The share of social entrepreneurship globally averages around 3-4% of all enterprises. Leading countries in this area include the United States, where social entrepreneurs make up about 5%, and the United Kingdom, with 7% of all businesses. In Kazakhstan, this figure is less than 1%. Today, social entrepreneurship serves as an effective tool for engaging citizens in the economy and developing inclusive forms of employment.
Astana International University has taken on the mission of supporting and developing social entrepreneurship and addressing the challenges faced by socially vulnerable groups.
We are the first to implement training for social entrepreneurs in the CIS, Central Asia, and the Republic of Kazakhstan. From 2021 to 2024, Astana International University received a grant from the Ministry of Information and Social Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan to implement the NGO Academy project - the School of Social Entrepreneurship "Өрелі ұрпақ". The first Master's graduates in the field of social entrepreneurship completed their studies at our university in 2022. To date, Astana International University is the first and only partner participant in the Social Innovation Hub in Kazakhstan.
We were the first to begin scientific research on key issues in the field of social entrepreneurship. The first scientific project focused on employment issues of socially vulnerable populations in Kazakhstan (GF 2023-2025). One of the most pressing challenges remains the employment of people with disabilities. According to the United Nations, only 30-50% of people with disabilities are employed even in developed countries. In Kazakhstan, this problem is particularly severe, as unemployment among people with disabilities deepens social isolation and economic inequality.
For the first time in Kazakhstan, the scientific project titled “Integration of People with Disabilities into the Labor Market: Development of a Comprehensive Employment Adaptation Program” has received grant support from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2025-2027, highlighting its strategic importance for the state and society.
The project team, including project leader, Doctor of Economics, PhD Smagulova Z.K., PhD Okutayeva S.T., PhD Baibash G.K., and master’s degree holder and founder of the Association of Social Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan, Askerov E.Kh., aims to develop and pilot a comprehensive employment adaptation program for people with disabilities in Kazakhstan. The program includes employer training, preparation of job seekers with disabilities for employment, and mentoring support.
This is not just a research project - it is a tool for transforming social policy, grounded in international standards and global best practices.