Into the Heart of Eurasia
Being the largest economy in Central Asia, Kazakhstan is one of the major Belt and Road countries and an important cultural and economic bridge between Europe and Asia. MBA students went on a one-week trip to Kazakhstan from 25 November to 2 December, exploring Nur-Sultan, the capital and Almaty, the largest city of the country. During their first excursion in the heart of Eurasia, students discovered the immense potential of Kazakhstan.
Led by Dr. Andrew Yuen, Associate Director (e-Learning) of MBA Programmes and Mr. Raymond Yip, former Deputy Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the field trip offered a holistic overview of the development of Kazakhstan including international trade, foreign direct investment, transportation and international connectivity, as well as technology and innovation. Students also got to meet Kazakh representatives from private and government sectors and networked with students from local universities.
Visit to Khorgos border
The visits to the Union of Chinese Entrepreneurs in Kazakhstan and the Khorgos border with China deepened students’ understanding of the trade relations between Kazakhstan and China. Towards the end of the trip, students attended the Youth Belt and Road Forum held at Almaty Management University, where they learned about the challenges faced by Kazakhstan in Belt and Road initiatives.
Meeting with Almaty Chamber of Entrepreneurs “Atameken”
Networking session with MBA students from Nazarbayev University
“It was one of the most engaging trips that I have ever joined. This trip was an exceptional opportunity to visualize the knowledge that we learned in lectures and from research papers. Meanwhile, we had networking sessions with local and international students in Kazakhstan to learn about their culture and have a better understanding of their country.”
(Norna Lee, Part-time MBA Student, Class of 2020)
Edward Cheng, Full-time MBA Student, Class of 2021
“The scale of ambition with Belt and Road is enormous and the geopolitics are complex, from an infrastructure perspective every opportunity to ‘green’ the Belt and Road must be taken and emerging economies need to ensure benefits for the environmental and local communities are captured and these elements are not sacrificed for economic gains.”
(Edward Cheng, Full-time MBA Student, Class of 2021)
Sightseeing in Charyn Canyon National Park
“Though still at an early stage, the strategy of One Belt One Road, combined with Kazakhstan’s own economic stimulus plan “Nurly Zhol”, will create vast business opportunities for those who are adventurous and ready for challenges. As the country continues to progress, it is apparent that there is huge potential for future development.”
(Brian Ip, Full-time MBA Student, Class of 2021)