The first academic year of the English language program supported by the Shakhmardan Yessenov Foundation has concluded at D. Serikbayev East Kazakhstan Technical University (EKTU). The project was initiated by the founder of the foundation, Galimzhan Yessenov.
From October 2024 to May 2025, 127 participants - including students, faculty members, master's and doctoral students - successfully completed the program, improving their English proficiency by at least one level. The program was conducted online with experienced international instructors: Anthony Durrant and Courtney Bailey.
"The participants showed high motivation. The teaching methods used by our instructors received positive feedback," noted the program moderator at EKTU, Inabat Serikkizy.
Out of 275 applications submitted from EKTU, 160 participants were selected for the program. Despite 37 of them not completing the course, the results of the first year are considered successful.
The 25 top-performing participants took the international IELTS exam at the expense of the Yessenov Foundation. The exam was organized by the British Council Kazakhstan in June 2025 on the university campus. Most achieved scores between 5.0 and 5.5, with five participants scoring between 6.0 and 8.0.
The program was supported administratively and technically by the university: the Google Meet platform was maintained, and attendance and performance were monitored. At the end of the year, a report was presented at a university board meeting.
In September, applications will open for the second year of the program. It is expected that by the end of the two-year initiative, around 300 students and faculty members will have improved their English proficiency, and up to 50 participants will have taken the IELTS exam funded by the foundation.
https://yessenovfoundation.org/kk/programma-anglijskogo-pervyj-god-v-vktu/
