new students regarding the KDI School, the visa application process, as well as the route from Incheon airport to Sejong city (KDIS). Furthermore, other necessary stuff such as life in the dormitory, basic essential information , climate features of Korea in general and Sejong city, in particular, were discussed briefly.

Moreover, other Alumnus of the School in the meeting, Daulet Shymyrbek, Dina Suleimanova, and Ardak Kozhatayeva shared their experience of studying in KDIS with new students and responded to the questions regarding academic processes like the selection of courses, concentrations, and differences between the SRP, Thesis, Capstone and other necessary information regarding professors and communication with the Academic Affairs and Student Affairs offices. In the meeting, there were two new students: Dana Kassymbayeva and Akmaral Kamaliyeva.

Interview with new Students

Dana Kassymbayeva, who prefers to be called Dana, is an exchange student for fall 2022 at KDIS. Currently, she is pursuing a Master's degree in Public Policy at Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan. When she was asked why she choose KDIS, she expressed that “I was extremely happy when I got the results of admission to South Korea because KDIS has a very strong academic standing and it is counted as one of the top think tanks in Central Asia. Additionally, I know some professors from KDIS, and I am sure that the school has outstanding professors with international backgrounds. Last, but not least, I am very excited to make new friends from different parts of the world. Bringing different cultures into one place is a unique opportunity to broaden perspective and become a global citizen."

Furthermore, she believes that the orientation meeting was super helpful and informative. She said “I am very grateful to the KDIS Alumni Association in Kazakhstan for inviting me to the orientation meeting. It gave me confidence and excitement because the alumni explained the academic process, life at the dormitory, life in Sejong city as well as the process of cultural adaptation in a foreign country.” Even after the meeting, they are still helping me with any question I might have, and I appreciate this support and truly thank the Alumni Association in Kazakhstan for supporting us through this journey, she expressed.

Likewise, Akmaral Kamaliyeva is another incoming student from Kazakhistan who obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Development Studies from Lund University in Sweden, and she has been working in the field as a policy researcher. She consulted international donor organizations (such as the World Bank, CIPE, Eurasia Foundation for Central Asia, and more) on a wide range of economic and social policy issues. She will be pursuing a Master of Development Policy at KDI School starting in Fall 2022. 

She believes that “KDI School is a tailor-made opportunity for her because of its incredible premier reputation for research and learning in the field of development studies and policy. KDIS is an environment of learning about development from different perspectives. I have always been fascinated by the Korean development experience, and when I first discovered KDIS, I felt very connected to this place at heart right away.”

When she was asked about the briefing meeting conducted by the Kazakhistan Alumni Association, she replied “when I first received an invitation email from representatives of the Alumni Association in Kazakhstan, I realized that how thoughtful and considerate both the school administration/organization and alumni are. She further stated “It's a great feeling to know that you belong to such a community before actually coming to Korea, KDIS Alumni walked us through the academic processes at the KDIS, school community and events, and life in the country in general. In addition, they answered many questions I've had about moving between countries, as well as about being a student here. They also shed light on many opportunities and programs the school has to offer and made me feel even more excited about my arrival.”

Conclusion 

Overall, the new students who participated in the meetings were grateful, and they were happy that they belong to such a great family. They are excited to come to Korea and start a new journey which promises countless opportunities for them both academically and personally.

Last but not least, the KDI School of Public Policy and Management is always working to   innovate and find better ways to provide the best of the best for the students. The effort of the Alumni Associations around the world in general and the Kazakhstan Alumni Association, in particular, is highly appreciated for their valuable support in welcoming new students to the School.

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