Alumni Talk: “Tourism as a Driver of Regional Development: Opportunities for Young Professionals”

As part of the Alumni Talk initiative, we are giving the floor to our graduates — they will share how the skills gained at SPCE have helped them achieve success and grow as professionals in their fields.

The School of Professional and Continuing Education (SPCE) of the University of Central Asia invites you to the master class “Tourism as a Driver of Regional Development: Opportunities for Young Professionals.”

Our guest speaker is SPCE alumnus Rustem Khakimov, will present his professional journey — from his early steps in mountain tourism and earning the qualification “Mountain Tourism Instructor,” to launching his own projects, expanding his entrepreneurial activities, and leading the company Fortuna Food.

Rustem will discuss how he combines active tourism with effective business management, the skills that help him build strong teams, overcome risks, identify new growth opportunities, and ensure the sustainable development of his initiatives.

About the Speaker

Director of Fortuna Food LLP, Taldykorgan, Kazakhstan, a company specialising in the production and distribution of confectionery and culinary products.

Rustem completed the “Mountain Tourism Instructor” course in 2003 (theory and rock training) and took part in a training expedition to the highest point of the Dzungarian Alatau — Mount Semyonov-Tien-Shansky — in 2004.
He is recognised as a successful entrepreneur in the Zhetysu region.

About the Alumni Talk Initiative

From the Alumni Affairs Office of the University of Central Asia, we present the Alumni Talk initiative, which focuses on our students and graduates.

It is a platform designed to exchange experiences and strengthen professional connections, where alumni share their career stories, discuss areas of expertise, and provide valuable advice to the broader UCA community and beyond.