The Graduate School of Public Policy (GSPP) at Nazarbayev University is proud to announce that Aneliya Kassymova, a first-year Master of Public Policy (MPP) student, and her team have secured first place in both the regional and global rounds of the 2025 NASPAA Simulation Competition—a leading international event designed to test the leadership, analytical, and decision-making skills of public policy students.
This year’s simulation focused on managing a pandemic crisis, where participants acted as public servants tasked with making critical decisions in a highly dynamic environment. The scenario required balancing economic growth, political stability, and public health amid rapidly evolving conditions.
This year’s simulation focused on managing a pandemic crisis, where participants acted as public servants tasked with making critical decisions in a highly dynamic environment. The scenario required balancing economic growth, political stability, and public health amid rapidly evolving conditions.
Drawing on their collective vision, strategy, and strong teamwork, Aneliya and her teammates—representing various American universities—rose to the top among highly competitive teams from across the globe. One of the cornerstones of their approach was the belief that no cost—economic or political—should outweigh the value of a human life, a principle that guided every policy decision they made throughout the simulation.
In her role as Prime Minister within the simulation, Aneliya coordinated team efforts, facilitated collaboration, and ensured ethical and strategic alignment. The team’s efforts included the creation of a regional alliance to address cross-border tensions, providing vaccine support to neighboring countries, and contributing a significant share of their simulated budget to the Global Health Fund.
“Participating in the NASPAA simulation was one of the most intellectually and emotionally rewarding experiences of my academic journey,” said Aneliya. “It challenged me to apply classroom knowledge in a near real-life setting while sharpening essential skills in leadership, negotiation, and ethical decision-making.”
The competition culminated in a final round where participants were tasked with drafting a policy memorandum and delivering a presentation within just 75 minutes—an intense test of agility, communication, and teamwork. Kassymova’s team successfully outperformed counterparts from top institutions such as NYU and Cornell.
The GSPP community congratulates Aneliya Kassymova on this remarkable achievement and applauds her for representing the School with excellence on the international stage.
In her role as Prime Minister within the simulation, Aneliya coordinated team efforts, facilitated collaboration, and ensured ethical and strategic alignment. The team’s efforts included the creation of a regional alliance to address cross-border tensions, providing vaccine support to neighboring countries, and contributing a significant share of their simulated budget to the Global Health Fund.
“Participating in the NASPAA simulation was one of the most intellectually and emotionally rewarding experiences of my academic journey,” said Aneliya. “It challenged me to apply classroom knowledge in a near real-life setting while sharpening essential skills in leadership, negotiation, and ethical decision-making.”
The competition culminated in a final round where participants were tasked with drafting a policy memorandum and delivering a presentation within just 75 minutes—an intense test of agility, communication, and teamwork. Kassymova’s team successfully outperformed counterparts from top institutions such as NYU and Cornell.
The GSPP community congratulates Aneliya Kassymova on this remarkable achievement and applauds her for representing the School with excellence on the international stage.
