This international initiative, hosted at Karaganda Industrial University under the visionary leadership of Prof. Zhautikov Bakhyt, Rector, is a bold endeavor to empower young women and ignite entrepreneurial creativity. It provides a dynamic platform where students can transform ideas into action, hone their leadership skills, and embrace the mindset essential for success in today’s fast-changing and interconnected world. Guided by Mr. Alex Matrsson, Swedish Pracademic, Initiative Founder, and Honorary Patron, and organized by Mrs. Anastassiya Chvanova, Director of the Department of Strategy, Internationalization, Digitalization, and Cybersecurity at Karaganda Industrial University, the program nurtures ambition, cultivates confidence, and shapes students into dynamic leaders capable of driving innovation both within Kazakhstan and across the globe. By championing entrepreneurship and creative thinking, this initiative stands as a state-of-the-art model for higher education worldwide, inspiring a generation of forward-thinking leaders. In simple terms, the goal is to encourage young students to feel big, think big, and do big.
Mr. Matrsson’s initiative will be further honored by the presence of Distinguished Guest and Keynote Speaker, the international Kazakh celebrity Prof. Kadisha Onalbayeva, a highly accomplished and globally recognized Kazakh-American pianist, composer, and educator whose vision, experience, and achievements exemplify excellence and leadership. Through her insights and inspirational remarks, she will provide participants with profound guidance, ignite ambition, and empower students to envision and pursue extraordinary possibilities. Her presence will not only illuminate the path to personal and professional success but also serve as a powerful source of motivation, leaving an enduring impact on the next generation of leaders in Kazakhstan.
Powered by Mr. Alex Matrsson, the initiative resonates deeply with Kazakhstan’s long-term development priorities, as envisioned in the “Kazakhstan-2050” Strategy. Under the leadership of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the nation pursues a future defined by innovation, inclusive growth, and a knowledge-based economy. By equipping students—particularly young women—with entrepreneurial expertise, leadership acumen, and creative insight, this initiative cultivates a generation of leaders who will propel economic progress, strengthen the social fabric, and elevate Kazakhstan as a global beacon of excellence and innovation in higher education.
At the same time, this program, guided by the Swedish Pracademic, Mr. Alex Matrsson, embodies a steadfast commitment to sustainability. Kazakhstan’s Vision for a Sustainable Future, reaffirmed in the President’s keynote at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2025, charts a bold course toward resilience, growth, and long-term sustainable stewardship. Through its comprehensive and forward-looking approach, the initiative advances the Sustainable Development Goals, including Quality Education (SDG 4), Gender Equality (SDG 5), Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8), Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (SDG 9), Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11), Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12), Climate Action (SDG 13), and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17). This highlights the profound connection between personal development, societal progress, and global responsibility. By inspiring students to innovate with purpose and to consider the broader social, economic, and environmental implications of their work, the program cultivates leaders equipped to shape a sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous future for Kazakhstan and for higher education worldwide.
The competition agenda will now follow four consecutive events, guiding participants through a transformative journey of learning, mentorship, presentation, and recognition.
- Opening Seminar with Mr. Alex Matrsson
The first event will be an inspiring masterclass led by Mr. Alex Matrsson, where participants will gain essential business insights, explore key concepts in innovation and entrepreneurship, and learn how to transform their ideas into sustainable business machines capable of thriving in today’s dynamic global economy.
- From Ideas to Action: Transformative Business Clinic
The second event will be a highly interactive business clinic, in which student teams present their preliminary ideas to Mr. Matrsson and receive personalized mentoring and strategic feedback. This session equips participants with the tools, guidance, and confidence needed to refine and strengthen business models for real-world implementation.
- High-Impact Project Pitch Session to the Selection Committee
Before the final ceremony, participants will take part in a formal presentation session, where student teams will present their developed business projects in English, Russian, or Kazakh. These presentations will be delivered to the selection committee led by Mr. Alex Matrsson, allowing participants to showcase their innovation, communication skills, and project development in a professional, competitive environment.
- Rise and Lead: Keynote Address and Celebration of Excellence
The final event will culminate in a grand closing ceremony, celebrating the spirit of creativity, leadership, and achievement. During this distinguished occasion, the results of the competition will be announced, and exceptional participants will be honored with certificates and special prizes, recognizing their innovation, dedication, and entrepreneurial excellence.
The ceremony will feature the Distinguished Guest and Keynote Speaker, Prof. Kadisha Onalbayeva, the international Kazakh celebrity, whose presence and inspirational address will illuminate the event and empower participants to pursue their ambitions with confidence, creativity, and purpose. An engaging Q&A session will follow, offering students a rare opportunity to interact directly with the speakers, exchange ideas, and gain invaluable insights to guide their future endeavors.
Adding to the significance of the ceremony, Mr. Alex Matrsson, Initiative Founder and Honorary Patron, together with Prof. Zhautikov Bakhyt, Rector of Karaganda Industrial University, will deliver closing remarks, reaffirming the shared commitment to fostering innovation, leadership, women’s empowerment, and the development of higher education worldwide.
At the heart of Kazakhstan’s academic and innovation landscape, Karaganda Industrial University is redefining what it means to educate the leaders of tomorrow. Through its transformative initiative, students are invited to turn bold ideas into real-world solutions, exploring the full extent of their creativity, strategic insight, and entrepreneurial potential. This is more than a program—it is a movement that sparks ambition, nurtures resilience, and inspires visionary thinking capable of tackling the world’s most complex challenges. By fostering innovation with purpose and a commitment to sustainable progress, the university cultivates trailblazers who will drive economic growth, elevate societal development, and shape Kazakhstan’s position on the global stage. Karaganda Industrial University is not only preparing students for success—it is igniting a generation of changemakers whose vision, determination, and ingenuity will leave a lasting legacy for years to come.
About the Initiative Founder and Honorary Patron, the Swedish Pracademic, Mr. Alex Matrsson:
Mr. Alex Matrsson is a Swedish Pracademic. He is a visionary leader, a mentor, an entrepreneur, a senior lecturer, a researcher, and a well-established international business advisor. He is the number one International Business Strategy graduate in Sweden. He has extensive experience starting, running, and managing businesses across the global value chain, as well as working internationally with investors, SMEs, MNCs, government agencies, universities, and multidisciplinary research institutes. Advocating on issues related to business strategy, industrial marketing, commercial diplomacy, and research commercialization. When it comes to education, Mr. Matrsson believes in serendipity, innovation, and the power of synergy-making. Therefore, these concepts jointly constitute the springboard for his knowledge dissemination endeavors. He implements a pragmatic approach that is rigorous in nature. He systematically ensures the successful delivery of core business concepts, while simultaneously developing the students’ ability to become reflexive thinkers. He aims to enable the students to operationalize their “state-of-the-art” knowledge constructively—so that they can become an invaluable source of prosperity, driving forward the “social” and “economic” well-being for their local communities, their regions, and the larger society, worldwide. His scientific endeavors consolidate around trade promotion, emerging markets, business resilience, and the network approach to internationalization. Finally, on a personal level, his wide-ranging interests include blue whales, Arabian horses, classical music, ethical capitalism, religion, culture, the Nordics, the GCC region, and Central Asia—particularly Kazakhstan.
About the Distinguished Guest and Keynote Speaker, Prof. Kadisha Onalbayeva:
Dr. Kadisha Onalbayeva is a distinguished Kazakh-American pianist, composer, educator, and cultural ambassador whose artistry bridges continents and generations. A Steinway Artist, Doctor of Musical Arts, and Professor of Music, she serves as Director of Piano Studies at the University of Mobile and is the Founder and President of the Gulf Coast Steinway Society, encompassing the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Born in Zhetisay, Kazakhstan, Dr. Onalbayeva began her formal musical training at the age of five and has since risen to international acclaim as the first pianist from Kazakhstan to be named a Steinway Artist. Her formative education at the Zhubanov Special School for Gifted Children and the Kurmangazy National Conservatory of Music laid the foundation for a lifetime of excellence marked by numerous awards, including the Kazakh President’s Award for Young Artists, Chevron’s Award for Talented Students, and the Soros Prize for International Cultural Development. A visionary performer and scholar, she holds dual Master of Musical Arts degrees in composition and piano performance from the University of New Orleans and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Louisiana State University.
Dr. Onalbayeva’s artistic philosophy intertwines technical mastery with emotional depth, emphasizing cultural dialogue, innovation, and the transformative power of music. Her performances have been praised for their “sumptuous evocations of sorrow, longing, romance, and elegance,” as noted in her celebrated Carnegie Hall recital. As a composer, she has been commissioned for major works such as Zherym (“My Motherland”) for the Kazakhstan National Orchestra and has premiered concertos and symphonic compositions across Kazakhstan, the United States, and Europe. Her dedication to musical innovation is further reflected in recordings for Steinway’s Spirio Project, collaborations with Navona Records and Innova, and award-winning compositions such as Think…Together, recipient of the Glad Robinson Youse Adult Composer Award and a Festival Osmose 2021 score-call recognition in Brussels.
A devoted advocate for contemporary music and international artistic collaboration, Dr. Onalbayeva has performed and presented in over forty-five countries, inspiring audiences through recitals, masterclasses, and new music festivals across Central Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Her contributions to music education were formally recognized in 2022 when she was inducted into the Steinway & Sons Teacher Hall of Fame at the Steinway Factory in New York. Her influence continues through her leadership in organizations such as MTNA, NFMC, SCL, SMC, and MMTA, and through the generations of students she mentors with a philosophy rooted in excellence, creativity, and cultural empathy.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Dr. Onalbayeva’s personal interests—ranging from cooking and gardening to global travel—reflect her boundless curiosity and appreciation for life’s harmonies. She resides in Alabama and Florida with her husband, composer and pianist Michael Coleman, and takes great joy in her family, including her daughter Malika (Zach) and grandchildren Dorothy and John. Honored with the dedication of Kadi Hall by “Minds on Music” in Gulf Breeze, Florida, Dr. Onalbayeva stands as a luminous figure in the world of music—an artist whose life’s work embodies creativity, cross-cultural understanding, and the enduring beauty of human expression.
About the Rector of Karaganda Industrial University, Prof. Bakhyt Zhautikov:
Prof. Bakhyt Akhatovich Zhautikov, born in 1963, is a Kazakh citizen of the Republic of Kazakhstan and a Doctor of Technical Sciences. He was born on August 27, 1963, in Karaganda, in a family of employees. In 1985, he completed his studies with honors at the Karaganda Polytechnic Institute, specializing in “Electrification and Automation of Mining Operations.” Many years later, between 2016 and 2018, he broadened his academic background by completing training in “Jurisprudence” at the Bolashaq Academy.
His professional journey began in July 1982, when he worked as an underground electrical fitter at the mine named in honor of the 60th Anniversary of the October Revolution of the Karagandaugol Production Association. After graduating in 1985, he continued at the Aktasskaya mine. From 1986 to 2000, he built his academic career at Karaganda State Technical University, rising from junior researcher and trainee to assistant, senior lecturer, associate professor, and later deputy dean. In 1999, he earned the academic title of Associate Professor in “Electrical Engineering.”
Between 2000 and 2001, Prof. Zhautikov served as Dean of the Distance Education Faculty and Head of the Department of “Power Supply and Electrical Engineering.” In 2007, he defended his doctoral dissertation in “Mining Machines,” and in September 2009, he was awarded the academic title of Professor in “Energy.”
Since 2010, Prof. Zhautikov has occupied leading roles in Kazakhstan’s higher and postgraduate education system. His positions have included Vice-Rector for Academic and Research Work at the Rudny Industrial Institute, Deputy Director of the Department of Higher and Postgraduate Education of the Ministry of Education and Science, First Vice-Rector of Atyrau State University, Rector of Karaganda State Industrial University, Chief of Staff of the Board of Satbayev University, and Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs of Satbayev University. As of February 15, 2024, he serves as Chairman of the Board and Rector of Karaganda Industrial University.
Under his leadership, Karaganda Industrial University has significantly strengthened its academic and research potential. In 2018, the university launched PhD doctoral programs for the first time, marking a major step in developing the region’s scientific capacity. The year 2024 became especially notable: the university entered the QS World University Rankings: Asia in the 701–750 range, ranked 12th in the national employability rating by the International Accreditation Agency, rose to 6th place in the national ranking of technical universities by IQAA, and brought the city of Temirtau onto the QS international map for the first time. That same year, the Karaganda Branch of the National Engineering Academy of the Republic of Kazakhstan was opened at the university, enriching the scientific and educational environment of the region. With this development, Temirtau gained a full educational cycle, from preschool to postgraduate studies.
In 2025, a Summer School of Future Professions was created for students in grades 1 to 11, aimed at early career orientation and sparking interest in both engineering and the humanities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Prof. Zhautikov ensured a swift transition to online learning, introduced strict health protocols, and converted a university dormitory into a city quarantine facility. His efforts extended beyond the campus when he organized shelter for citizens affected by severe weather, demonstrating a commitment to social responsibility.
Prof. Zhautikov is also deeply engaged in public and social life. A member of the “Amanat” party since 2009, he chaired the Public Council for Anti-Corruption at the party’s Temirtau branch from 2018 to 2021. Starting in 2025, he became Director of the Karaganda Regional Branch of the Republican Public Association “National Anti-Corruption Movement ‘Zhangaru’.” His support for civic initiatives includes environmental actions, charity projects, partnerships with police departments, and cooperation with volunteer organizations. Among his social initiatives, the “Silver University” program for citizens aged fifty and older stands out for promoting lifelong learning and intergenerational dialogue. Another tradition he initiated is the annual Vienna Ball for university graduates, which has grown into a meaningful cultural event.
His international engagements are broad. Prof. Zhautikov has taken part in international delegations, professional internships, and global educational forums. His training has included programs in the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Turkey, and Greece. He has spoken at conferences held under the auspices of UNESCO and Erasmus+. He serves as an international expert of the SCO Member States Technology Transfer Center and as a national expert in accreditation and science. He is also an academician of the National Engineering Academy of Kazakhstan and head of its Karaganda branch.
His scientific work includes more than two hundred publications—among them four monographs, eleven textbooks, over eighty methodological works, and twenty-five patents and copyright certificates. Under his supervision, doctoral, PhD, and master’s theses have been successfully defended.
His service has been recognized through numerous awards, including the Medal “For Distinguished Labor” (“Eren enbegi üshin”), the Jubilee Medal “25 Years of the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan,” the “Miner’s Glory” badges of the II and III degrees, the badge “Honored Worker of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan,” the badge “For Contribution to the Development of Science,” the badge “Honored Energy Worker,” the Gold Medal named after A. Baitursynov, the badge “For Active Service,” the Medal of the National Engineering Academy “For Merits in Engineering Development,” and the title “Best University Teacher – 2010.” He has also received letters of gratitude and certificates of appreciation from the President of Kazakhstan, the Chairman of the ruling party, the Deputy Prime Minister, several ministers, regional akims, and the heads of various organizations.
In summary, Prof. Bakhyt Akhatovich Zhautikov is a figure of high professional and academic regard, respected by colleagues, students, and the broader Temirtau community. His contributions to education, science, public policy, and regional development reflect his deep commitment, strategic vision, and professionalism. With these achievements and his longstanding service to the city, Prof. Bakhyt Akhatovich Zhautikov stands as a deserving candidate for the honorary title of Citizen of Temirtau.
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