On a scorching May afternoon, when the weather in Almaty felt more like summer than spring, KIMEP students were preoccupied with more than just the heat. May 17, 2025, the day of the university’s 32nd graduation ceremony, marked the end of one chapter and the exciting beginning of another. The event, held at the Baluan Sholak Sports Palace on Abay Avenue, was a chance for proud family members and friends of students to watch their loved ones receive the diplomas they had worked so hard to earn.
Before the ceremony, graduates had the opportunity to take pictures with their parents, with each other, and, of course, with their former professors and deans. As per tradition, photo booths were on the premises, allowing all attendees to obtain not only a digital, but also a material memory of this important day.
After the photo sessions, the graduates joined together with their departments and solemnly entered the hall. Upon entering, they were met with thunderous applause from their families and friends, who continued to cheer loudly throughout the ceremony. Despite the festive mood, however, some attendees expressed their disappointment at the conditions and the pacing of the ceremony.
“It was so hot that I didn’t even manage to take photos with [the people] I would like to take [photos with] the most, but most importantly, I wasn’t able to take at least one photo in a gown with my parents, and that still makes me sad,” said Elina Malkowskaja.
“There was little water, and we were hot; I can’t imagine how stuffy it was for those standing in gowns. There was little space for the parents, so it was impossible to breathe until we entered the main hall,” said Gulmira Skendir, a volunteer of the event.
While the graduates used their graduation caps to cool off, they were seated in sections while videos about the university’s facilities played in three different languages. The videos repeated the same material in English, Russian, and Kazakh, which added to the amount of time the audience had to wait for the ceremony to begin. After the videos had finished and students had taken their seats, the attendees had the opportunity to watch a video of interviews with graduates, in which they shared their insightful tips for incoming freshmen. One of the most memorable tips shared by graduates in the video was “Never delay until tomorrow what you can do today, especially if the deadline was yesterday.”
After the video interview, ceremonial music played and faculty members entered the hall. The graduates greeted their now former professors and deans with standing applause. Finally, University President Dr. Chan Young Bang entered and made his way to the dais.
Dr. Sergey Sayapin, professor of Law School, was the first one to speak. Speaking in Kazakh, he welcomed attendees to the 32nd KIMEP graduation and kindly invited President Bang to open the ceremony. After the traditional performance of the anthem, Sayapin asked Dr. Timothy Barnett, the General Deputy to the President, to introduce the keynote speaker, also a KIMEP graduate. The guest of honor was Kamila Lukpanova, who, after graduating from university, went on to further studies and is well-known for her many career achievements, as well as for continuing her education in London.
“Everything we did at university called ‘student life’ was actually real life. So do not be afraid of your desires and go experiment,” said Lukpanova in her speech to the graduating students.
After the speech, the hosts of the graduation ceremony invited Olzhas Abenov, Mariam Bulnu, and Ailana Alimkhanova, to the stage. The three graduating students, winners of the students’ speech contest, shared their thoughts on behalf of the student body.
“Today, we close an important page in our lives and move on to a special part of our lives. Today is not just about getting a diploma, it is about finding yourself and a long road to the future,” Abenov said.
Sayapin further highlighted academic achievement as the goal of the university and pointed out that reaching this goal would not have been possible without faculty members. Dr. Damian Andreas Riviez, Vice President for Academic Affairs, was then invited to the podium to present the awards for excellence in teaching.
After the faculty members, the first to go on stage to receive their certificates were the students graduating with academic success.
After the lengthy ceremony of receiving diplomas, graduates and their loved ones took pictures near the photo booths, if they had not had time to do so before the ceremony. Despite the unbearable heat and thick robes, the graduates expressed a mixture of joy, relief, and happiness.
The ceremony ended with a symbolic gesture: the graduates simultaneously threw their square caps into the air, marking the beginning of a new chapter of their lives.
It was so hot that I didn’t even manage to take photos with who I would like to take the most, but most importantly, I wasn’t able to take at least one photo in a gown with my parents, and that still makes me sad,”
I didn’t even manage to take photos with who I would have liked to take photos with the most…
“It was so hot that I didn’t even manage to take photos with [the people whom] I would like to take [photos with] the most,