Four new professors joined KIMEP University this January, opening up new classes in the Bang College of Business and the College of Social Sciences. They join about 110 faculty on campus.
Dr. Azian Binti Muhamad Adzmi joins the Department of Media and Communications in CSS as an assistant professor. With a Ph.D. in Journalism Studies from Cardiff University in the United Kingdom, she teaches classes such as Special Event Management and Design, Persuasive Communication, and Media Relations. Dr. Adzmi shared that new faculty members arrived on Jan. 6, just two days before the spring semester started.
“I was surprised because why does the semester start in the middle of the week? But the thing is, I had to handle everything immediately. Especially since I had to do everything in one shot,” she said.
Dr. Seçkin Bariş Gülmez, from the Department of Political Science and International Relations, has a doctorate in Politics and International Relations from Royal Holloway, University of London, UK. He teaches History of Diplomacy 1815-1945, Theories of International Relations, and European Union: Politics and Foreign Policy. Dr. Bariş, who has extensive experience working in other universities, shared why he decided to be a professor at KIMEP.
“KIMEP was established with more than 30 years of experience and I believe it’s one of the best universities in Central Asia,” he said. “Also I heard a lot of good stuff from my Kazakh students about KIMEP, about Almaty. And I was looking for a new challenge in my life and KIMEP offered me that opportunity,” Dr. Bariş said.
In BCB, Dr. Jeremy Brown has joined the Department of Management and Marketing as an Assistant Professor in Management Information Systems. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Sunderland, UK, and will teach Management Information Systems and Project Management in Marketing. He shared about the way he found out about KIMEP and decided to come here.
“I have been looking for job adverts for a few years and this one job kept coming up all the time. MIS at KIMEP,” he said. “ It came up every semester for two years. I’ve been in Oman for eleven years and I wanted to move on. So it was time for a change and this came up, it looked interesting.”
Systems, Department of Management and Marketing at KIMEP. (photo by Mariya Semyonova)
Dr. Samuel Spector, also in the Department of Management and Marketing, is an Associate Professor in Marketing. He has a Ph.D. in Tourism from the University of Otago, New Zealand, and will teach Principles of Marketing and Services Marketing. He mentioned the diversity in the KIMEP’s faculty team.
“I think it’s kind of unique for students here how they have faculty from so many different places,” he said. “I have been in five different universities and they all were multicultural, but not as much as here. That’s unique.”
Students are also adjusting to the new professors. Dilda Zhaidarkyzy, a second-year journalism student, shared her experience with Dr. Adzmi.
“I’m taking two classes with Dr. Adzmi: Persuasive Communication and Special Event Management and Design,” Zhaidarkyzy said. “It is hard to adapt to new professors because we don’t know their grading system, but it’s nice to see new faces.”
Additionally, the new professors also shared their impressions of Almaty. Dr. Adzmi expressed excitement about the city’s scenery and weather.
“I’m so happy to be here. The scenery is so good. I can see the background, I can see the mountains,” said Dr. Adzmi.
Dr. Bariş shared a similar appreciation for the city but mentioned the challenges of adjusting to the local winter.
“Almaty is a great city, although I have been struggling with snow since I’m from Izmir, it’s on the West coast of Turkey.We don’t have winter, so it has been kind of difficult to adjust for a Mediterranean person, but I like the weather so far. In general, Almaty has a lot to offer,” said Dr. Bariş.
Dr. Spector mentioned easy access to the mountains in Almaty.
“It’s great being by the mountains, so I have already been up there to see them,” he said. “I like to be outdoors, so it’s kind of one of the reasons I came here. Such easy access to the mountains.”
Dr. Brown shared the city’s exceptional decoration skills.
“The decorations for Christmas and New Year. I haven’t seen that anywhere else as much as this,” he said. “London has great decorations, but I was much more impressed here. I was very surprised at how much everybody was into it.”
KIMEP has about 110 faculty members, according to a report the university published on its website. Of the faculty members, 82% have doctoral degrees, 45% are foreign employees and 68% received their degrees overseas. The arrival of new international faculty members with doctorate education is a great addition to KIMEP University’s team.