Bolashak

Slate columnist Joshua Kucera writes that President Nazarbayev has "billed it as a way to inculcate Kazakhstan's youth with Western, democratic values.

"[1] Kucera acknowledges in his article, however, that while they are sent overseas to learn new ideas and western values, they are often not given authority to implement positive changes.

Many Bolashak graduates hold main positions in state and private organizations within Kazakhstan.

According to an article in Zhas Alash, 10/25/1996, Kuanysh Satybaldievich Sazanov, a political economist, was recognized as the first Bolashak scholarship recipient.

Mr. Sazanov finished his two year program in 18 months, and in a symbolic gesture, presented the first Bolashak diploma to Kazakhstan's first president, Nursultan Nazarbayev.

In 2012, young people of Kazakhstan were granted the opportunity to study in 32 countries at 630 leading universities overseas.