For Accountant’s Day. Interview with Asiyat Kalmykova, head of the Accounting Department at KBSU

Today, November 21, Russia celebrates Accountant’s Day. This profession is one of the most important in the modern world, because no organization can do without accounting. On the eve of the professional holiday, the KBSU press service talked with Asiyat Kalmykova, Head of the Accounting Department — Chief Accountant at the Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after Kh.M. Berbekov.

— Asiyat Martinovna, tell us how you chose your profession?

— I can say that the love for the exact sciences was laid in me at the genetic level. My grandmother was an accountant in her youth, and my grandfather worked as a chief accountant on a collective farm all his life. It was forbidden to disturb him during the submission of reports. I remember that he worked in black armbands and used a huge wooden abacus.

However, I did not immediately decide to connect my life with numbers and reports. In my school years, I thought about becoming a doctor. But my genes won!

I graduated with honors from school and the College of Information Technology and Economics of KBSU, then received a diploma in economics from the Kabardino-Balkarian State Agricultural Academy. I started working in my profession at the age of 18. Then I got a job at the 1st Department of Internal Affairs of the city of Nalchik, then moved to the State Courier Service of the Russian Federation, then to the Office of the Federal Migration Service for the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic.

— Since what year have you been working at KBSU?

— I have been working as the head of the accounting department at KBSU since 2016. To be honest, I responded to the vacancy with apprehension. At first, I was a little scared to take responsibility for such a large amount of work. But when the decisive telephone conversation with the head of the university Yuri Kambulatovich Altudov took place, I had no doubts left. He knows how to win people over and, as a true leader, is able to create an atmosphere of trust in the team.

– There is a stereotype that an accountant’s job is boring. What do you think about this?

– An accountant’s job is not boring at all, it is interesting! I love my job, I love speaking the language of numbers. And how can you get bored when various changes are made to accounting every year that need to be studied and implemented in work? For example, right now our university is planning to transform the financial model. This topic was discussed literally last week at KBSU by participants in a seminar-meeting on the strategic development of universities.

I would like to note that our university was chosen as a location for an event of this scale for a reason. Thanks to the professionalism of the rector and the university team, since 2023 KBSU has occupied a leading position in the financial management quality rating among institutions subordinate to the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia. During the forum, we had the opportunity to delve into all the most pressing issues of financial transformation of universities, listen to and learn from the experience of professionals, and expand business connections.

– Many people work under your leadership. Tell us about your team.

– One of the reasons why I love my job is my colleagues. I am surrounded by wonderful people, professionals in their field. Our team is large (30 specialists of different ages) and very friendly.

– Tell us, do you have a hobby? How do you spend your free time?

– I love reading, although I don’t always have time for it. But my real outlet is my sons. And I always say that I like growing up with them. That’s why I try to read the works that they are currently interested in. For example, we have read and are preparing to discuss the book “100 Stories from the History of Medicine” by Mikhail Shifrin.

I also like to participate in the intellectual games “What? Where? When?”, which are held at KBSU. We have a wonderful team called «Unreal Experts».

— What would you wish your colleagues on this holiday?

— Dear colleagues, Happy Accountant’s Day! For me, the choice of this profession was fateful and predetermined not only my place of work, but my whole life as a whole. I have never regretted my personal professional trajectory. I want to wish my colleagues correct numbers and easy counting, career growth, good health, personal happiness and a peaceful sky above their heads. Take care of yourself and remember that your work is priceless!