Kazakhstan’s universities introduce a financial planning course for protected areas

December 5, 2025

Boy in a green sweater speaks into a microphone beside a large multi-colored poster on a stand in a classroom. — S. Seifullin Kazakh Agro Technical Research University/ Danil Akramov

Kazakhstan's universities have introduced an educational program focused on financial planning for the management of protected areas. As part of this initiative, 246 students are currently enrolled in the new specialty, “Financial Planning for Protected Areas (PAs).” This milestone was achieved through the global BIOFIN project, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kazakhstan in close collaboration with government partners.

Modern challenges in nature conservation require professionals to possess not only ecological expertise but also a strong understanding of strategic and financial planning. To address this need, UNDP, together with Kazakhstani universities, has developed and introduced a comprehensive course covering budgeting, business planning, and fundraising tailored to the needs of PAs.

The program was successfully piloted at three leading universities in the country: S. Seifullin Kazakh Agro Technical Research University (KATRU), Kazakh National Agrarian Research University (KazNARU), and Toraighyrov University. Faculty members and academic staff from these institutions completed specialized training to adapt and integrate the course into their curricula.

Man in suit at podium delivering a speech indoors, microphone in hand.

Woman in black at a wooden podium, speaking into a microphone.

Photograph of a woman presenter with a white scarf speaking at a workshop; colorful chart on easel.

Man in a suit speaks into a microphone at a conference, with a laptop and another man seated nearby.

Photograph of a woman speaking into a microphone at a panel, with two seated colleagues.

Photograph of a man in a striped sweater presenting beside a flowchart poster.

S. Seifullin Kazakh Agro Technical Research University/ Danil Akramov

“The course helps students develop systems thinking from understanding ecosystem challenges to building the financial sustainability of projects. For us, this is an important step forward in modernizing the content of environmental education,” said Zhumagul Boranbay, Head of the Forestry and Environmental Management Program at the Institute of Agriculture and Forestry of KATRU named after S. Seifullin.

The course consists of three modules and includes 23 lessons. It covers key aspects of financial management of PAs, including:

budget and management planning;
business planning, the Osterwalder business model, and work with “customer segments”;
fundamentals of fundraising and grant proposal preparation.

The program helps students develop practical skills that are in demand in today’s natural resource management environment and contributes to training a new generation of specialists capable of implementing sustainable approaches to nature conservation.

Group photo of officials in a conference room with a UNDP banner on the left.

Photograph of professionals around a conference table with laptops.

Group of smiling women in business attire pose in front of UN and SDG banners at a conference.

Group of five people posing in a conference room in front of a BIOFIN screen.

Group of attendees at round tables in a bright conference room, watching a presentation.

Three people sit at a white table with laptops and drinks in a bright conference room.

S. Seifullin Kazakh Agro Technical Research University/ Danil Akramov

“Participation in the training made it possible to better understand the BIOFIN methodology and its application in the educational environment. We gained not only new knowledge but also ready-made solutions for adapting the program to our curricula,” shared Tatyana Vakhlamova, PhD in Plant Ecology and lecturer at Pavlodar State University named after S. Toraighyrov.

The integration of such courses into the educational process strengthens the link between the academic community and practical conservation activities and also contributes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in Kazakhstan.

In 2019, based on the BIOFIN methodology, the training program "Financial Planning in PAs" was developed and successfully piloted. In 2021, it was modernized and transformed into a contemporary online video course, “New Approaches to Financial Management of PAs,” which includes interactive tools, real-world case studies, and modern analytical methods.

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