‘Studying at HSE University Gave Me Not Only Knowledge but Also a System of Thinking’

Asem Aldangarkyzy

Photo courtesy of Asem Aldangarkyzy

After graduating from the Vishnevsky Institute of Demography at HSE University, Asem Aldangarkyzy worked at the Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Now she is an employee of the Senate of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Asem Aldangarkyzy gave an interview in which she shared details about choosing a master's programme, the educational process at HSE University, and her academic and professional activities.

— How did you decide to enrol in HSE University's master's programme?

— When choosing a university, I always pay attention to the quality of education and academic reputation of the institution. I received my bachelor's degree at one of Kazakhstan's major universities—Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, the leader of higher education in Central Asia.

As a student, I often heard about HSE University from my teachers. HSE University is known for its high level of education, strong research environment, and modern academic culture. In addition, the university consistently ranks among the leading universities in Russia and holds high positions in international rankings.

In the fourth year of my bachelor's programme, I began to seriously consider a master's programme at the Higher School of Economics. I was attracted by the variety of educational programmes in Sociology, their research focus, and the opportunity to study modern social processes in depth.

I have always been particularly interested in studying population and demographic processes, demographic statistics of various countries, and the factors influencing changes in mortality, fertility, and life expectancy. Unfortunately, the training of demography and population analysis specialists is still poorly developed in Kazakhstan, so it was important for me to find a deeper academic education in this field.

I prepared for entering the university in advance: I analysed the programme requirements, studied scientific publications on topics of interest, and focused on preparing for entrance tests and interviews in order to demonstrate my motivation and research interests.

As a result, I managed to enrol in a state-funded place of the Demography programme through the portfolio competition. This was facilitated by my academic achievements: a bachelor's degree with distinction, a high GPA of 3.99 out of 4 (Grade Point Average, a numerical indicator reflecting a student's academic achievements—Ed.), a presidential scholarship, and a scholarship from the Foundation of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as prizes won at national and international competitions and published research papers.

— What can you say about studying in Moscow?

— It was busy and rigorous. At HSE University, I particularly liked the teachers' approach to learning: we could apply our theoretical knowledge in practice from the very beginning. During the learning process, we actively used various software packages for data analysis, which enabled us to gain a deeper understanding of the methods we studied and acquire real research skills. In this regard, the university offers all the necessary conditions for its students.

© HSE University

Studying at the Vishnevsky Institute of Demography at HSE University gave me not only knowledge but also a system of thinking: the ability to see real social processes behind the numbers, to understand the connection between demographic changes and the economy, politics, and social development. I successfully use this knowledge in my professional activities.

Of course, I faced certain challenges during my studies, but they helped me to develop and hone my professional skills. This period has been an invaluable experience both from an academic and a personal standpoint.

Moscow is a big and beautiful city—it is a city of opportunities. I managed to adapt quite quickly, largely thanks to my friends and fellow students. I was the only student from Kazakhstan in our group. I developed very warm and friendly relations with all my classmates and teachers.

I still keep in touch with my classmates, and we often visit each other. When I come to Moscow for work or study, we always meet and spend time together, reminiscing about our student years. In addition, I continue to communicate with my teachers and my academic supervisor.

— Why did you choose demography?

— My interest in demography formed when I was still studying at university. I have always been attracted to studying population processes, fertility and mortality dynamics, and the analysis of demographic trends in different countries. Gradually, I realised that demography allows us to better understand the socio-economic development of society and predict its future.

After completing my master's degree, I worked for about five years at the Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of the Republic of Kazakhstan. As a certified demographer, I handled the calculation and analysis of the country's key demographic indicators and also took an active part in preparing for and conducting the third National Population Census of Kazakhstan.

I also served as press secretary of the Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms. In 2021, during the National Population Census, I was in charge of the information and explanatory work for the census, coordinating communication with the population and the media.

Over the years, I have accumulated significant experience in statistics and data analysis. I work with extensive databases and use various statistical and analytical software packages such as SPSS, STATA, DAPPS, MRPack, GRETL, and others.

Photo courtesy of Asem Aldangarkyzy

Since 2023, I have worked in the Senate, the upper house of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, where I am also actively involved in demographic and social policy issues. Today, demographic changes and challenges are one of national development and security priorities of Kazakhstan.

The Parliament regularly holds meetings and government hours with ministers and parliamentarians, at which issues of demographic policy, family support, fertility, and regional demographic differences are addressed.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev pays close attention to demographic issues. In particular, on his instructions, the Centre for Analysis and Forecasting of Demographic Processes was established, which leverages modern big data analysis tools and artificial intelligence technologies to study and predict demographic processes.

— Could you tell us about your achievements?

— Since 2020, I have been teaching in higher education institutions as a guest lecturer. In this capacity, I have worked at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, International Information Technology University (IITU), and Astana IT University.

I have taught classes in demographic and social statistics, methods of processing and analysing sociological information (using SPSS), organisation of sociological research, and project management.

In addition to teaching, I’ve taken part in research projects related to demographic and socio-statistical research.

Alongside my professional activities, I entered a PhD programme at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University.

I would also like to note that while working at the Bureau of National Statistics of the Republic of Kazakhstan, I was awarded the departmental badge of honour ‘Distinguished Statistician.’ I consider this award recognition of my professional work: in a relatively short period of time, I carried out a number of important tasks and contributed to the analytical and statistical activities of the department.

— Do you plan to continue developing your research in the field of demography?

— I am currently working on my dissertation. My foreign supervisor is Mikhail Denisenko, a renowned demographer and economist from HSE University (Head of the Demography Department—Ed.).

Demography and demographic processes play a crucial role in the development of any country, as the population is one of the key resources of the state. Demographic research is essential for conducting effective demographic policy, population forecasting, workforce planning, and analysis of social processes. In addition, demographic data makes it possible to predict many aspects of socio-economic and political development.

In Kazakhstan, the community of specialists and researchers dealing with demographic issues is still quite limited. At the same time, the country's universities offer almost no specialised education programmes for demographers, which makes the development of this field particularly important.

My professional activity is in one way or another related to demography and population analysis, so I plan to continue developing in this field. Currently, I work in the civil service and continue to conduct scientific research.

In the future, I would like to continue working in international organisations dealing with population issues, in particular within the United Nations system.