Driven by Research and Curiosity: Iroda Alimatova’s Journey from Business School Graduate to Research Manager at CAU

When Iroda Alimatova graduated from CAU’s Business School in 2025 with a degree in English Language Teaching (ELT) — a field focused on English language education, teaching methodology and communication — she did not have a perfectly defined career plan. Like many graduates, she was open to different possibilities and curious to see where her skills could take her.

After graduation, Iroda entered the job market, explored different opportunities and received several offers. Then she came across a vacancy for a Junior Research Manager at CAU’s Research Center. Research was not the obvious path for an ELT graduate, but the opportunity immediately caught her attention.

“Everyone kept asking me, ‘You studied Business — why research?!’ My answer is simple: I don’t want to stay in one lane my whole life. I want new challenges, new rooms, new doors.”

That decision brought Iroda back to CAU — this time not as a student, but as an employee. She never expected this when she first arrived at the university. During her studies, she simply enjoyed learning, exploring new topics and discovering new things. Years later, that same curiosity became one of the reasons she chose to return.

Working at CAU also changed the way she viewed the university. As a student, she experienced the events, opportunities and vibrant campus life. As a staff member, she began to see everything that happens behind the scenes — the planning, teamwork and dedication that go into every achievement.

“As a student, you see the front stage. As staff, you see the whole theatre.”

Her experience at Business School prepared her for this transition in more ways than she initially realized. Critical thinking, communication, analytical skills and the ability to understand the bigger picture have become an important part of her everyday work. Most importantly, CAU taught her how to approach unfamiliar situations and find solutions independently.

“I came in thinking I’d learn theory and leave with a fancy vocabulary. What I actually gained was a ‘how-to-figure-things-out’ mindset.”

Today, Iroda is involved in projects that contribute to CAU’s academic and international development. She has worked on initiatives connected with QS 4 Stars, GreenMetric, AD Scientific Index and Times Higher Education rankings, and was also part of the team organizing the QS Eurasia Forum, which brought together professionals from around the world.

These experiences have allowed her to expand her professional network, exchange ideas with international colleagues and take part in projects she could hardly have imagined while she was still a student.

For Iroda, however, the most meaningful part is not simply being involved in high-profile projects. It is knowing that her work contributes to the university she once attended as a student.

Her journey has also changed the way she thinks about careers. She believes that professional growth does not always follow a predictable path — and that is perfectly fine. Sometimes, an unexpected opportunity can lead to a direction that turns out to be exactly what you were looking for.

For students who are still unsure about their future, Iroda’s advice is not to put too much pressure on themselves. Explore. Attend events. Talk to people. Try things outside your major. And, most importantly, pay attention to what genuinely makes you curious.

Her own story began with a decision to try something completely different. Today, she sees that decision as an important step in discovering what she is capable of.

“The right university doesn’t just teach you — it changes you. And the right career doesn’t just find you — you find it by being brave enough to follow what lights you up.”

For Iroda, the journey from an ELT classroom to the Research Center was never part of the original plan. But perhaps that is what makes her story meaningful — her career was shaped not by a perfectly mapped-out route, but by curiosity, openness to new opportunities and the courage to step outside the expected.