Regions in the post-Soviet space – Development Trends in Novgorod and Kazakhstan

Novgorod is today on the 60/85 place in the rating of social and economic development of territorial entities of the Russian Federation. Traditional priorities in city development are manufacturing industry, agricultural sector, and tourism that nowadays gains a second wind. The number of non-profit organizations is growing, and most of them focus on women and children related issues. There are also patriotic clubs and veteran organizations. The University has become a participant of the National Technological Initiative “20.35” and started implementation of the ‘City as a University’ -program. The city attracts more and more youth every year. Civil society is still primarily marked by individual actions, and local initiatives are usually suggested by the business community and municipalities.

The seminar is looking into the opportunities and hindrances for the Novgorod region to improve its situation, discussing about the autonomy of a region like Novgorod within the division of work between a region and the Federal State in issues of economic and social development. The second presentation is devoted to the economic development and well-being in Kazakhstan during the period of economic boom of 2000-2007's, during the global financial crisis and the following period.  It considers the policies, implemented towards the stimulation of economic growth and for sustaining the well-being.

Rimma Timofeeva is a Professor of the Yaroslav-the-Wise Novgorod State University, a Doctor of Economics, and an expert of the Russian Academy of Sciences. She has initiated, established and leaded Master Programs, such as Project Management and State and Municipal Administration, established and leaded the postgraduate training program in Regional Economics. Her area of expertise is research and management of economic and social systems. In 2013 she served internship in the European Union in the framework of Erasmus Mundus program.

Anna Ievleva graduated from the Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia (St. Petersburg) in 2012 with a degree in Linguistics. Since 2013 she has worked as a translator from and into English in the EGO Translating Company. Currently she studies at the Yaroslav-the-Wise Novgorod State University and researches human capital as a driver of social and economic development of countries in the framework of digitalization.

Alma Kudebayeva is Assistant Professor at the Department of Economics, KIMEP University, specializing on issues of poverty, inequality and labor economics. She has provided expertise on inequality and poverty assessment at the United Nations and the World Bank. Her areas of expertise also include gender and employment in Central Asia. She was a Fulbright scholar at Indiana University and Research Fellow at DIW (Berlin). Holds doctorates in mathematics from al-Farabi Kazakh National University and in development economics from the University of Manchester.