ENU Professor Lyailya Mutalieva completed a research internship at the University of Surrey (UK)

Professor Lyailya Mutalieva of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University gained hands-on experience in the field of green women’s entrepreneurship during her academic internship at the University of Surrey (United Kingdom).

As part of her research internship at the University of Surrey (UK), Lyailya Mutalieva took part in a number of events aimed at strengthening professional knowledge and acquiring practical skills.

As part of the internship, Professor Mutaliyeva held individual consultations with her mentor, Professor Vyacheslav Filimonov, PhD, Associate Professor at the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management at the University of Surrey. Under the guidance of her supervisor, a seminar on “Operations Analysis of Hospitality” was delivered for students of the International Hospitality Management program. Another seminar, titled “Green Women’s Entrepreneurship in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry,” was also conducted. The main findings of the research served as a theoretical and practical foundation for developing recommendations aimed at increasing women's involvement in the tourism business and promoting gender equality in the implementation of business processes.

In addition, Lyailya Mutaliyeva took part in several seminars, which provided opportunities to expand her professional network, gain new knowledge, and engage in discussions on current issues in the field.

She attended the seminar “Fostering Green Voice Behaviors in Hospitality: The Role of Passion and Mindfulness in Green Human Resource Management,” conducted by Dr. Lydia Murillo-Ramos, a lecturer at King Juan Carlos University in Madrid who specializes in green HRM and sustainable development.

An insightful seminar was delivered by Ms. Rongrong Lius, a PhD student at the School of Tourism Management, South China University of Technology. In her presentation, she discussed digital infrastructure and tourism development, with a particular focus on how the construction of digital infrastructure impacts the growth of the tourism sector.

At the seminar “Hospitality NOW: Design Strategies for Human Experience,” Trevor To, Senior Associate and Hospitality Leader for Europe at Gensler, presented insights into hospitality design strategies aimed at enhancing guest experiences. The session explored approaches to designing for human experience, with a particular emphasis on the hospitality industry.

Lyailya Mutaliyeva also took part in the international exhibition and conference Show Flexible, Sustainable & Decentralized Energy Solutions (The Distributed Energy) held at NEC Birmingham. The event brought together energy consumers, grid operators, and various industry stakeholders to explore innovative technologies in action.

A seminar by Tim Fairhurst, Secretary General of ETOA – the European Tourism Association, was held for visiting researchers, PhD candidates, and master's students. The session focused on sustainable tourism growth in Europe and highlighted the role of ETOA in facilitating travel through visa reforms, promoting sustainability, advancing digital transformation, supporting post-pandemic recovery, and ensuring the sector has the infrastructure needed to thrive.

A meeting was held with the Heads of Academic Disciplines and the Department of International Cooperation at the University of Greenwich. The parties discussed prospects for inter-university collaboration, and further negotiations were scheduled to consolidate opportunities and define specific steps toward joint initiatives in education and research.

During the meeting with Dr. Rekha Rao-Nicholson, Director of Internationalization and Partnerships at the University of Essex (UK), a range of topics were addressed, including joint scientific research, academic mobility, and opportunities for mutual cooperation in areas related to the green economy and other fields relevant to education and scientific project implementation.

A meeting was held with Professor Nadem Khalid, Head of the School of Management at Anglia Ruskin University (Cambridge, UK), to discuss further cooperation on the EMBA/MBA program “Leadership and Corporate Governance” at ENU. His research focuses on entrepreneurship, innovation, sustainable development, leadership, and entrepreneurial education. The meeting addressed the development of international collaboration, the EMBA program structure, formats and conditions of study, as well as a joint program and the implementation of a double-degree initiative.

“I completed an internship under the ‘500 Scientists’ program, which not only helped to identify current challenges and approaches, but also deepened the analysis from an international perspective—an especially valuable aspect for my research within the framework of management in the social sciences. The internship enabled me to collect data on real-world practices, barriers, and opportunities, and to develop recommendations for advancing green women’s entrepreneurship both in Kazakhstan and in the context of global trends. Mastering modern methodologies during the internship not only enhanced my theoretical knowledge but also helped to develop practical tools that can be effectively applied to support the growth of green women’s entrepreneurship. The outcomes of the internship open promising avenues for introducing innovative approaches into Kazakhstan’s tourism and hospitality sector, contributing to sustainable development and improving the region’s competitiveness,” noted Lyailya Mutaliyeva.