Our Team ⋆ DMU Kazakhstan

Our team

Message from the DMU Kazakhstan Rector

I am delighted to welcome you to De Montfort University Kazakhstan (DMU Kazakhstan) – A UK university in the heart of Almaty, providing high quality global higher education locally, enabling our students to adapt in a changing world and to make a positive impact in their communities.

The potential of education to create change and make a positive impact is clear.
Here at DMU Kazakhstan we look forward to being part of your journey.

Rector Professor James Pounder

DMU Kazakhstan is a partnership between EdPeritus UK and De Montfort University. And while DMU Kazakhstan is new, De Montfort University, the first British university to set up and deliver UK qualifications in Kazakhstan, has celebrated its 150th anniversary and has a track record of providing an international learning experience, allowing students to develop and fulfil their potential.

Kazakhstan has made significant steps in realising its ambition to lead international education development and transformation. We believe DMU Kazakhstan is well placed to provide additional support to these efforts.

Our values - teaching excellence, outstanding student experience, highest employability outcome, global mobility and making an impact are at the heart of everything that we do.

Choosing the right university is an important decision in a person’s life. The experience not only develops individuals academically and professionally, but students gain the knowledge, skills and experience to become confident global citizens able to adapt to a fast changing and developing world.

A senior education leader with significant international experience. Professor Pounder has a track record of helping students achieve a transformative education and has a large body of research work including published journals and papers.

Professor Pounder is excited to be leading the DMU Kazakhstan team and is looking forward to welcoming you on your education journey.

He has studied at The London School of Economics and Political Science and Henley Business School and was most recently the Pro-Vice Chancellor of Fiji National University which has a student body of around 26,000 students and 2,000 staff. He is also a Principal Fellow of the prestigious UK Higher Education Academy, a distinction awarded to those who have made an outstanding contribution to learning and teaching.

Education Summary

Doctorate in Education
PhD in Management
Masters in Business Administration (MBA)
BSc (Hons) Economics

Career highlights

Pro-Vice Chancellor
Director of Teaching and Learning and Professor of Management
Provost (Chief Academic Officer) and Professor of Management
Associate Provost (Graduate Studies and Research)
Associate Provost (Academic)
Dean of Business
Director of Business Programmes
Head of the Management Department

Scholarship highlights

40+ Journal articles published
Published author – Managing the Business Environment
20 Refereed Conference Papers/Presentations
6 working papers

Please meet

OUR TEAM

We take time and effort to recruit the very best people we can. At DMU Kazakhstan we want everyone who works with us to share our passion to encourage students to excel in their areas of interest both academically, professionally and personally. Our team is committed to working together whatever their role, to put the success of our students at the heart of everything we do.

Andrew Carte (MBE)

English Language, Academic Skills Development

Master's in International Education & Development. University of Sussex, UK

Trinity Diploma in Teaching English as a Second Language (Dip.TESOL) Oxford House – Barcelona

Cambridge English Language Teaching Adults Certificate (CELTA) International House – London

International Experience: United Kingdom, Brunei, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, North Korea, Libya, South Africa

Marek Pionka

Business Landscape, Entrepreneurship,
Innovation, Leadership

University Of Technology Sydney, Australia: Master of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship (MBAE)

International Experience: Australia

Hassnen Ramji

English Language, Academic Skills Development

Postgraduate, TESOL, University of Central London

Teaching English as a Foreign Language DELTA, Cambridge

Teaching English as a Foreign Language CELTA, Saxoncourt International

Computing Certificate of Higher Education, University of Westminster

International Experience: United Kingdom, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Kuwait, Mozambique, Oman

Katherine Wilson

English Language, Academic Skills Development

MA TESOL (in progress) Understanding Language: Learning and Teaching

PG Cert. Training & Development Managing performance through People

Cambridge DELTA

YL Extension to CELTA

Advanced Diploma TEFL (ESP)

BSc Business

Trinity TESOL

International Experience: United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, Cyprus, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Tanzania, Kuwait

Mariya Pionka, PhD

Corporate and International Finance, Modelling and Analysis, Investment Management

Charles Sturt University, School of Business, Australia: PhD in Finance

Harvard University (Graduate School of Education), Boston, USA

Management Development Program

International Experience: Australia, USA

Find your next great role.

Whether you’re starting your career or looking to take your next step, DMU Kazakhstan offers a range of rewarding careers in the city of Almaty.

Why DMU Kazakhstan?

This is an exciting opportunity to join DMU Kazakhstan - the first international campus of a UK university in Kazakhstan, delivering programmes leading to the award of a prestigious UK degree.

DMU Kazakhstan will open its doors in September 2021 and promises to be an ambitious, globally-minded institution with a focus on delivering quality teaching and learning, and a campus-wide focus on providing a sector-leading student experience.

Our goal is to become a leading careers-focused, enterprising university in Kazakhstan, one which both prepares our students for the jobs of the future and provides the innovation to drive that future sustainably and inclusively.

We are therefore recruiting energetic, dynamic individuals who enjoy challenges who will embrace the University’s values and together as a strong and progressive team will help shape DMU Kazakhstan’s future direction and success.

Please contact us to discuss any open roles.

The 1st British university established to deliver UK qualifications in Kazakhstan

Apply now