In France, diplomas were awarded to the first graduates of the international EMBA program in sports management from Kazakhstan

A graduation ceremony was held in France for the first graduates of the international dual-degree EMBA in Sport Management program, implemented jointly by the Éklore-ed School of Management (France) and the Kazakh National University of Sports (KNUS).

This is the first Executive MBA educational program of international level in Kazakhstan, focused exclusively on executives and top managers in the sports industry.

Receiving these diplomas marks not only a significant event for the graduates but also a new stage in the development of domestic sports education. The program combined European management practices with Kazakhstani experience in personnel training, forming a unique platform for the development of leaders who will define the future of the country's sports industry. This year, 18 leaders of the Kazakhstani sports industry successfully completed the program, becoming the first graduates of the international EMBA in Sport Management program.

The training took place in two countries: some modules were implemented in France with the participation of leading professors from the Éklore-ed School of Management, while others were held in Kazakhstan at the Kazakh National University of Sports. This format allowed participants to study modern models of sports management, sports marketing, sports economics, international sports law, the organization of major world competitions, and the best practices of leading sports organizations in Europe.

As part of the educational program, the students also familiarized themselves with the organization system of the world's largest multi-stage cycling tournament, the Tour de France, studying modern approaches to managing large-scale international sports events and interaction with the government, business, media, and fans.

According to the Rector of the Kazakh National University of Sports, Tursynzada Kuangalieva, the launch of the international program has become an important step in modernizing the system of training management personnel for the sports industry of Kazakhstan.

"Today, sports need not only outstanding athletes but also strong managers capable of thinking strategically, implementing international management standards, and developing sports organizations in conditions of global competition. The joint program with the Éklore-ed School of Management provides our students with access to the best European educational practices, international expertise, and professional connections. We are preparing leaders who will shape a new management culture in Kazakhstani sports," noted Rector of the Kazakh National University of Sports Tursynzada Kuangalieva.

One of the first graduates of the program was the President of the Kazakhstan Paracycling Federation, Kenzhegul Seitjan.

"This program completely changes the perspective on sports management. We received not only modern knowledge but also the opportunity to study real cases of European sports organizations, meet international experts, and see how a world-class sports industry is built from the inside. Especially valuable was the understanding that effective sports management today is a synergy of strategy, analytics, marketing, finance, and international cooperation. The competencies acquired can already be applied today for the development of sports organizations in Kazakhstan," shared a program graduate.

The international dual-degree EMBA in Sport Management program is the first educational initiative of this level in Kazakhstan in the field of sports management and confirms the course of the Kazakh National University of Sports toward integration into the global educational space, the training of a new generation of managers, and the development of human capital in the sports industry.

Today, the program's graduates receive not only diplomas from two universities but also international competencies necessary for the development of a competitive sports ecosystem in Kazakhstan.