Groundbreaking Program for Government Leaders of Kazakhstan Developed by Yale School of Management

New Haven, Conn., March 7, 2005 - Senior policymakers from the Republic of Kazakhstan will attend an executive training program at the Yale School of Management from March 7-19, 2005.

The program is designed to enhance the managerial skills of the government officials responsible for leading Kazakhstan’s economic growth and social policy. The twenty-five member delegation includes the Vice-Ministers of Economy, Industry and Trade, Finance, Energy, Agriculture, Transport and Communication, Justice, Education and Science, Healthcare, Labour and Social Protection, as well as Department Heads and Committee Chairmen in the Chancellery of the Prime Minister. This is the first time such a large group of high-profile Kazakhstani leaders has visited the U.S. for executive development.

The Yale School of Management created the program at the request of the Kazakhstan Agency for Civil Service Affairs. The sessions, taught by Yale SOM, Yale University, and visiting faculty, will address topics that include improving the competitiveness of the country, modernizing the public administration system and civil service, development economics and globalization, and international trade. The agenda also includes trips to Washington, DC for presentations by the World Bank Institute, the Government Accountability Office, and a reception hosted by Kazakhstan Ambassador to the U.S., Kanat Saudabayev, and to Hartford, CT for a discussion of electronic government at the state capitol.

“Kazakhstan is an important emerging economic power,” said Dr. Manjula Shyam, Director of International and Special Programs at the Yale School of Management. “They have tremendous petroleum and mineral resources which are currently the mainstay of their economy. The program that we have customized for them emphasizes the knowledge and skills they will need as they work to develop and diversify their economy into other sectors to stimulate growth.”

Kazakhstan, which gained independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991, is the largest country in Central Asia, equivalent in size to all of Western Europe. It is noted for its abundance in oil-with reserves comparable to that of Kuwait-and other natural resources. Major social and economic reforms enacted since its independence combined with its vast oil resources have resulted in Kazakhstan’s economy growing at a steady clip of almost 10 percent in the last five years. Most notably, Kazakhstan holds the distinction of being the only country to disarm its nuclear arsenal (the fourth largest in the world).