OREANDA-NEWS. March 31, 2009. An intercollegiate practical seminar on the topic “Alternative channels for selling bank products and services” organized by AsiaUniversalBank (AUB) was held at the American University in Central Asia (AUCA), reported the press-centre of AUB.

The students from financial educational institutions - the winners of AsiaUniversalBank nominal scholarship contest, their classmates, representatives from AsiaUniversalBank and administration representatives from American University in Central Asia took part at the seminar. Each winner shared their ideas of alternative channels for selling bank products as well as their views on the issues discussed.

Akinai Imankulova, AUB’s Head of Business and Marketing Development Department, prepared a special presentation for the participants and future financiers, based on AUB’s experience and detailed the bank’s products and services sales. She shared her personal and practical experience with the students.

On this occasion the AUB’s Management announced a nice surprise to the scholarship nominees: the decision to increase the number of the scholarships from 10 to 15. The contest this year is noteworthy by the unprecedented number of applicants from regional institutions of higher education. This, we believe, is a direct result of AUB’s intensive development of its branch network throughout the Kyrgyz Republic, and the fact that AUB’s nominal scholarships are highly rated and valued by the country’s residents.

 “The contest topic was complicated enough but undoubtedly interesting. Unfortunately, according to the jury, more than 30% of the essays were copied from Internet sources; a very disappointing and regrettable aspect. However, the winners’ contributions were valuable and a benefit to the Bank. Some essays were so good that almost all of the Bank’s staff read them”, noted Aaly Imankulov, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of OJSC “AsiaUniversalBank”.

The winning 15 students may justly consider themselves the pride of their institutions, since they were the best amongst a very large number of applicants, and judged by an impartial jury that including experts with more than 10 years of banking experience.

Representatives of the winners’ alma mater also attended the seminar in order to congratulate the newly-made scholarship holders, and to discover and learn about some new ideas. In particular, Tatu Shananova, AUCA director in charge of student admittance and development, greeted the winners and said:’’ Your win today is a guarantee of your future success”.

The special scholarship contests are announced by AsiaUniversalBank twice a year, at the beginning of each study semester, where the best 15 finance study students are announced as scholarship winners. The scholarship awardees are given a grant of 3000 soms. In addition to these awards, the students may receive a free apprenticeship period with AUB. The scholarship contest dates back to1999, with some 150 students from Bishkek and the regions having become nominees. Previous contest winners have later joined the Bank to work.