Elvira ZhangozhayevaDean of the Faculty of Business and Tourism
Dean

Elvira Zhangozhayeva

Master of Economic SciencesMBAPhD candidate in Tourism

Has worked in higher education since 2009. Her main areas are sustainable tourism development, internationalisation of higher education, international academic cooperation and education management. Research interest: promoting tourism through national values.

2Scopus documents
1h-index
1monograph
29MOOC courses
5awards
  • Since 2025Dean of the Faculty of Business and Tourism
  • 2021–2024Erasmus+ PICASP project manager
  • Since 2009Tourism lecturer, later Head of the Department of International Relations and Tourism

Dear applicants and students!

Welcome to the official page of the Faculty of Business and Tourism of Yessenov University!

Our faculty is a learning environment that brings together quality education and professional growth, modern technology and hands-on experience, opening the way for the new ideas and initiatives of future specialists.

Our students study in fields that are in demand on the labour market and build professional competencies. We offer programmes in economics, management, public and local administration, finance, accounting and audit, marketing, tourism and other modern fields.

Our main goal is to develop not just a specialist with a diploma, but a competitive individual who masters their profession, is responsible and creative, embraces change and can contribute to the development of society.

That is why, alongside theoretical knowledge, we place special emphasis on practical skills, research, academic integrity, international cooperation, entrepreneurial initiatives and the all-round development of our students.

For us, every student is an individual. Helping them discover their abilities, find their professional path, see new opportunities and believe in themselves is one of our faculty’s key tasks.

If you want to connect your future with business, economics, management, finance, marketing, public administration or tourism, the Faculty of Business and Tourism is the place to start your professional journey. We invite you to step together towards new knowledge, great opportunities and a bright future!

Yessenov University is where knowledge, opportunity and the future meet. The Faculty of Business and Tourism is where your new opportunities begin!

Sincerely, Elvira Zhangozhayeva — Dean of the Faculty of Business and Tourism

Education

  • 2005–2009Al-Farabi Kazakh National University — Bachelor of Tourism
  • 2013–2015West Kazakhstan Engineering and Humanities University — Master of Economic Sciences
  • 2022–2023City Business School — Master of Business Administration (MBA)
  • 2023–2024Michigan State University — research internship under the Bolashak programme
  • 2023–2025L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University — PhD in Tourism

Research and projects

  • Manager and researcher of the Erasmus+ project PICASP “Pilot courses in a pilot enterprise for implementing university–enterprise cooperation for the development of the Caspian region”, 2021–2024
  • Participant in the research project of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education “Hydrophysical regime, ecological state and water quality of the coastal zones in the Kazakh sector of the Caspian Sea”, 2022–2024

Publications

  • Scopus, 2026. The Middle Corridor as a Driver of Regional Diversification: Logistics Development in Mangystau under Geopolitical Restructuring — Journal of Distribution Science
  • Scopus, 2025. Interannual and Seasonal Variability of the Caspian Coastal Upwelling Offshore Aktau (Kazakhstan) — Pure and Applied Geophysics
  • 2021. “Features of ethnic migration and the ethnic composition of post-Soviet Central Asian countries” — Journal of Tianjin University Science and Technology, Vol. 54, Issue 12
  • Monograph. “The state and prospects of tourism development in the Mangystau region”
  • Scopus profile: 2 documents, 2 citations, h-index 1

Professional internships

  • Hilton Garden Inn Lansing West, Lansing, Michigan, USA — 15.01–17.07.2024
  • NGO “Eco Mangystau”: “Current issues of tourism development in the Caspian region” — 04–17.12.2020, Aktau
  • Kazakhstan-Tour LLP: “Current issues of tourism development in the Caspian region” — 05–17.01.2021, Aktau
  • Mangystau branch of the Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law: “Migration processes in Central Asia: trends, challenges and prospects” — 21.02–04.04.2022, Aktau
  • Course “The educational process in higher education: designing and implementing outcome-based learning” — 30.10.2021, Petrozavodsk

International professional development

  • “Publishing in impact-factor journals” — 01.02–23.05.2021
  • Education leaders network programme “Rethinking Education” — 5–12 May 2022, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • “Research-oriented course projects” — Bulgaria, 2022
  • “Interactive teaching methods” — Bulgaria, 2023
  • Seminar “Cultural heritage in education and business strategy” — Warsaw, 2023
  • Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Program — Michigan State University, 01.10–30.12.2023
  • Training of Pedagogy for Language Teaching — Michigan State University, August 2023 – August 2024
  • Pedagogical Innovation for University Instructors — Michigan State University, September 2023 – August 2024

Professional development in Kazakhstan

  • “How do Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools teachers understand feedback?”
  • IKERA International Conference “Trends in Eurasian educational policy and practice” — Astana, 9–11 February 2017
  • G-Global online conference “Studying abroad: advantages and disadvantages” — Al-Farabi KazNU, 12 April 2017
  • Virtual seminar “Qualitative data analysis” — April 2017
  • IX research and practice conference “Values, well-being and innovation for the future of education” — Astana, 26–27 October 2017
  • “The new assessment system: opportunities and challenges” — Aktau – Kazan, 2017
  • II regional conference “How to improve students’ writing skills through peer work” — Aktau, May 2018
  • Seminar “How good is your test?” for English teachers — Aktau, March 2019
  • Virtual seminar “Bringing technology into the classroom” — Aktau, November 2020
  • Virtual seminar “English for media literacy” — Aktau, February 2021
  • Yessenov University courses: “Tour guide” (54 h), “Critical and creative thinking” (72 h), “I am a genius” (54 h) — 2019–2020
  • Yessenov Forum conference “The university as a zone of ideas and opinions” — Aktau, 7–8 November 2019
  • Foresight sessions “Atlas of new professions and competencies in the tourism industry” — Astana, 19–21 August 2020
  • Training “Leadership in education” — Nazarbayev University, 22.06–15.12.2020
  • Amadeus Basic course — Almaty, 23–27 August 2021

Open online courses (MOOC)

  • International Marketing in Hospitality and Healthcare — Yonsei University, Coursera, May 2020
  • Preparing to Manage Human Resources — University of Minnesota, Coursera, September 2021
  • Fundamentals of Revenue Management: Foundations of Revenue Strategy — ESSEC Business School, Coursera, May 2020
  • Preparing for International Travel: Safety and Well-being — Johns Hopkins University, Coursera, May 2020
  • Food & Beverage Management — Bocconi University, Coursera, May 2020
  • Sustainable Tourism — promoting environmental public health — University of Copenhagen, Coursera, April 2020
Show all 29 courses
  • Demand Management — ESSEC Business School, Coursera, May 2020
  • Foundations of Teaching for Learning: Planning for Teaching and Learning — Coursera, June 2020
  • Political Geography — MGIMO University, Coursera, April 2020
  • Print and Digital Design Elements: Branding and User Interface — University of Colorado, Coursera, June 2020
  • Foundations of Teaching for Learning: Introduction — Coursera, May 2020
  • Get Interactive: Practical Teaching with Technology — University of London, Coursera, June 2020
  • Assessment in the Virtual Classroom — University of California, Irvine, Coursera, May 2020
  • Maps and the Geospatial Revolution — Penn State, Coursera, May 2020
  • Geopolitics of Europe — Sciences Po, Coursera, May 2020
  • Geography: Inside and Outside the Earth — Novosibirsk State University, April 2020
  • Children’s Human Rights — An Interdisciplinary Introduction — University of Geneva, May 2020
  • Using Data for Geographic Mapping and Forecasting in SAS Visual Analytics — SAS, Coursera, May 2020
  • Qualitative Research — Coursera, May 2020
  • Maps and the Geospatial Revolution — Coursera, May 2020
  • Performance Assessment in the Virtual Classroom — April 2020
  • Speak English Professionally: In Person, Online & On the Phone — Georgia Institute of Technology, Coursera, May 2020
  • Theory and Practice of Creating Online Courses — MIPT, Coursera, May 2020
  • Giving Helpful Feedback — University of Colorado, Coursera, May 2020
  • Teaching in University — The University of Hong Kong, Coursera, May 2020
  • What’s Your Big Idea? — University of North Carolina, Coursera, May 2020
  • Instructional Design (72 h) — Narodny Uchitel online academy, April 2021
  • Publishing in Impact-Factor Journals (72 h) — 01.02–23.05.2021
  • Tourism: New Approaches to Development after Covid-19 (with Alla Peresolova) — 8–11 November 2021

Honours and awards

  • Certificate of Honour from the Minister of Science and Higher Education — 2023
  • Letter of Appreciation from the Minister of Science and Higher Education — 2022
  • Medal for the 45th anniversary of Yessenov University — 2021
  • Letter of Appreciation from the Akim of Aktau — 2020
  • Letter of Appreciation from the Akim of Aktau — 2021

Volunteer projects

  • English summer school for rural schoolchildren — Mangystau region, June 2019
  • Volunteer in organising tours and travel — Astana, June 2022
  • IELTS — overall band score 6.0

Blog and contacts

Contacts · Emailelvira.zhangozhayeva@yu.edu.kzWrite