On October 23, the opening of the Higher School of Business of Central Asia took place in Bishkek — a joint project of the investment fund Central Asia Capital and the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA).

This is the first classical MBA program of international level in Central Asia, adapted to the realities of the CIS markets. The new educational center aims to form a talent pool and managerial elite of the region, connecting academic standards of Russia and practical business experience of Kyrgyzstan.

A New Chapter in the Development of Business Education in the Region

The MBA program was created at the base of the Higher School of Corporate Governance of RANEPA in collaboration with IESE Business School (Barcelona) — a recognized world leader according to Financial Times.

The educational process is built on a hybrid model: 10 in-person sessions take place in Bishkek, 4 in Moscow, and 7 modules are implemented online. The training is designed for 21 months and combines fundamental theory with practical cases and project work.

The program includes courses in strategic management, corporate finance, marketing, change management, and digital transformation of business.

The cost of training is 400,000 soms per year (approximately 400,000 rubles) — five times lower than the similar program of RANEPA in Moscow. This makes education accessible for a larger number of professionals and entrepreneurs in the region.

The first group includes 26 listeners, and the next enrollment is scheduled for spring 2026.

Partnership of Government, Education, and Business

At the opening ceremony, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic Daniyar Amangeldiev and the Minister of Digital Development and Innovative Technologies Azamat Zhamangulov were present. In their speeches, they emphasized that the project opens a new page in the development of Kyrgyz-Russian cooperation and contributes to the formation of a common educational space within the EAEU.

“Our governments interact closely — almost all issues are resolved with a high degree of mutual understanding in real-time,” noted Daniyar Joldoshevich Amangeldiev, First Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan.

Access to International Education Standards

The faculty of the school includes leading Russian experts — Doctor of Economic Sciences and Honored Economist of the Russian Federation Sergey Kalendzhan, Director of the Center for Corporate and Business Education Olga Gumilevskaya, Director of the MBA Program at RANEPA and Candidate of Economic Sciences Alvina Kalendzhan, and other specialists working with the largest corporations in Russia and Europe.

Long-Term Strategy for Cooperation

Central Asia Capital and RANEPA intend to expand educational initiatives in the region. In the near future, the launch of the Higher School of Governors and Mayors is planned, which will serve as a talent pool for government bodies and regional administrations.

At the same time, a joint project is being implemented to develop a strategy for the socio-economic development of the Kyrgyz Republic, which is being worked on by leading Russian economists with the support of the Eurasian Economic Commission.

“In the next six months, in partnership with RANEPA, we will launch another training program for the top management of public administration — the Higher School of Governors. Starting this October, together with our colleagues from RANEPA and the leadership of the relevant department of the Eurasian Economic Commission, we are working on the strategy for the socio-economic development of the Kyrgyz Republic. The creation of the document will take from one year to one and a half years, and the result will be presented to the country's leadership. All this is necessary to form a clear, business-friendly environment for Russian business in one of the most promising international directions,” added Anton Sobin, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Central Asia Capital.