On February 20, 2026, an open meeting of the Academic Committee of the Tourism educational program was held at MITU. The meeting focused on updating the program in line with current trends in the tourism industry, labor market requirements, digitalization of the service sector, and international professional standards.

The meeting was attended by representatives of travel companies and the hospitality industry, faculty members, academic experts, and students. During the session, updated course proposals were presented, and issues related to strengthening practice-oriented training, expanding internship bases, introducing digital tools in tourism product management, and enhancing cooperation with the tourism industry were discussed.

Director of Makus LLP, L.T. Ussenova, noted that the Tourism educational program should combine managerial, economic, and service competencies, as well as digital marketing and data analysis skills in the field of tourism. She proposed strengthening the analytical and entrepreneurial components of the program by expanding the block of courses on tourism project management and destination development.

Professor M.A. Tleuzhanova substantiated the need to introduce the course “Microeconomics and Market Mechanisms in Tourism” instead of “Microeconomics in Tourism” to develop students’ systematic understanding of tourism market functioning, supply and demand mechanisms, pricing strategies, and the behavior of economic agents in tourism.

She emphasized that mastering this discipline would enable future specialists to analyze the market environment, assess the costs of tourism enterprises, make informed managerial decisions under different market structures, and consider the impact of externalities and investment processes on the development of the tourism industry.

Within the “Digital Technologies in Tourism” track, it was proposed to introduce the course “E-tourism and Digital Marketing,” aimed at developing competencies in online promotion of tourism services, working with tourism platforms, and using analytical tools to enhance competitiveness.

Lecturer A.M. Doskaranova highlighted that the program is practice-oriented and meets modern requirements of the tourism industry. She noted that the well-balanced combination of economic disciplines, management modules, and specialized tourism courses enables students to develop a comprehensive understanding of tourism market operations.

Overall, the lecturer expressed confidence that the Tourism educational program ensures high-quality training of specialists capable of working effectively in conditions of intense competition, digital transformation, and the dynamic development of the tourism and hospitality industry.

Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs and International Relations A.A. Abdildaeva explained that when developing the curriculum, regulatory requirements and mandatory disciplines are taken into account, ensuring compliance with national higher education standards and international recommendations in the field of tourism.

Head of the Department of Economics and Business Zh.T. Dildebayeva thanked all participants — faculty members, experts, employers, and students — for their active participation, constructive proposals, and contribution to the development of the educational program. Such meetings contribute to improving the educational process and enhancing the quality of specialist training.