The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) – «Quality Education»
aims to ensure inclusive and quality education while fostering the skills and competencies
necessary for sustainable development and professional success. Contributing to this goal, the
Higher School of Economics hosted the student project competition “Green Start: Business of
the Future” on June 8, 2026.
The competition was organized by the leaders of the School of Green Economy, G.T.
Lesbayeva and G.K. Baibash, and involved first-year students from the educational programs
«Economy», «Management», «International Business», «Tourism», and «Finance». As part of
their academic internship, students worked in teams to develop business ideas and initiatives in
the fields of green economy, sustainable consumption, ecotourism, and green finance. During the
final stage, participants presented projects that included marketing solutions, financial
calculations, and assessments of environmental impact. The projects demonstrated a high level
of student engagement, the ability to apply theoretical knowledge in practice, effective teamwork
skills, and readiness to develop innovative solutions to current environmental and socio-
economic challenges.
The competition served as an effective platform for developing entrepreneurial and
project-management competencies among future professionals. The experience gained will
contribute to the enhancement of students’ professional skills, which are highly востребованы in
the modern economy, while also promoting a culture of sustainable development among young
people.