Alina Khalafova: Students improve presentation skills through startup forums

Students develop their presentation skills by participating in startup forums organized by Miniboss Business School in Baku, the school's director, Alina Khalafova, told journalists, Report informs.

She emphasized that when ideas are implemented – especially by children – it means they are gaining real‑life experience:

"Perhaps in the future, thanks to these ideas, these children will become well‑known entrepreneurs. We are delighted to provide such a broad platform every year for children to present their ideas and speak before a live audience. This helps them overcome insecurity and stage fright, while instilling the habit of public speaking from an early age," Khalafova said.

Khalafova also highlighted that children are enrolled in Miniboss Business School starting from September: "That is, the academic year begins in September. In total, one academic year lasts 10 months. They don't start right away, but approximately from November, they begin thinking about working on some idea. Of course, when there are many children in a team, there are also many disagreements, especially if the team includes both boys and girls. That is why children always come up with very complex projects. Sometimes these are very time-consuming, excessively difficult projects."

"However, we try to explain to the children that the main issue is not the idea itself, but the experience. The goal is for children to apply what they have learned in live practice. The most important thing is to gain experience. Thus, the preparation continues from November to April. In April, after receiving the grant, the children then implement this idea. In June, at the national championship, the children come with a finished product and present it before the jury in the same manner. At that time, the jury evaluates them based on 5 criteria, and after that, the most profitable projects are selected for first, second, and third places," she added.