Consumer demand assessment for educational programs in creative economy in education market of the East Kazakhstan region

The United Nations recognized creative economy as one of the fastest growing sectors. The sector not only employs 30 million people worldwide, but also provides more jobs for young people than any other area of employment. The study was conducted within the 5-year “Creative Spark” program funded by the British Council and implemented in the countries of Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan), South Caucasus (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia) and Ukraine. The program aimed at strengthening partnerships between universities and creative institutions in the UK and participating countries, developing entrepreneurial skills among young people and increasing their English level proficiency. Kazakhstan places a special importance on development of creative industries and approved the “Concept for the Development of Creative Industries for 2021–2025” [1]. In order to keep pace with the government’s initiatives and international trends, higher education institutions in Kazakhstan need to provide educational programmes to prepare future leaders for creative industries. The first step in this process is to identify current situation and demand for educational programmes in creative economy. This is the aim of the study. The methods employed in the study are in-depth interviews with experts and surveying applicants to Kazakh American Free University located in Ust-Kamenogorsk, Eastern Kazakhstan. The results of the study show that the demand for creative industries is not completely formed and strong promotion is needed in order to popularize this sector. Some recommendations for higher education institutions in Kazakhstan include the development of double degree programs with the US and the UK universities in web design, brand management and advertising.