The Benefits of Attending a Fully-residential, Mountain-based University
For most Central Asian students, the higher education experience means attending classes at a university in a city or town, living at home or in a shared apartment, and commuting to campus. Interaction with faculty and fellow students is often confined to class time, which can be limited in a large lecture hall. And the struggle to reach class on time – not to mention finding a quiet place to study – can become the main focus of a student’s university experience, not to mention a major source of stress.
Research shows that living and interacting with fellow students on campus can positively affect critical thinking, cultural awareness, leadership skills and academic development. Conversely, studies confirm that the further you live from campus, the less likely you are to take advantage of all the educational resources at your university. This puts rural students at a serious disadvantage.
UCA believes that a university education is about more than attending class and completing assignments. UCA is offering students in the region something different: A fully residential, immersive experience in an environment that fosters learning and the free exchange of ideas. At UCA, learning begins when a student wakes and pauses only when a student goes to sleep.
UCA offers students the chance to live amongst fellow students and faculty, utilise brand new facilities and resources, and receive an international standard of education in a community of learning unlike any other in the region. Each secure UCA campus offers beautifully designed world-class academic, residential, dining and sports facilities, libraries, laboratories, common lounge and recreation areas, health and wellness services, 100 per cent Internet connectivity and other amenities. The majestic mountain settings of UCA’s three campuses provide ideal environments for students to undergo a life-changing educational experience.
Everything you need to learn and grow is on campus. Come see for yourself!
To apply to the University of Central Asia, visit: http://www.ucentralasia.org/admissions, email us at admissions@ucentralasia.org, or call/SMS: +996 770 822 901 (Kyrgyz Republic), +992 93 999 99 64 (Tajikistan), +7 777 822 3948 (Kazakhstan).
HOW TO APPLY TO UCA:
1.Attend a UCA information session in your community http://bit.ly/UCAInfoSessions
2.Download application forms online http://bit.ly/ApplyUCA
3.Submit your application to apply@ucentralasia.org or in person by 18 March 2016
4.Sit for UCA’s Admissions test on 3 April 2016
5.Shortlisted candidates to submit supporting documents by 29 April 2016
6.Accepted applicants informed and financial aid decisions are provided by June 2016.
ismailimail
https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2016/ ... niversity/
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ASIA (UCA)
Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan, Minister of Education and Senior Academics Applaud University of Central Asia’s Ambitious Approach to Higher Education
March 11, 2016: During a visit to the University of Central Asia’s campus on 4 March 2016, His Excellency Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic Temir Sariev called Naryn “a place to watch” and praised UCA’s decision to invest to establish a world class university in the mountain region of Naryn.
“Here we have UCA, which is building a world class, fully-residential campus, capitalising on the beauty of the region and offering high quality education. It is breaking the stereotypical view of mountain communities as remote and disconnected by transforming Naryn into a centre of excellence and innovation. The Government is a proud Founder State of this visionary and ambitious endeavour,” said the Premier.
His remarks were delivered at a higher education forum attended by 60 rectors of the country’s leading universities and directors of secondary schools, organised by the Ministry of Education and Science as part of a visit to UCA’s Naryn campus.
[…] Earlier in the day, Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, Executive Chairman of the UCA Board Executive Committee and Diplomatic Representative of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and Dr Bohdan Krawchenko, Director General and Dean of Graduate Studies, received the group and conducted the campus tour.
“The University of Central Asia is excited to join the community of educators in the Kyrgyz Republic dedicated to engaging with issues of quality and access to higher education,” said Kassim-Lakha. “We are privileged to share our efforts at UCA with these distinguished academic leaders and look forward to learning from the breadth of their experience and perspective.”
Source: University of Central Asia News – Photographs
https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2016/ ... education/
March 11, 2016: During a visit to the University of Central Asia’s campus on 4 March 2016, His Excellency Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic Temir Sariev called Naryn “a place to watch” and praised UCA’s decision to invest to establish a world class university in the mountain region of Naryn.
“Here we have UCA, which is building a world class, fully-residential campus, capitalising on the beauty of the region and offering high quality education. It is breaking the stereotypical view of mountain communities as remote and disconnected by transforming Naryn into a centre of excellence and innovation. The Government is a proud Founder State of this visionary and ambitious endeavour,” said the Premier.
His remarks were delivered at a higher education forum attended by 60 rectors of the country’s leading universities and directors of secondary schools, organised by the Ministry of Education and Science as part of a visit to UCA’s Naryn campus.
[…] Earlier in the day, Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, Executive Chairman of the UCA Board Executive Committee and Diplomatic Representative of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and Dr Bohdan Krawchenko, Director General and Dean of Graduate Studies, received the group and conducted the campus tour.
“The University of Central Asia is excited to join the community of educators in the Kyrgyz Republic dedicated to engaging with issues of quality and access to higher education,” said Kassim-Lakha. “We are privileged to share our efforts at UCA with these distinguished academic leaders and look forward to learning from the breadth of their experience and perspective.”
Source: University of Central Asia News – Photographs
https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2016/ ... education/
University of Central Asia hosts presentation on ‘A Place of Miracles: The Story of a Children’s Hospital in Kabul’
UCA Hosts Presentation on Innovative AKDN Public-Private Healthcare Partnership in Afghanistan
25 March 2016: The University of Central Asia hosted an event marking the release of a new book about the French Medical Institute for Children (FMIC) on 17 March 2016 in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic.
A Place of Miracles: The Story of a Children’s Hospital in Kabul and the People Whose Lives Have Been Changed by It chronicles the hospital’s founding, through an innovative four-way partnership between the Government of Afghanistan, the Government of France, the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and the French NGO, La Chaîne de l’Espoir in Afghanistan.
/ismailimail.wordpress.com/2016/03/26/university-of-central-asia-hosts-presentation-on-a-place-of-miracles-the-story-of-a-childrens-hospital-in-kabul/
UCA Hosts Presentation on Innovative AKDN Public-Private Healthcare Partnership in Afghanistan
25 March 2016: The University of Central Asia hosted an event marking the release of a new book about the French Medical Institute for Children (FMIC) on 17 March 2016 in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic.
A Place of Miracles: The Story of a Children’s Hospital in Kabul and the People Whose Lives Have Been Changed by It chronicles the hospital’s founding, through an innovative four-way partnership between the Government of Afghanistan, the Government of France, the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and the French NGO, La Chaîne de l’Espoir in Afghanistan.
/ismailimail.wordpress.com/2016/03/26/university-of-central-asia-hosts-presentation-on-a-place-of-miracles-the-story-of-a-childrens-hospital-in-kabul/
Seneca College of Canada to Award Scholarships to University of Central Asia Students
On 5 April 2016, Canada’s Seneca College announced plans to award three different scholarships to a total of 12 Central Asian students pursuing undergraduate study at the University of Central Asia (UCA). The scholarships from UCA’s curriculum development partner reflect a shared dedication to providing access and affordability to promising students, regardless of their economic status.
The Canadian postsecondary institution, which developed the curriculum for UCA’s Preparatory Programme, will award three types of scholarships to cover a portion of tuition for study at UCA. UCA has committed to covering up to 90 per cent of the cost of tuition based on student need
https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2016/ ... -students/
On 5 April 2016, Canada’s Seneca College announced plans to award three different scholarships to a total of 12 Central Asian students pursuing undergraduate study at the University of Central Asia (UCA). The scholarships from UCA’s curriculum development partner reflect a shared dedication to providing access and affordability to promising students, regardless of their economic status.
The Canadian postsecondary institution, which developed the curriculum for UCA’s Preparatory Programme, will award three types of scholarships to cover a portion of tuition for study at UCA. UCA has committed to covering up to 90 per cent of the cost of tuition based on student need
https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2016/ ... -students/
BBC News visits University of Central Asia’s inaugural campus in anticipation of its undergraduate launch in September 2016
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) visited the University of Central Asia’s inaugural campus in Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic in anticipation of the launch of UCA’s undergraduate programme in September 2016. UCA offers an international standard of education rooted in the Central Asian context with the aim of promoting the social and economic development of the region and its mountain communities.
VIDEO at:
https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2016/ ... mber-2016/
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) visited the University of Central Asia’s inaugural campus in Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic in anticipation of the launch of UCA’s undergraduate programme in September 2016. UCA offers an international standard of education rooted in the Central Asian context with the aim of promoting the social and economic development of the region and its mountain communities.
The BBC team spoke to members of the Naryn community, including a local resident employed on the campus site, where UCA has employed more than 300 people during construction and built modern welfare facilities for employees. UCA also laid plumbing infrastructure in neighbouring Tosh Bulak village and is overseeing the renovation of a local park into the future Naryn Smart Park.
They also spoke to prospective students from Naryn who have passed the UCA entrance examination and are currently in the second phase of the admissions process. Admission to UCA is merit-based and UCA offers gen...
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) visited the University of Central Asia’s inaugural campus in Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic in anticipation of the launch of UCA’s undergraduate programme in September 2016. UCA offers an international standard of education rooted in the Central Asian context with the aim of promoting the social and economic development of the region and its mountain communities.
VIDEO at:
https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2016/ ... mber-2016/
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) visited the University of Central Asia’s inaugural campus in Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic in anticipation of the launch of UCA’s undergraduate programme in September 2016. UCA offers an international standard of education rooted in the Central Asian context with the aim of promoting the social and economic development of the region and its mountain communities.
The BBC team spoke to members of the Naryn community, including a local resident employed on the campus site, where UCA has employed more than 300 people during construction and built modern welfare facilities for employees. UCA also laid plumbing infrastructure in neighbouring Tosh Bulak village and is overseeing the renovation of a local park into the future Naryn Smart Park.
They also spoke to prospective students from Naryn who have passed the UCA entrance examination and are currently in the second phase of the admissions process. Admission to UCA is merit-based and UCA offers gen...
Last edited by kmaherali on Sat Jun 04, 2016 5:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
UCA’s Kassim-Lakha Outlines Innovative Approach to Education and Economic Development at "Breaking the Cycle of Poverty" Lecture in the United Kingdom
Date: 27 May 2016
Other languages: Русский язык |
The University of Central Asia (UCA) Board Executive Committee Executive Chairman and Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) Diplomatic Representative to the Kyrgyz Republic Shamsh Kassim-Lakha delivered a talk Creating Opportunity on the Roof of the World. He spoke in London on 20 May 2016 as part of the Aga Khan Foundation United Kingdom’s (AKF UK) Breaking the Cycle of Poverty lecture series.
The University, founded by in 2000 by the Presidents of Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan and His Highness the Aga Khan, will welcome the inaugural class of undergraduates to Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic in September 2016. UCA is building three campuses of equal facility and standards in Naryn (2016), Khorog, Tajikistan (2017), and Tekeli, Kazakhstan (anticipated 2019).
His Excellency Robin Ord-Smith, British Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic and past Ambassador to the Republic of Tajikistan, delivered the opening remarks. Ambassador Ord-Smith, visited the Naryn Campus in February 2016 and recently participated in the British Embassy-supported UCA Institute of Public Policy and Administration (IPPA) forum on Mining Policy in the Kyrgyz jointly organised by UCA and the Kyrgyz Ministry of Economy. He praised the University, calling it “a great vision; and an extraordinary and important project” that the region needs.
Kassim-Lakha engaged in a lively discussion about UCA and Central Asia, moderated by journalist Gulnara Kasmambetova, Senior Producer for British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Kyrgyz Television, Radio and Online. (Credit: ICUK/Inaara Somani) Kassim-Lakha addressed the diverse audience, which included representatives from government, the diplomatic corps, media, the donor community, the Ismaili community and the wider public, emphasising the strategic importance of the Central Asian region in a globalised world.
“There is an inverse ratio between the height of the mountain and the economic status of those who inhabit it; the higher the mountain, the lower the economic status. There is resilience and initiative within mountain communities,” said Kassim-Lakha. “Education bridges the divide. We want to give communities the opportunity to reverse this risk of marginalisation through higher education.”
The University is pursuing applied research through its Mountain Societies Research Institute (MSRI), IPPA and the Cultural Heritage and Humanities Unit (CHHU). UCA’s Aga Khan Humanities Project (AKHP) partners with state universities in the region, providing an innovative humanities curriculum that promotes civic awareness, liberal arts and analytical writing.
“Research is very important. We need to create knowledge in order to develop job creators. We need to find opportunities, and that comes out of the intellectual application of minds, creating research and fostering socio-economic development of Central Asia’s mountain based societies, and helping societies preserve and draw upon their rich cultural heritage,” said Kassim-Lakhka.
Gensler’s Chris Oakley (left) with UCA Board member Naguib Kheraj (right) reviewing a three dimensional (3D) model of the future campus in Tekeli, Kazakhstan based on world-renowned architect Arata Isosaki’s vision. (Credit: ICUK/Riaz Kassam) Kassim-Lakha also related the School of Professional and Continuing Education’s (SPCE) long-standing contribution to the region by providing training to more than 85,000 learners at 12 locations in Central Asia and Afghanistan. More than half of the learners are under 25 and nearly 70 percent have been women.
After Kassim-Lakha’s talk, Senior Producer for British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Kyrgyz Television, Radio and Online, Gulnara Kasmambetova, led an open discussion and question and answer session. She noted that UCA will offer an undergraduate degree programme in Communications and Media and praised UCA’s decision to educate students in English. A BBC news documentary, produced after an earlier visit to the Naryn campus by Kasmambetova, was premiered to the UK audience.
Responding to a question from Almaz, a member of the audience from Naryn on the decision to also offer undergraduate specialisations in Computer Science, Kassim-Lakha explained the need to expand opportunities in the industries of the future.
“We have to bring opportunities to the mountains. We have to ensure modern technologies, modern means of communications in the best form are brought to mountain communities,” explained Kassim-Lakha, noting that the Nielsen company conducted an in-depth market survey to determine where future jobs lie and what the future of Central Asian economic development entails. He noted that UCA’s Computer Science programme received the largest number of applicants during its recently completed admissions campaign.
UCA will offer integrative undergraduate degree programmes in Computer Science, Communications and Media in Naryn and Economics and Earth and Environmental Science at the Khorog campus. The Tekeli, Kazakhstan campus will offer Engineering Sciences and Business and Management.
The University is estimated to generate more than $750 million in projected economic impact of the region, including more than 1,000 construction jobs and 300 new faculty and staff positions.
UCA undergraduate education is delivered in English and rooted in a liberal arts approach to encourage graduates to be globally competitive. Admission to UCA is merit-based and the University offers generous financial aid that includes merit-based scholarships, needs-based grants, and student loans on accessible terms.
The UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) has provided support to UCA’s research agenda through funding to MSRI. Eleven of 35 Central Asians are also pursuing doctoral study at Exeter and Cambridge Universities in the UK through institutional partnerships with UCA’s Central Asia Faculty Development Programme (CAFDP).
The Breaking the Cycle of Poverty lecture was organised by AKF UK along with The Ismaili National Council and UCA at the Ismaili Centre, London.
Additional Resources
http://www.ucentralasia.org/Resources/Item/1176
VIDEO at:
https://www.theismaili.org/ismailicentr ... ation-high
Date: 27 May 2016
Other languages: Русский язык |
The University of Central Asia (UCA) Board Executive Committee Executive Chairman and Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) Diplomatic Representative to the Kyrgyz Republic Shamsh Kassim-Lakha delivered a talk Creating Opportunity on the Roof of the World. He spoke in London on 20 May 2016 as part of the Aga Khan Foundation United Kingdom’s (AKF UK) Breaking the Cycle of Poverty lecture series.
The University, founded by in 2000 by the Presidents of Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan and His Highness the Aga Khan, will welcome the inaugural class of undergraduates to Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic in September 2016. UCA is building three campuses of equal facility and standards in Naryn (2016), Khorog, Tajikistan (2017), and Tekeli, Kazakhstan (anticipated 2019).
His Excellency Robin Ord-Smith, British Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic and past Ambassador to the Republic of Tajikistan, delivered the opening remarks. Ambassador Ord-Smith, visited the Naryn Campus in February 2016 and recently participated in the British Embassy-supported UCA Institute of Public Policy and Administration (IPPA) forum on Mining Policy in the Kyrgyz jointly organised by UCA and the Kyrgyz Ministry of Economy. He praised the University, calling it “a great vision; and an extraordinary and important project” that the region needs.
Kassim-Lakha engaged in a lively discussion about UCA and Central Asia, moderated by journalist Gulnara Kasmambetova, Senior Producer for British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Kyrgyz Television, Radio and Online. (Credit: ICUK/Inaara Somani) Kassim-Lakha addressed the diverse audience, which included representatives from government, the diplomatic corps, media, the donor community, the Ismaili community and the wider public, emphasising the strategic importance of the Central Asian region in a globalised world.
“There is an inverse ratio between the height of the mountain and the economic status of those who inhabit it; the higher the mountain, the lower the economic status. There is resilience and initiative within mountain communities,” said Kassim-Lakha. “Education bridges the divide. We want to give communities the opportunity to reverse this risk of marginalisation through higher education.”
The University is pursuing applied research through its Mountain Societies Research Institute (MSRI), IPPA and the Cultural Heritage and Humanities Unit (CHHU). UCA’s Aga Khan Humanities Project (AKHP) partners with state universities in the region, providing an innovative humanities curriculum that promotes civic awareness, liberal arts and analytical writing.
“Research is very important. We need to create knowledge in order to develop job creators. We need to find opportunities, and that comes out of the intellectual application of minds, creating research and fostering socio-economic development of Central Asia’s mountain based societies, and helping societies preserve and draw upon their rich cultural heritage,” said Kassim-Lakhka.
Gensler’s Chris Oakley (left) with UCA Board member Naguib Kheraj (right) reviewing a three dimensional (3D) model of the future campus in Tekeli, Kazakhstan based on world-renowned architect Arata Isosaki’s vision. (Credit: ICUK/Riaz Kassam) Kassim-Lakha also related the School of Professional and Continuing Education’s (SPCE) long-standing contribution to the region by providing training to more than 85,000 learners at 12 locations in Central Asia and Afghanistan. More than half of the learners are under 25 and nearly 70 percent have been women.
After Kassim-Lakha’s talk, Senior Producer for British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Kyrgyz Television, Radio and Online, Gulnara Kasmambetova, led an open discussion and question and answer session. She noted that UCA will offer an undergraduate degree programme in Communications and Media and praised UCA’s decision to educate students in English. A BBC news documentary, produced after an earlier visit to the Naryn campus by Kasmambetova, was premiered to the UK audience.
Responding to a question from Almaz, a member of the audience from Naryn on the decision to also offer undergraduate specialisations in Computer Science, Kassim-Lakha explained the need to expand opportunities in the industries of the future.
“We have to bring opportunities to the mountains. We have to ensure modern technologies, modern means of communications in the best form are brought to mountain communities,” explained Kassim-Lakha, noting that the Nielsen company conducted an in-depth market survey to determine where future jobs lie and what the future of Central Asian economic development entails. He noted that UCA’s Computer Science programme received the largest number of applicants during its recently completed admissions campaign.
UCA will offer integrative undergraduate degree programmes in Computer Science, Communications and Media in Naryn and Economics and Earth and Environmental Science at the Khorog campus. The Tekeli, Kazakhstan campus will offer Engineering Sciences and Business and Management.
The University is estimated to generate more than $750 million in projected economic impact of the region, including more than 1,000 construction jobs and 300 new faculty and staff positions.
UCA undergraduate education is delivered in English and rooted in a liberal arts approach to encourage graduates to be globally competitive. Admission to UCA is merit-based and the University offers generous financial aid that includes merit-based scholarships, needs-based grants, and student loans on accessible terms.
The UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) has provided support to UCA’s research agenda through funding to MSRI. Eleven of 35 Central Asians are also pursuing doctoral study at Exeter and Cambridge Universities in the UK through institutional partnerships with UCA’s Central Asia Faculty Development Programme (CAFDP).
The Breaking the Cycle of Poverty lecture was organised by AKF UK along with The Ismaili National Council and UCA at the Ismaili Centre, London.
Additional Resources
http://www.ucentralasia.org/Resources/Item/1176
VIDEO at:
https://www.theismaili.org/ismailicentr ... ation-high
University of Central Asia Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic Phase I Campus - Aerial View
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y78drfYkxzs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y78drfYkxzs
UCA Commemorates a Second Successful Summer Camp with Grade 10 Students from Central Asia
Location: Royal Beach Resort in Kyrgyz Republic’s Issyk Kul region
Other languages:Русский язык
The University of Central Asia (UCA) recognised the achievements of the Second Annual Summer Camp’s 73 participants in a closing ceremony at the Royal Beach Resort in Kyrgyz Republic’s Issyk Kul region on 8 August 2016. Over three weeks, UCA hosted top students from Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Kazakhstan at the innovative Summer Camp, an integrated academic enrichment experience for Grade 10 students. Summer Camp participants shared new experiences and built friendships through science, debate, sports, drama and field trips, where they gained valuable experience practicing English-language skills and studying collaboratively.
http://www.ucentralasia.org/PhotoGalleries/Album/118#
Location: Royal Beach Resort in Kyrgyz Republic’s Issyk Kul region
Other languages:Русский язык
The University of Central Asia (UCA) recognised the achievements of the Second Annual Summer Camp’s 73 participants in a closing ceremony at the Royal Beach Resort in Kyrgyz Republic’s Issyk Kul region on 8 August 2016. Over three weeks, UCA hosted top students from Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Kazakhstan at the innovative Summer Camp, an integrated academic enrichment experience for Grade 10 students. Summer Camp participants shared new experiences and built friendships through science, debate, sports, drama and field trips, where they gained valuable experience practicing English-language skills and studying collaboratively.
http://www.ucentralasia.org/PhotoGalleries/Album/118#
Classes Begin for the University of Central Asia’s First Undergraduate Students
Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic, 5 September 2016 – Undergraduate classes at the University of Central Asia’s (UCA) Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic campus commenced on 5 September 2016.
The 71 students admitted through a competitive, transparent and merit-based admissions process come from Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan and Pakistan
UCA's inaugural cohort of 71 undergraduate students anticipating the start of classes.
Welcoming the students, Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, Executive Chairman, UCA Board Executive Committee and Diplomatic Representative of the Aga Khan Development Network in the Kyrgyz Republic said, “This is a historic day for UCA. The University is delighted to welcome our very first 71 students, whose admission is a testament solely of their talent. We are proud that UCA’s financial aid programme ensured that no deserving student was denied entry due to financial circumstances.”
More....
http://www.ucentralasia.org/Resources/Item/1222
Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic, 5 September 2016 – Undergraduate classes at the University of Central Asia’s (UCA) Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic campus commenced on 5 September 2016.
The 71 students admitted through a competitive, transparent and merit-based admissions process come from Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan and Pakistan
UCA's inaugural cohort of 71 undergraduate students anticipating the start of classes.
Welcoming the students, Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, Executive Chairman, UCA Board Executive Committee and Diplomatic Representative of the Aga Khan Development Network in the Kyrgyz Republic said, “This is a historic day for UCA. The University is delighted to welcome our very first 71 students, whose admission is a testament solely of their talent. We are proud that UCA’s financial aid programme ensured that no deserving student was denied entry due to financial circumstances.”
More....
http://www.ucentralasia.org/Resources/Item/1222
TheIsmaili > News & Events > UCA Naryn campus to be inaugurated on Wednesday
The Naryn campus of the University of Central Asia will be inaugurated on Wednesday, 19 October 2016. UCA
.
UCA Naryn campus to be inaugurated on Wednesday
Naryn, Kyrgyzstan, 16 October 2016 — Mawlana Hazar Imam will inaugurate the first of three residential campuses of the University of Central Asia in Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic on Wednesday, 19 October. The ceremony is due to take place at 11:00 AM Kyrgyzstan Time (GMT+6) and will be webcast at TheIsmaili.org/live.
Founded in 2000 by an international treaty between Mawlana Hazar Imam and the Presidents of Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Kazakhstan, the UCA is a secular and private university dedicated to the socio-economic development of Central Asia, and particularly its mountain societies.
The Naryn campus welcomed its first class of 71 undergraduate students in September. They come from Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. UCA residential campuses in Khorog, Tajikistan and Tekeli, Kazakhstan are anticipated to open in 2017 and 2019 respectively.
https://www.theismaili.org/news-events/ ... -wednesday
The Naryn campus of the University of Central Asia will be inaugurated on Wednesday, 19 October 2016. UCA
.
UCA Naryn campus to be inaugurated on Wednesday
Naryn, Kyrgyzstan, 16 October 2016 — Mawlana Hazar Imam will inaugurate the first of three residential campuses of the University of Central Asia in Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic on Wednesday, 19 October. The ceremony is due to take place at 11:00 AM Kyrgyzstan Time (GMT+6) and will be webcast at TheIsmaili.org/live.
Founded in 2000 by an international treaty between Mawlana Hazar Imam and the Presidents of Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Kazakhstan, the UCA is a secular and private university dedicated to the socio-economic development of Central Asia, and particularly its mountain societies.
The Naryn campus welcomed its first class of 71 undergraduate students in September. They come from Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. UCA residential campuses in Khorog, Tajikistan and Tekeli, Kazakhstan are anticipated to open in 2017 and 2019 respectively.
https://www.theismaili.org/news-events/ ... -wednesday
University of Central Asia opens its first campus
UCA opens its first campus as part of broad commitment to fostering social and economic development
Kyrgyz Prime Minister Sooronbay Jeenbekov and His Highness the Aga Khan inaugurate the Naryn campus; ceremony is held under the patronage of President Almazbek Atambayev.
Kyrgyz Prime Minister HE Sooronbay Jeenbekov, His Highness the Aga Khan and Shamsh Kassim-Lakha
Kyrgyz Prime Minister HE Sooronbay Jeenbekov, His Highness the Aga Khan and Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, Executive Chairman, Board Executive Committee, University of Central Asia, and Diplomatic Representative to the Kyrgyz Republic, following the official unveiling of the plaque to mark the opening of the University’s Naryn campus. AKDN / Gary Otte
Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic, 19 October 2016 – The University of Central Asia (UCA), created to be a catalyst for social and economic development in the region’s mountain societies, today officially opened its first campus in Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic.
The new buildings on the Naryn Campus represent the first phase of a larger plan for the 252-hectare site, which was a gift from the Kyrgyz Government. Phase I includes 14,000 m² of space that can accommodate 150 students. It features state of the art classrooms, a library and laboratories; secure, modular student dormitories; faculty and staff residences; and athletic facilities of an international standard. When the final phase is complete, the campus will accommodate 1,200 students and span 125,000m².
The secular, internationally chartered, not-for-profit University is a partnership between the governments of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN).
The ceremony, under the patronage of President Almazbek Atambayev, was officiated by Kyrgyz Prime Minister Sooronbay Jeenbekov and His Highness the Aga Khan.
Prime Minister Jeenbekov spoke directly to UCA students by declaring that the University would provide them with “the knowledge and skills necessary for you to become future leaders in different areas”. Calling this “a gift for all of us”, he expressed his special gratitude to His Highness the Aga Khan for his long-term vision going on to say that, “the future of our country is in the hands of our youth. Quality professional education must therefore facilitate the preparation of young people.”
“It is important to know that what we are doing here will be a valuable example of international cooperation for the future not only here in the region, but also for people far beyond the region,” said His Highness the Aga Khan speaking at the ceremony. “What this University is all about is not only the power of education, but also the power of international cooperation. It is a power that can change peoples’ lives.”
He went on to note that UCA was “not a typical start-up university,” remarking on the University’s School of Professional and Continuing Education, which has already taught over 90,000 people ranging from members of parliament to computer technicians. He also commented on the Humanities Project, which has attracted support from 77 other universities and colleges throughout Central Asia, and two of the University’s research arms, the Institute of Public Policy and Administration and the Mountain Societies Research Institute which are already doing “path-breaking research” and cooperating with international partners on issues that will be central to the region’s progress.
The launch of the Naryn Campus is to be followed by the construction of campuses of equal size and stature in Khorog, Tajikistan (scheduled to open in 2017) and in Tekeli, Kazakhstan (expected to open in 2019).
http://www.akdn.org/press-release/unive ... -fostering
******
Inauguration of the Naryn Campus of the University of Central Asia
SPEECH DELIVERED BY
His Highness the Aga Khan
LOCATION
Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic (19 October 2016)
Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim
Your Excellency, Sooronbay Jeenbekov, Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic
Your Excellency, Amanbai Kayipov, Governor of Naryn Oblast
Honourable Ministers, Excellencies,
Students, Faculty and Staff of the University
Distinguished Guests
This is a great day for the University of Central Asia and for me, and for all those who have participated in the development of this University in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. And I know that now is also a very special day for the people of the Kyrgyz Republic and for the leaders and the citizens of Naryn. It is indeed a great pleasure to join with you in celebrating a truly historic moment as we inaugurate the Naryn campus of the University.
It has been a great honor, and also a great pleasure, for my colleagues and for me to work with all of you in building here in Central Asia a great new institution. Your contributions have come in many ways; through your wise advice, through financial resources, through building materials, and through the energies of local workers. Everyone who has made a contribution will always be a part of this place.
You all have our warmest thanks not only for your generous material support, but also for your friendship and for your vision.
Let me mention, too, how honored I was when the President presented to me yesterday this country's esteemed Danaker Order. This award has special meaning for me because it represents important ideals - values that the people of the Kyrgyz Republic honor in daily practice.
I gratefully accepted this award as a symbol of the partnership which has grown up through the years between the people of Central Asia and the people of the Aga Khan Development network, a reminder of the road we have walked together, and of the wonderful journey that still lies before us.
As a result of your efforts, the University of Central Asia is already helping to lead the peoples of this Central Asian Mountain Region to an exciting new chapter in their history. As we take this new step forward, I am also thinking of some of the developments already underway that have highlighted the story of these past sixteen years while providing a great sense of momentum as we move into the future.
UCA is not a typical start-up university. I would point, for example, to the remarkable School of Professional and Continuing Education. Since it launched its first courses in 2002, it has engaged a remarkable number of learners - over 90,000 in all - ranging from members of parliament to young people from the regions and from villages. I would also point to the Humanities Project with its valuable array of courses that have attracted support from 77 other universities and colleges throughout Central Asia. We could also talk proudly about The Institute of Public Policy and Administration, as well as the Mountain Societies Research Institute, two places that are already doing path-breaking research, cooperating with international partners on issues that will be central to the region’s progress. In yet another area of learning, the Cultural Humanities and Cultural Heritage Unit's work on the musical heritage of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are harbingers of what can be expected. Meanwhile, through our faculty development programme, scores of Central Asians have completed their doctorates at leading universities, also providing a unique talent pool for UCA. All of these assets are building blocks which now can help the Naryn campus to play its own central and vibrant role.
This event today brings back some wonderful memories for me. It was just sixteen years ago that I joined the Presidents of the Founding States in signing an extraordinary International Treaty. It was an unprecedented event. The Treaty was then a unique example to the entire world of how these three countries could actually dream together about their common future. And it was also a wonderful example of how they could join hands together, across national boundaries, to make their dreams come true.
When I have talked about this project with people in all parts of the world over these past sixteen years, many of them have been a little bit surprised, and they were also extremely impressed. Do you mean, they asked me, that this new university will have these different bases, in three different countries, all working together in the pursuit of common goals? And my answer of course is yes - not only has this been our plan, but that is what is actually happening today. We would like to build our three campuses in the quickest succession possible.
What this University is all about is not only the power of education, but also the power of international cooperation. It is a power that can change peoples’ lives.
It is important to know that what we are doing here will be a valuable example of international cooperation for the future not only here in the region, but also for people far beyond the region.
And it is also important to remember how this example also grows out of this region’s past.
Students of world history remind us how Central Asia, a thousand years ago, “led the world” in trade and investment, in urban development, in cultural and intellectual achievement. This was the place that leading thinkers from around the known world would look to for leadership. What were the latest breakthroughs in astronomy or mathematics, in chemistry or medicine, in philosophy or music? This was the place to find out. This region is where algebra got its name, where the earth's diameter was precisely calculated, where some of the world’s greatest poetry was penned.
Why did this happen then? Why did it happen here? Above all, I would suggest, it was because of the quality of “openness.” By that I mean openness to new ideas, openness to change, and openness to people from many backgrounds and with a variety of gifts. The people of the cities here, even all those centuries ago, joined hands with the people of the steppes, and together they reached out to people who were far, far away.
That kind of openness can again be the key that unlocks the doors to the future. This will be true not just for people who live down the road, or others who may live over the immediate horizon, but also for people who are even farther away. They are potential partners and potential beneficiaries as we take on the great questions of our time and place: How can we best improve our schools, head off climate change, deal with natural disasters, and advance the public’s health?
The University of Central Asia can do a great deal to help address and answer these questions, not only through its undergraduate and graduate programs, but also through faculty and student research, through relevant interdisciplinary programs - and through partnerships with other institutions - in each case, geared to the specific challenges and circumstances of the region. And the impact of what we do can not only be global and regional - it can be local as well. By working with the leadership of the Oblast, we hope, for example, that Naryn will become a dynamic university town, enhancing the quality of life for all its citizens.
Some examples are already in place: the renovation of the Jakypov Park is one; the medical and diagnostic centre is another. New plans are underway for an early childhood development center, a residential development for faculty, staff and other local citizens, as well as a university inn for the many visitors that will come to share in the beauty and vitality of the Naryn region, and the new university community.
Finally, let me mention that we are also taking some very important organizational steps as we reach this milestone moment in the early history of the University of Central Asia. Not only is UCA launching its first undergraduate degree programme, but, as an autonomous institution, it is now ready for self-governance under a Board of Trustees as envisaged in the International Treaty and the University’s Charter. As the Chancellor of the University, I am making the first appointment to the Board by naming, as its chairman, Shamsh Kassim-Lakha.
Shamsh has had a remarkable career as a successful leader in the field of education. For almost three decades, he led the building, planning and operation of the Aga Khan University, based at first in Pakistan, but now extending into three continents. He was also a former Minister of Education, as well as a Minister of Science and Technology in Pakistan. After making his appointment official, we will now also be moving to appoint other Trustees as Members of that Board, a task I will undertake in cooperation with the Presidents of the Founding States who are the Patrons of the University.
It is under their leadership that we will now go forward. What we celebrate today is not the first phase of this story of growth and progress - but it is still an early step.
Even as we rejoice today, we look forward to the many wonderful steps that are still to come.
http://www.akdn.org/speech/his-highness ... ntral-asia
*******
Photos of the campus:
http://www.akdn.org/gallery/naryn-campu ... ntral-asia
UCA opens its first campus as part of broad commitment to fostering social and economic development
Kyrgyz Prime Minister Sooronbay Jeenbekov and His Highness the Aga Khan inaugurate the Naryn campus; ceremony is held under the patronage of President Almazbek Atambayev.
Kyrgyz Prime Minister HE Sooronbay Jeenbekov, His Highness the Aga Khan and Shamsh Kassim-Lakha
Kyrgyz Prime Minister HE Sooronbay Jeenbekov, His Highness the Aga Khan and Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, Executive Chairman, Board Executive Committee, University of Central Asia, and Diplomatic Representative to the Kyrgyz Republic, following the official unveiling of the plaque to mark the opening of the University’s Naryn campus. AKDN / Gary Otte
Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic, 19 October 2016 – The University of Central Asia (UCA), created to be a catalyst for social and economic development in the region’s mountain societies, today officially opened its first campus in Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic.
The new buildings on the Naryn Campus represent the first phase of a larger plan for the 252-hectare site, which was a gift from the Kyrgyz Government. Phase I includes 14,000 m² of space that can accommodate 150 students. It features state of the art classrooms, a library and laboratories; secure, modular student dormitories; faculty and staff residences; and athletic facilities of an international standard. When the final phase is complete, the campus will accommodate 1,200 students and span 125,000m².
The secular, internationally chartered, not-for-profit University is a partnership between the governments of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN).
The ceremony, under the patronage of President Almazbek Atambayev, was officiated by Kyrgyz Prime Minister Sooronbay Jeenbekov and His Highness the Aga Khan.
Prime Minister Jeenbekov spoke directly to UCA students by declaring that the University would provide them with “the knowledge and skills necessary for you to become future leaders in different areas”. Calling this “a gift for all of us”, he expressed his special gratitude to His Highness the Aga Khan for his long-term vision going on to say that, “the future of our country is in the hands of our youth. Quality professional education must therefore facilitate the preparation of young people.”
“It is important to know that what we are doing here will be a valuable example of international cooperation for the future not only here in the region, but also for people far beyond the region,” said His Highness the Aga Khan speaking at the ceremony. “What this University is all about is not only the power of education, but also the power of international cooperation. It is a power that can change peoples’ lives.”
He went on to note that UCA was “not a typical start-up university,” remarking on the University’s School of Professional and Continuing Education, which has already taught over 90,000 people ranging from members of parliament to computer technicians. He also commented on the Humanities Project, which has attracted support from 77 other universities and colleges throughout Central Asia, and two of the University’s research arms, the Institute of Public Policy and Administration and the Mountain Societies Research Institute which are already doing “path-breaking research” and cooperating with international partners on issues that will be central to the region’s progress.
The launch of the Naryn Campus is to be followed by the construction of campuses of equal size and stature in Khorog, Tajikistan (scheduled to open in 2017) and in Tekeli, Kazakhstan (expected to open in 2019).
http://www.akdn.org/press-release/unive ... -fostering
******
Inauguration of the Naryn Campus of the University of Central Asia
SPEECH DELIVERED BY
His Highness the Aga Khan
LOCATION
Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic (19 October 2016)
Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim
Your Excellency, Sooronbay Jeenbekov, Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic
Your Excellency, Amanbai Kayipov, Governor of Naryn Oblast
Honourable Ministers, Excellencies,
Students, Faculty and Staff of the University
Distinguished Guests
This is a great day for the University of Central Asia and for me, and for all those who have participated in the development of this University in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. And I know that now is also a very special day for the people of the Kyrgyz Republic and for the leaders and the citizens of Naryn. It is indeed a great pleasure to join with you in celebrating a truly historic moment as we inaugurate the Naryn campus of the University.
It has been a great honor, and also a great pleasure, for my colleagues and for me to work with all of you in building here in Central Asia a great new institution. Your contributions have come in many ways; through your wise advice, through financial resources, through building materials, and through the energies of local workers. Everyone who has made a contribution will always be a part of this place.
You all have our warmest thanks not only for your generous material support, but also for your friendship and for your vision.
Let me mention, too, how honored I was when the President presented to me yesterday this country's esteemed Danaker Order. This award has special meaning for me because it represents important ideals - values that the people of the Kyrgyz Republic honor in daily practice.
I gratefully accepted this award as a symbol of the partnership which has grown up through the years between the people of Central Asia and the people of the Aga Khan Development network, a reminder of the road we have walked together, and of the wonderful journey that still lies before us.
As a result of your efforts, the University of Central Asia is already helping to lead the peoples of this Central Asian Mountain Region to an exciting new chapter in their history. As we take this new step forward, I am also thinking of some of the developments already underway that have highlighted the story of these past sixteen years while providing a great sense of momentum as we move into the future.
UCA is not a typical start-up university. I would point, for example, to the remarkable School of Professional and Continuing Education. Since it launched its first courses in 2002, it has engaged a remarkable number of learners - over 90,000 in all - ranging from members of parliament to young people from the regions and from villages. I would also point to the Humanities Project with its valuable array of courses that have attracted support from 77 other universities and colleges throughout Central Asia. We could also talk proudly about The Institute of Public Policy and Administration, as well as the Mountain Societies Research Institute, two places that are already doing path-breaking research, cooperating with international partners on issues that will be central to the region’s progress. In yet another area of learning, the Cultural Humanities and Cultural Heritage Unit's work on the musical heritage of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are harbingers of what can be expected. Meanwhile, through our faculty development programme, scores of Central Asians have completed their doctorates at leading universities, also providing a unique talent pool for UCA. All of these assets are building blocks which now can help the Naryn campus to play its own central and vibrant role.
This event today brings back some wonderful memories for me. It was just sixteen years ago that I joined the Presidents of the Founding States in signing an extraordinary International Treaty. It was an unprecedented event. The Treaty was then a unique example to the entire world of how these three countries could actually dream together about their common future. And it was also a wonderful example of how they could join hands together, across national boundaries, to make their dreams come true.
When I have talked about this project with people in all parts of the world over these past sixteen years, many of them have been a little bit surprised, and they were also extremely impressed. Do you mean, they asked me, that this new university will have these different bases, in three different countries, all working together in the pursuit of common goals? And my answer of course is yes - not only has this been our plan, but that is what is actually happening today. We would like to build our three campuses in the quickest succession possible.
What this University is all about is not only the power of education, but also the power of international cooperation. It is a power that can change peoples’ lives.
It is important to know that what we are doing here will be a valuable example of international cooperation for the future not only here in the region, but also for people far beyond the region.
And it is also important to remember how this example also grows out of this region’s past.
Students of world history remind us how Central Asia, a thousand years ago, “led the world” in trade and investment, in urban development, in cultural and intellectual achievement. This was the place that leading thinkers from around the known world would look to for leadership. What were the latest breakthroughs in astronomy or mathematics, in chemistry or medicine, in philosophy or music? This was the place to find out. This region is where algebra got its name, where the earth's diameter was precisely calculated, where some of the world’s greatest poetry was penned.
Why did this happen then? Why did it happen here? Above all, I would suggest, it was because of the quality of “openness.” By that I mean openness to new ideas, openness to change, and openness to people from many backgrounds and with a variety of gifts. The people of the cities here, even all those centuries ago, joined hands with the people of the steppes, and together they reached out to people who were far, far away.
That kind of openness can again be the key that unlocks the doors to the future. This will be true not just for people who live down the road, or others who may live over the immediate horizon, but also for people who are even farther away. They are potential partners and potential beneficiaries as we take on the great questions of our time and place: How can we best improve our schools, head off climate change, deal with natural disasters, and advance the public’s health?
The University of Central Asia can do a great deal to help address and answer these questions, not only through its undergraduate and graduate programs, but also through faculty and student research, through relevant interdisciplinary programs - and through partnerships with other institutions - in each case, geared to the specific challenges and circumstances of the region. And the impact of what we do can not only be global and regional - it can be local as well. By working with the leadership of the Oblast, we hope, for example, that Naryn will become a dynamic university town, enhancing the quality of life for all its citizens.
Some examples are already in place: the renovation of the Jakypov Park is one; the medical and diagnostic centre is another. New plans are underway for an early childhood development center, a residential development for faculty, staff and other local citizens, as well as a university inn for the many visitors that will come to share in the beauty and vitality of the Naryn region, and the new university community.
Finally, let me mention that we are also taking some very important organizational steps as we reach this milestone moment in the early history of the University of Central Asia. Not only is UCA launching its first undergraduate degree programme, but, as an autonomous institution, it is now ready for self-governance under a Board of Trustees as envisaged in the International Treaty and the University’s Charter. As the Chancellor of the University, I am making the first appointment to the Board by naming, as its chairman, Shamsh Kassim-Lakha.
Shamsh has had a remarkable career as a successful leader in the field of education. For almost three decades, he led the building, planning and operation of the Aga Khan University, based at first in Pakistan, but now extending into three continents. He was also a former Minister of Education, as well as a Minister of Science and Technology in Pakistan. After making his appointment official, we will now also be moving to appoint other Trustees as Members of that Board, a task I will undertake in cooperation with the Presidents of the Founding States who are the Patrons of the University.
It is under their leadership that we will now go forward. What we celebrate today is not the first phase of this story of growth and progress - but it is still an early step.
Even as we rejoice today, we look forward to the many wonderful steps that are still to come.
http://www.akdn.org/speech/his-highness ... ntral-asia
*******
Photos of the campus:
http://www.akdn.org/gallery/naryn-campu ... ntral-asia
Last edited by kmaherali on Thu Oct 20, 2016 3:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Related threads:
AKDN - Kyrgyztan - Institutional Activities
http://www.ismaili.net/html/modules.php ... pic&t=1684
H.H. The Aga Khan visit to Kyrgyzstan 2016-10-17 October 201
http://www.ismaili.net/html/modules.php ... pic&t=8946
AKDN - Kyrgyztan - Institutional Activities
http://www.ismaili.net/html/modules.php ... pic&t=1684
H.H. The Aga Khan visit to Kyrgyzstan 2016-10-17 October 201
http://www.ismaili.net/html/modules.php ... pic&t=8946
University of Central Asia has the power to change peoples’ lives, says Mawlana Hazar Imam
TheIsmaili.org
20 October 2016
Naryn, 19 October 2016 — In a historic ceremony held this morning, Mawlana Hazar Imam and the Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic inaugurated the Naryn campus of the University of Central Asia — the first of three residential campuses being constructed in the high mountains of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
Also see:
» AKDN coverage including press release, photographs and speeches
» University of Central Asia website
» Kyrgyz Republic bestows its highest foreign honour upon Mawlana Hazar Imam
“What this university is all about is not only the power of education, but also the power of international cooperation,” said Mawlana Hazar Imam, who is the Chancellor of the University, in his address. “It is a power that can change peoples’ lives.”
VIDEO and more at:
https://www.theismaili.org/news-events/ ... hazar-imam
*****
SPEECH DELIVERED BY
Mr. Sooronbay Jeenbekov
http://www.akdn.org/speech/mr-sooronbay ... ryn-campus
*****
SPEECH DELIVERED BY
Mr. Shams Kassim-Lakha
http://www.akdn.org/speech/mr-shams-kas ... ryn-campus
******
SPEECH DELIVERED BY
Eraj Uzoqov
http://www.akdn.org/speech/eraj-uzoqov/ ... ntral-asia
TheIsmaili.org
20 October 2016
Naryn, 19 October 2016 — In a historic ceremony held this morning, Mawlana Hazar Imam and the Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic inaugurated the Naryn campus of the University of Central Asia — the first of three residential campuses being constructed in the high mountains of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
Also see:
» AKDN coverage including press release, photographs and speeches
» University of Central Asia website
» Kyrgyz Republic bestows its highest foreign honour upon Mawlana Hazar Imam
“What this university is all about is not only the power of education, but also the power of international cooperation,” said Mawlana Hazar Imam, who is the Chancellor of the University, in his address. “It is a power that can change peoples’ lives.”
VIDEO and more at:
https://www.theismaili.org/news-events/ ... hazar-imam
*****
SPEECH DELIVERED BY
Mr. Sooronbay Jeenbekov
http://www.akdn.org/speech/mr-sooronbay ... ryn-campus
*****
SPEECH DELIVERED BY
Mr. Shams Kassim-Lakha
http://www.akdn.org/speech/mr-shams-kas ... ryn-campus
******
SPEECH DELIVERED BY
Eraj Uzoqov
http://www.akdn.org/speech/eraj-uzoqov/ ... ntral-asia
University of Central Asia Opens its First Campus as Part of Broad Commitment to Fostering Social and Economic Development
Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic, 19 October 2016 - The University of Central Asia (UCA), created to be a catalyst for social and economic development in the region’s mountain societies, today officially opened its first campus in Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic.
The new buildings on the Naryn Campus represent the first phase of a larger plan for the 252-hectare site, which was a gift from the Kyrgyz Government. Phase I includes 14,000 m² of space that can accommodate 150 students. It features state of the art classrooms, a library and laboratories; secure, modular student dormitories; faculty and staff residences; and athletic facilities of an international standard. When the final phase is complete, the campus will accommodate 1,200 students and span 125,000m².
More...
http://www.ucentralasia.org/Resources/Item/1247
******
Seneca College congratulates its academic partner the University of Central Asia on the launch of its inaugural campus in Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic
TORONTO, Oct, 19, 2016 /CNW/ - Canada's Seneca College congratulates the University of Central Asia (UCA) on the inauguration of its first undergraduate campus in Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic.
"We are delighted to offer our congratulations on this important occasion to the University of Central Asia. We are proud that Seneca was selected, among other institutions around the world, to help develop curriculum for the university's preparatory year. We look forward to our continued work together to provide world class education and foster a global perspective in students." Seneca President David Agnew said.
The Kyrgyz Prime Minister Sooronbay Jeenbekov and His Highness the Aga Khan inaugurated the Naryn campus on Wednesday, October 19.
The campus opened its doors to the first cohort of undergraduates this September. The 71 undergraduates include talented students from the University's founding countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
In 2015, the Toronto-based Seneca signed a memorandum of understanding with UCA to develop the English, mathematics and science curriculum for UCA's Preparatory Program.
Under the agreement, Seneca developed an enrichment program to ensure that UCA students attain internationally competitive levels in English, math and science and develop key study and research skills necessary to succeed at the university level. The curriculum was modelled after Seneca's Liberal Arts university transfer programs.
Seneca also designed and delivered a professional development program for UCA faculty, including training held in Central Asia and Canada, and will provide in-class assessments, longer-term online resources and video conferencing support.
The partnership between UCA and Seneca is made possible by the financial support of Global Affairs Canada and the Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC).
Seneca is currently working with the Aga Khan Development Network on a skills-development project in Egypt and recently completed a Youth Employability and Leadership project in Pakistan. Seneca also recently hosted Together: An Exhibition on Global Development, an innovative, interactive and multi-sensory experience with photography, film and audio designed to spark conversations about the role Canadians can play in reducing global poverty.
About Seneca College
One of Canada's leading postsecondary institutions, Seneca offers a comprehensive range of programs across all disciplines to nearly 100,000 full- and part-time students in campuses across the Greater Toronto Area. Seneca's graduate certificates, degrees, diplomas and certificates attract more than 5,000 students from 120 countries around the world and students from across Canada. With an emphasis on work-integrated learning, interdisciplinary study and flexible learning opportunities, Seneca is the pre-eminent institution in Ontario, Canada for transfer options to and from universities and colleges. For more information on Seneca, please visit: www.senecacollege.ca.
About The University of Central Asia
The University of Central Asia (UCA) was founded in 2000. The Presidents of Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Kazakhstan and His Highness the Aga Khan signed the International Treaty and Charter establishing this secular and private University, which was ratified by the respective parliaments and registered with the United Nations. UCA was established to offer an internationally recognized standard of higher education in Central Asia and prepare graduates to contribute leadership, ideas and innovation to the economies and communities of the region. UCA brings with it the commitment and partnership of the Aga Khan Development Network. For more information on UCA, please visit: www.ucentralasia.org.
http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/se ... 07651.html
Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic, 19 October 2016 - The University of Central Asia (UCA), created to be a catalyst for social and economic development in the region’s mountain societies, today officially opened its first campus in Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic.
The new buildings on the Naryn Campus represent the first phase of a larger plan for the 252-hectare site, which was a gift from the Kyrgyz Government. Phase I includes 14,000 m² of space that can accommodate 150 students. It features state of the art classrooms, a library and laboratories; secure, modular student dormitories; faculty and staff residences; and athletic facilities of an international standard. When the final phase is complete, the campus will accommodate 1,200 students and span 125,000m².
More...
http://www.ucentralasia.org/Resources/Item/1247
******
Seneca College congratulates its academic partner the University of Central Asia on the launch of its inaugural campus in Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic
TORONTO, Oct, 19, 2016 /CNW/ - Canada's Seneca College congratulates the University of Central Asia (UCA) on the inauguration of its first undergraduate campus in Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic.
"We are delighted to offer our congratulations on this important occasion to the University of Central Asia. We are proud that Seneca was selected, among other institutions around the world, to help develop curriculum for the university's preparatory year. We look forward to our continued work together to provide world class education and foster a global perspective in students." Seneca President David Agnew said.
The Kyrgyz Prime Minister Sooronbay Jeenbekov and His Highness the Aga Khan inaugurated the Naryn campus on Wednesday, October 19.
The campus opened its doors to the first cohort of undergraduates this September. The 71 undergraduates include talented students from the University's founding countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
In 2015, the Toronto-based Seneca signed a memorandum of understanding with UCA to develop the English, mathematics and science curriculum for UCA's Preparatory Program.
Under the agreement, Seneca developed an enrichment program to ensure that UCA students attain internationally competitive levels in English, math and science and develop key study and research skills necessary to succeed at the university level. The curriculum was modelled after Seneca's Liberal Arts university transfer programs.
Seneca also designed and delivered a professional development program for UCA faculty, including training held in Central Asia and Canada, and will provide in-class assessments, longer-term online resources and video conferencing support.
The partnership between UCA and Seneca is made possible by the financial support of Global Affairs Canada and the Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC).
Seneca is currently working with the Aga Khan Development Network on a skills-development project in Egypt and recently completed a Youth Employability and Leadership project in Pakistan. Seneca also recently hosted Together: An Exhibition on Global Development, an innovative, interactive and multi-sensory experience with photography, film and audio designed to spark conversations about the role Canadians can play in reducing global poverty.
About Seneca College
One of Canada's leading postsecondary institutions, Seneca offers a comprehensive range of programs across all disciplines to nearly 100,000 full- and part-time students in campuses across the Greater Toronto Area. Seneca's graduate certificates, degrees, diplomas and certificates attract more than 5,000 students from 120 countries around the world and students from across Canada. With an emphasis on work-integrated learning, interdisciplinary study and flexible learning opportunities, Seneca is the pre-eminent institution in Ontario, Canada for transfer options to and from universities and colleges. For more information on Seneca, please visit: www.senecacollege.ca.
About The University of Central Asia
The University of Central Asia (UCA) was founded in 2000. The Presidents of Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Kazakhstan and His Highness the Aga Khan signed the International Treaty and Charter establishing this secular and private University, which was ratified by the respective parliaments and registered with the United Nations. UCA was established to offer an internationally recognized standard of higher education in Central Asia and prepare graduates to contribute leadership, ideas and innovation to the economies and communities of the region. UCA brings with it the commitment and partnership of the Aga Khan Development Network. For more information on UCA, please visit: www.ucentralasia.org.
http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/se ... 07651.html
Mountain Societies Research Institute
The Mountain Societies Research Institute (MSRI) is a university-wide, interdisciplinary research center dedicated to addressing the challenges and opportunities within Central Asian mountain communities and environments.
MSRI's goal is to support and enhance the resilience and quality of life of mountain societies through the generation and application of sound research. MSRI has five objectives:
•To generate new knowledge on mountain societies from academically sound research;
•To enhance Central Asian capacity to conduct sound research relevant to mountain societies;
•To serve as a knowledge hub for scholars, development practitioners and decision-makers;
•To inform policy and practice through sound research; and
•To contribute to the development of UCA academic programmes relevant to mountain societies.
MSRI, together with its regional and international partners, actively works to transfer knowledge to policy and practice aimed at improving the quality of life for people of the mountain areas in Central Asia, including the Tien Shan, Pamir and Hindu Kush mountain ranges. MSRI is the first of several planned research institutes at UCA.
http://www.ucentralasia.org/Research/MSRI
The Mountain Societies Research Institute (MSRI) is a university-wide, interdisciplinary research center dedicated to addressing the challenges and opportunities within Central Asian mountain communities and environments.
MSRI's goal is to support and enhance the resilience and quality of life of mountain societies through the generation and application of sound research. MSRI has five objectives:
•To generate new knowledge on mountain societies from academically sound research;
•To enhance Central Asian capacity to conduct sound research relevant to mountain societies;
•To serve as a knowledge hub for scholars, development practitioners and decision-makers;
•To inform policy and practice through sound research; and
•To contribute to the development of UCA academic programmes relevant to mountain societies.
MSRI, together with its regional and international partners, actively works to transfer knowledge to policy and practice aimed at improving the quality of life for people of the mountain areas in Central Asia, including the Tien Shan, Pamir and Hindu Kush mountain ranges. MSRI is the first of several planned research institutes at UCA.
http://www.ucentralasia.org/Research/MSRI
University of Toronto and the University of Central Asia sign an academic partnership agreement on education and research collaboration
The University of Toronto (UofT) and the University of Central Asia (UCA) signed a memorandum of understanding to build linkages through curriculum and faculty development, faculty and student mobility and joint research collaborations. The first initiative under this agreement foresees UofT’s Computer Science Department develop UCA’s undergraduate Computer Science curriculum to be delivered at its recently launched campus in Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic.
The signing ceremony took place at the University of Toronto, Canada.
More...
http://ucentralasia.org/Resources/Item/1275
The University of Toronto (UofT) and the University of Central Asia (UCA) signed a memorandum of understanding to build linkages through curriculum and faculty development, faculty and student mobility and joint research collaborations. The first initiative under this agreement foresees UofT’s Computer Science Department develop UCA’s undergraduate Computer Science curriculum to be delivered at its recently launched campus in Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic.
The signing ceremony took place at the University of Toronto, Canada.
More...
http://ucentralasia.org/Resources/Item/1275
UCA celebrates first graduates from Certificate Programme in Mining Policy and Sustainable Development
AKIPRESS.COM - The University of Central Asia’s Institute of Public Policy and Administration (UCA IPPA) celebrated the first graduates of its Certificate Programme in Mining Policy and Sustainable Development on December 19. The eight-week executive programme for civil servants, experts, and civil society representatives involved in extractive industries aimed to develop a pool of informed professionals who can improve the quality of public discussion within the mining sector, UCA said.
21 graduates received their certificates at a ceremony held in Bishkek attended by Robin Ord-Smith, British Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, Ulan Ryskulov, Deputy Chairman, State Committee of Industry, Energy and Subsoil Use of the Kyrgyz Republic, Dr Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, Chairman, Board of Trustees, University of Central Asia and Dr Bohdan Krawchenko, UCA Director General and Dean of Graduate Studies.
Dr. Bohdan Krawchenko congratulated graduates and remarked the programme is essential in preserving and promoting knowledge exchange and the sharing of best practices to the mining sector.
“The mining sector plays a pivotal role in Kyrgyzstan’s development, and this certificate programme equips future leaders with the tools and resources needed to understand the kinds of policies required for the sustainable development of this sector,” said Dr Krawchenko.
More...
http://akipress.com/news:586747/
AKIPRESS.COM - The University of Central Asia’s Institute of Public Policy and Administration (UCA IPPA) celebrated the first graduates of its Certificate Programme in Mining Policy and Sustainable Development on December 19. The eight-week executive programme for civil servants, experts, and civil society representatives involved in extractive industries aimed to develop a pool of informed professionals who can improve the quality of public discussion within the mining sector, UCA said.
21 graduates received their certificates at a ceremony held in Bishkek attended by Robin Ord-Smith, British Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, Ulan Ryskulov, Deputy Chairman, State Committee of Industry, Energy and Subsoil Use of the Kyrgyz Republic, Dr Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, Chairman, Board of Trustees, University of Central Asia and Dr Bohdan Krawchenko, UCA Director General and Dean of Graduate Studies.
Dr. Bohdan Krawchenko congratulated graduates and remarked the programme is essential in preserving and promoting knowledge exchange and the sharing of best practices to the mining sector.
“The mining sector plays a pivotal role in Kyrgyzstan’s development, and this certificate programme equips future leaders with the tools and resources needed to understand the kinds of policies required for the sustainable development of this sector,” said Dr Krawchenko.
More...
http://akipress.com/news:586747/
University of British Columbia and University of Central Asia Collaborate on Earth and Environmental Sciences
The University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada, and the University of Central Asia (UCA), whose central administrative office is located in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, signed an agreement to enable UBC to design curriculum for 22 courses that will be used by UCA faculty members to teach the Earth and Environmental Sciences Programme to UCA students.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by the President of UBC, Professor Santa J. Ono, and Dr Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of UCA, in Vancouver last week. “I am excited by this initiative and the chance to partner with a new university in an often underserved part of the world,” said UBC President Santa Ono.
“This partnership will not only allow UBC to have critical input into the development of new academic programmes half a world away, but will also provide UBC instructors with the chance to reflect on their own courses and how they might be improved and adapted to different learning environments. I look forward to seeing how the relationship evolves going forward. I wish UCA success, as it seeks to serve the region’s mountain societies.”
“We are delighted at this partnership”, said Dr Kassim-Lakha. “It is my hope that in time the MOU we signed will enable our two institutions to also collaborate in other academic fields, conduct joint research projects, facilitate training of UCA post graduate fellows, and encourage faculty and student exchanges.”
http://www.ucentralasia.org/Resources/Item/1295[/b]
********
A classroom for the mountains
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part two of a three-part Devex series that examines the Aga Khan’s plan to create a new model for higher education in Central Asia, where the opportunity to achieve academic excellence is usually found somewhere else. Read part one here.
A world-class university town
https://www.devex.com/news/a-world-clas ... town-89014
Inside Ian Canlas’ science classroom, students are discussing their grades on a recent homework assignment.
One of them asks Canlas why he deducted points from an answer that seemed generally correct.
“Because you did not have a complete idea,” Canlas says.
The students are grouped around open tables, seated in lime green cushioned swivel chairs. A few of them have laptops open. Most are casually dressed in t-shirts and hoodies, except for one who wears a black suit. The tone is informal, familiar. They call Canlas by his first name, Ian, which rhymes with lion.
But for the jagged foothills of Kyrgyzstan’s Tien Shan mountains surging outside the window and the students’ non-native facility with English, this could be any freshman classroom at a well-equipped Western university. For many members of this class, however, their first months at the University of Central Asia have marked a dramatic transition from the rote memorization favored by their Soviet legacy high schools to a curriculum that demands they think critically, in English — and offer a “complete idea.”
While it is not unheard of for high-achieving — or well-connected — students from Central Asia’s rural regions to access top-notch universities, it usually requires their families send them to a capital city or abroad, and — if they’re not lucky enough to earn a scholarship — pay a steep tuition. With or without financial assistance, young people who don’t have access to a quality university nearby face a difficult choice: leave home and family to pursue it, or make the best of what’s around.
More...
https://www.devex.com/news/a-classroom- ... ains-89424
The University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada, and the University of Central Asia (UCA), whose central administrative office is located in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, signed an agreement to enable UBC to design curriculum for 22 courses that will be used by UCA faculty members to teach the Earth and Environmental Sciences Programme to UCA students.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by the President of UBC, Professor Santa J. Ono, and Dr Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of UCA, in Vancouver last week. “I am excited by this initiative and the chance to partner with a new university in an often underserved part of the world,” said UBC President Santa Ono.
“This partnership will not only allow UBC to have critical input into the development of new academic programmes half a world away, but will also provide UBC instructors with the chance to reflect on their own courses and how they might be improved and adapted to different learning environments. I look forward to seeing how the relationship evolves going forward. I wish UCA success, as it seeks to serve the region’s mountain societies.”
“We are delighted at this partnership”, said Dr Kassim-Lakha. “It is my hope that in time the MOU we signed will enable our two institutions to also collaborate in other academic fields, conduct joint research projects, facilitate training of UCA post graduate fellows, and encourage faculty and student exchanges.”
http://www.ucentralasia.org/Resources/Item/1295[/b]
********
A classroom for the mountains
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part two of a three-part Devex series that examines the Aga Khan’s plan to create a new model for higher education in Central Asia, where the opportunity to achieve academic excellence is usually found somewhere else. Read part one here.
A world-class university town
https://www.devex.com/news/a-world-clas ... town-89014
Inside Ian Canlas’ science classroom, students are discussing their grades on a recent homework assignment.
One of them asks Canlas why he deducted points from an answer that seemed generally correct.
“Because you did not have a complete idea,” Canlas says.
The students are grouped around open tables, seated in lime green cushioned swivel chairs. A few of them have laptops open. Most are casually dressed in t-shirts and hoodies, except for one who wears a black suit. The tone is informal, familiar. They call Canlas by his first name, Ian, which rhymes with lion.
But for the jagged foothills of Kyrgyzstan’s Tien Shan mountains surging outside the window and the students’ non-native facility with English, this could be any freshman classroom at a well-equipped Western university. For many members of this class, however, their first months at the University of Central Asia have marked a dramatic transition from the rote memorization favored by their Soviet legacy high schools to a curriculum that demands they think critically, in English — and offer a “complete idea.”
While it is not unheard of for high-achieving — or well-connected — students from Central Asia’s rural regions to access top-notch universities, it usually requires their families send them to a capital city or abroad, and — if they’re not lucky enough to earn a scholarship — pay a steep tuition. With or without financial assistance, young people who don’t have access to a quality university nearby face a difficult choice: leave home and family to pursue it, or make the best of what’s around.
More...
https://www.devex.com/news/a-classroom- ... ains-89424
Tajkistan / Society / UCA, UBC collaborate on earth and environmental sciences
The University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada, and the University of Central Asia (UCA), whose central administrative office is located in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, have signed an agreement to enable UBC to design curriculum for 22 courses that will be used by UCA faculty members to teach the Earth and Environmental Sciences Program to UCA students.
According to UCA, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by the President of UBC, Professor Santa J. Ono, and Dr. Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of UCA, in Vancouver last week.
“I am excited by this initiative and the chance to partner with a new university in an often underserved part of the world,” said UBC President Santa Ono.
“This partnership will not only allow UBC to have critical input into the development of new academic programs half a world away, but will also provide UBC instructors with the chance to reflect on their own courses and how they might be improved and adapted to different learning environments. I look forward to seeing how the relationship evolves going forward. I wish UCA success, as it seeks to serve the region’s mountain societies.”
“We are delighted at this partnership”, said Dr. Kassim-Lakha. “It is my hope that in time the MoU we signed will enable our two institutions to also collaborate in other academic fields, conduct joint research projects, facilitate training of UCA post graduate fellows, and encourage faculty and student exchanges.”
More..
https://news.tj/en/news/tajikistan/soci ... 116/235554
The University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada, and the University of Central Asia (UCA), whose central administrative office is located in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, have signed an agreement to enable UBC to design curriculum for 22 courses that will be used by UCA faculty members to teach the Earth and Environmental Sciences Program to UCA students.
According to UCA, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by the President of UBC, Professor Santa J. Ono, and Dr. Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of UCA, in Vancouver last week.
“I am excited by this initiative and the chance to partner with a new university in an often underserved part of the world,” said UBC President Santa Ono.
“This partnership will not only allow UBC to have critical input into the development of new academic programs half a world away, but will also provide UBC instructors with the chance to reflect on their own courses and how they might be improved and adapted to different learning environments. I look forward to seeing how the relationship evolves going forward. I wish UCA success, as it seeks to serve the region’s mountain societies.”
“We are delighted at this partnership”, said Dr. Kassim-Lakha. “It is my hope that in time the MoU we signed will enable our two institutions to also collaborate in other academic fields, conduct joint research projects, facilitate training of UCA post graduate fellows, and encourage faculty and student exchanges.”
More..
https://news.tj/en/news/tajikistan/soci ... 116/235554
The future leaders of Central Asia
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part three of a Devex series that examines the Aga Khan’s plan to create a new model for higher education in Central Asia, where the opportunity to achieve academic excellence is usually found somewhere else. Read part one here and part two here.
Naryn, Kyrgyzstan — In the 15th century, a grandson of the Central Asian conqueror Timur — or Tamerlane — sought to turn the city of Samarkand into an intellectual capital of the Persian Empire. His name was Ulugh Beg, and he ruled over the territory now referred to somewhat dismissively as “the Stans.” Ulugh Beg built one of the largest astronomical observatories in the world, with an 11-meter sextant, and he used it to calculate the timing of eclipses.
“Central Asia, a thousand years ago, led the world in trade and investment, in urban development, in cultural and intellectual achievement. This was the place that leading thinkers from around the known world would look to for leadership,” said Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, at the inauguration of the University of Central Asia in Naryn, Kyrgyzstan, in October.
The Aga Khan Development Network, a multi-disciplinary development organization founded and led by the Islamic royal billionaire, is trying to rebuild Central Asia’s educational and intellectual infrastructure. The University of Central Asia will operate in three countries — Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan — and draw students from across the region. Its aim is to create the next generation of Central Asian thinkers, scientists and leaders.
The university, however, has taken a big risk and faces an uphill battle. UCA’s graduates will have the language skills and educational training that would propel many young job seekers to higher-paying opportunities abroad. The Aga Khan’s vision is that these students find opportunities for leadership in their own region. Whether that vision comes to fruition will depend on whether UCA can tailor the education students receive to the specific practical challenges facing their own communities — and whether the university can establish a network of graduates and researchers who will become Central Asia’s job creators.
More...
https://www.devex.com/news/the-future-l ... asia-89541
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part three of a Devex series that examines the Aga Khan’s plan to create a new model for higher education in Central Asia, where the opportunity to achieve academic excellence is usually found somewhere else. Read part one here and part two here.
Naryn, Kyrgyzstan — In the 15th century, a grandson of the Central Asian conqueror Timur — or Tamerlane — sought to turn the city of Samarkand into an intellectual capital of the Persian Empire. His name was Ulugh Beg, and he ruled over the territory now referred to somewhat dismissively as “the Stans.” Ulugh Beg built one of the largest astronomical observatories in the world, with an 11-meter sextant, and he used it to calculate the timing of eclipses.
“Central Asia, a thousand years ago, led the world in trade and investment, in urban development, in cultural and intellectual achievement. This was the place that leading thinkers from around the known world would look to for leadership,” said Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, at the inauguration of the University of Central Asia in Naryn, Kyrgyzstan, in October.
The Aga Khan Development Network, a multi-disciplinary development organization founded and led by the Islamic royal billionaire, is trying to rebuild Central Asia’s educational and intellectual infrastructure. The University of Central Asia will operate in three countries — Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan — and draw students from across the region. Its aim is to create the next generation of Central Asian thinkers, scientists and leaders.
The university, however, has taken a big risk and faces an uphill battle. UCA’s graduates will have the language skills and educational training that would propel many young job seekers to higher-paying opportunities abroad. The Aga Khan’s vision is that these students find opportunities for leadership in their own region. Whether that vision comes to fruition will depend on whether UCA can tailor the education students receive to the specific practical challenges facing their own communities — and whether the university can establish a network of graduates and researchers who will become Central Asia’s job creators.
More...
https://www.devex.com/news/the-future-l ... asia-89541
University of Victoria and University of Central Asia Collaborate on Innovative Education Programme
The University of Victoria (UVic) and the University of Central Asia (UCA) signed a memorandum of understanding earlier this month to affirm their intent to foster multi-faceted academic cooperation, faculty and student mobility, and joint research collaborations.
“UVic is excited to partner with the University of Central Asia as we develop new opportunities for international research, scholarship, and dynamic learning that will benefit students and faculty from both institutions,” said University of Victoria President Jamie Cassels. “We look forward to working with UCA to help them build a co-operative education programme that draws from the best practices that we employ here at UVic.”
More...
http://www.ucentralasia.org/Resources/Item/1301
********
University of Central Asia and Higher School of Economics Sign Partnership Agreement in Moscow
The University of Central Asia (UCA) and the National Research University’s Higher School of Economics (HSE) signed an agreement on 14 February 2017 in Moscow, Russia. HSE will develop curriculum for UCA’s undergraduate programme in Economics and contribute towards faculty development. UCA has the field experience and data on economic challenges in Central Asia, and HSE will provide the analytical expertise, including exchange of faculty and students, and collaborate on joint research.
http://ucentralasia.org/Resources/Item/1312
*******
UCA Stimulating Socio-Economic Development in the Naryn Region
During a visit to the Naryn Campus of the University of Central Asia (UCA) on 12 February 2017, the Naryn Mayor, Emilbek Alymkulov, expressed satisfaction that in the short period of time UCA has been in operation, “we are already seeing changes in the development of Naryn and this is very encouraging.”
The Mayor was speaking at an Open House hosted by UCA for prospective Grade 11 students, parents, and high school administrators from across Kyrgyzstan. During the day-long affair, students and their parents were introduced to UCA and its core specialisations: Computer Science; Communications and Media; Earth and Environmental Sciences and Economics.
http://ucentralasia.org/Resources/Item/1306
The University of Victoria (UVic) and the University of Central Asia (UCA) signed a memorandum of understanding earlier this month to affirm their intent to foster multi-faceted academic cooperation, faculty and student mobility, and joint research collaborations.
“UVic is excited to partner with the University of Central Asia as we develop new opportunities for international research, scholarship, and dynamic learning that will benefit students and faculty from both institutions,” said University of Victoria President Jamie Cassels. “We look forward to working with UCA to help them build a co-operative education programme that draws from the best practices that we employ here at UVic.”
More...
http://www.ucentralasia.org/Resources/Item/1301
********
University of Central Asia and Higher School of Economics Sign Partnership Agreement in Moscow
The University of Central Asia (UCA) and the National Research University’s Higher School of Economics (HSE) signed an agreement on 14 February 2017 in Moscow, Russia. HSE will develop curriculum for UCA’s undergraduate programme in Economics and contribute towards faculty development. UCA has the field experience and data on economic challenges in Central Asia, and HSE will provide the analytical expertise, including exchange of faculty and students, and collaborate on joint research.
http://ucentralasia.org/Resources/Item/1312
*******
UCA Stimulating Socio-Economic Development in the Naryn Region
During a visit to the Naryn Campus of the University of Central Asia (UCA) on 12 February 2017, the Naryn Mayor, Emilbek Alymkulov, expressed satisfaction that in the short period of time UCA has been in operation, “we are already seeing changes in the development of Naryn and this is very encouraging.”
The Mayor was speaking at an Open House hosted by UCA for prospective Grade 11 students, parents, and high school administrators from across Kyrgyzstan. During the day-long affair, students and their parents were introduced to UCA and its core specialisations: Computer Science; Communications and Media; Earth and Environmental Sciences and Economics.
http://ucentralasia.org/Resources/Item/1306
Science, technology and math necessary for students to be globally competitive, says university director general
ASTANA – It seems economics and law have been eternally popular and cliché fields to study and work in former Soviet Union countries. The notion that one is guarantied a job afterwards has been fading away, however, with the arrival of the digital era and a competitive new world ruled by science and technology.
“People go with law and economics because these are easy to do. They are concerned about getting a piece of paper rather than what they are going to do afterwards in life,” Bohdan Krawchenko, Director General at the University of Central Asia, told The Astana Times. The University of Central Asia, established under an agreement between the governments of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and the Aga Khan Development Network that is building campuses in the three founding states.
Most people who graduate from law school do not practice law or ultimately work in places that have nothing to do with the field. He noted universities offer law and economics courses because they get students, but economics departments do not train economists.
“It’s from ‘narodnoye hozyaistvo’, or national economy, and used to train people for Gosplan (the agency that was responsible for central economic planning in the Soviet Union),” he said.
Bohdan Krawchenko
Bohdan Krawchenko
“I have relatives who have earned these degrees and they don’t know anything. They are not even good accountants. They don’t have to take courses to become accountants. I think, it is first of all, something that is not sustainable,” he added.
Societies need people in all kinds of technical fields, but the director noted students do not go into certain areas because there is a very significant drop in mathematical skills. Many people avoid engineering, computer science or “real” economics where one needs to know calculus and other such skills because they do not know math and instead go into areas where it is not needed.
Krawchenko believes in today’s society, where technology is critically important, one must have some sort of math background and it is unfortunate many do not have it. High schoolers receive very little preparation in terms of career choices and as a result are left on their own.
More...
http://astanatimes.com/2017/04/science- ... r-general/
ASTANA – It seems economics and law have been eternally popular and cliché fields to study and work in former Soviet Union countries. The notion that one is guarantied a job afterwards has been fading away, however, with the arrival of the digital era and a competitive new world ruled by science and technology.
“People go with law and economics because these are easy to do. They are concerned about getting a piece of paper rather than what they are going to do afterwards in life,” Bohdan Krawchenko, Director General at the University of Central Asia, told The Astana Times. The University of Central Asia, established under an agreement between the governments of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and the Aga Khan Development Network that is building campuses in the three founding states.
Most people who graduate from law school do not practice law or ultimately work in places that have nothing to do with the field. He noted universities offer law and economics courses because they get students, but economics departments do not train economists.
“It’s from ‘narodnoye hozyaistvo’, or national economy, and used to train people for Gosplan (the agency that was responsible for central economic planning in the Soviet Union),” he said.
Bohdan Krawchenko
Bohdan Krawchenko
“I have relatives who have earned these degrees and they don’t know anything. They are not even good accountants. They don’t have to take courses to become accountants. I think, it is first of all, something that is not sustainable,” he added.
Societies need people in all kinds of technical fields, but the director noted students do not go into certain areas because there is a very significant drop in mathematical skills. Many people avoid engineering, computer science or “real” economics where one needs to know calculus and other such skills because they do not know math and instead go into areas where it is not needed.
Krawchenko believes in today’s society, where technology is critically important, one must have some sort of math background and it is unfortunate many do not have it. High schoolers receive very little preparation in terms of career choices and as a result are left on their own.
More...
http://astanatimes.com/2017/04/science- ... r-general/
Cambridge Doctoral Scholarships for Young Scholars
The University of Central Asia (UCA) in partnership with the Cambridge Trust is pleased to announce scholarship opportunities for doctoral study at the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.
The scholarships are for students wishing to pursue doctoral studies in the following fields: Computer Science, Engineering, Media and Communications, Business Management or Economics. Support for students entering a master’s programme as a pathway to a doctoral degree will be considered. The fields listed reflect some of the majors in undergraduate programme offered by UCA’s School of Arts and Sciences.
Applicants from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Tajikistan are strongly encouraged to apply. Students from Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and northern Pakistan are also eligible. Applicants must meet UCA’s eligibility benchmarks, and admission criteria to the University of Cambridge.
The scholarships are part of UCA’s ongoing Central Asian Faculty Development Programme (CAFDP) designed to ensure that scholars from the region are strongly represented in UCA’s faculty. Scholarship recipients will be required to work for three years at the University, after the completion of their studies at the University of Cambridge.
UCA is Central Asia’s sole regional university with fully-residential campuses in Naryn, Kyrgyzstan, Khorog, Tajikistan, and Tekeli, Kazakhstan with state-of-the art facilities, small staff - student ratios, and with generous provision for faculty to engage in research.
Interested students are invited to submit their applications to UCA by 17 November 2017. The deadline for admissions to the University of Cambridge is 6 December 2017 via their online application portal. For further information please contact: cafdp@ucentralasia.org
http://www.ucentralasia.org/Resources/Item/1466
https://www.cambridgetrust.org/partners ... ntral-asia
The University of Central Asia (UCA) in partnership with the Cambridge Trust is pleased to announce scholarship opportunities for doctoral study at the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.
The scholarships are for students wishing to pursue doctoral studies in the following fields: Computer Science, Engineering, Media and Communications, Business Management or Economics. Support for students entering a master’s programme as a pathway to a doctoral degree will be considered. The fields listed reflect some of the majors in undergraduate programme offered by UCA’s School of Arts and Sciences.
Applicants from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Tajikistan are strongly encouraged to apply. Students from Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and northern Pakistan are also eligible. Applicants must meet UCA’s eligibility benchmarks, and admission criteria to the University of Cambridge.
The scholarships are part of UCA’s ongoing Central Asian Faculty Development Programme (CAFDP) designed to ensure that scholars from the region are strongly represented in UCA’s faculty. Scholarship recipients will be required to work for three years at the University, after the completion of their studies at the University of Cambridge.
UCA is Central Asia’s sole regional university with fully-residential campuses in Naryn, Kyrgyzstan, Khorog, Tajikistan, and Tekeli, Kazakhstan with state-of-the art facilities, small staff - student ratios, and with generous provision for faculty to engage in research.
Interested students are invited to submit their applications to UCA by 17 November 2017. The deadline for admissions to the University of Cambridge is 6 December 2017 via their online application portal. For further information please contact: cafdp@ucentralasia.org
http://www.ucentralasia.org/Resources/Item/1466
https://www.cambridgetrust.org/partners ... ntral-asia
University of Technology Sydney and University of Central Asia collaborate on communications and media
Australia, 12 September 2017 - The University of Technology Sydney (UTS), and the University of Central Asia (UCA), signed an agreement in Australia to strengthen the relationship between the Institutions and encourage cooperation in the field of Communications and Media on 12 September 2017.
“We look forward to great things happening with this partnership,” said Professor Andrew Parfitt, Provost and Senior Vice President at UTS. “Although we have a strong international programme, with the largest number of students going overseas of any Australian university, this is the first time UTS will be involved with countries of the former Soviet Union.” Among the areas of collaboration between the two institutions are curriculum development, exchange of faculty and students, sharing of teaching resources and strategies, joint conferences, seminars, and exhibitions.
Representing the University of Central Asia at the signing was Dr. Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, Chairman of the Board of Trustees. “We explored many universities before deciding to partner with UTS. The strength and reputation of their programme in Communications and Media was most impressive, and we are particularly comfortable with their innovative and hands-on approach to teaching. Now that UTS will have a footprint in Central Asia, we hope that in time other partnerships with the programmes of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) can be developed.”
More...
http://www.akdn.org/press-release/unive ... ollaborate
Australia, 12 September 2017 - The University of Technology Sydney (UTS), and the University of Central Asia (UCA), signed an agreement in Australia to strengthen the relationship between the Institutions and encourage cooperation in the field of Communications and Media on 12 September 2017.
“We look forward to great things happening with this partnership,” said Professor Andrew Parfitt, Provost and Senior Vice President at UTS. “Although we have a strong international programme, with the largest number of students going overseas of any Australian university, this is the first time UTS will be involved with countries of the former Soviet Union.” Among the areas of collaboration between the two institutions are curriculum development, exchange of faculty and students, sharing of teaching resources and strategies, joint conferences, seminars, and exhibitions.
Representing the University of Central Asia at the signing was Dr. Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, Chairman of the Board of Trustees. “We explored many universities before deciding to partner with UTS. The strength and reputation of their programme in Communications and Media was most impressive, and we are particularly comfortable with their innovative and hands-on approach to teaching. Now that UTS will have a footprint in Central Asia, we hope that in time other partnerships with the programmes of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) can be developed.”
More...
http://www.akdn.org/press-release/unive ... ollaborate
Prime Minister visits UCA Campus in Naryn
Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic, 19 September 2017 - “UCA is an example others should emulate”, said the Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic, Sapar Isakov, during his visit to the University of Central Asia’s (UCA) campus in Naryn on 19 September 2017. He asked the journalists accompanying him to photograph the campus facilities and share with their readers as an example of what is possible in Kyrgyzstan.
The Prime Minister toured the campus, met with students and faculty in the classrooms, and even played a game of table tennis with a student. He was accompanied by the Governor of Naryn Oblast, the Mayor of Naryn, and senior government officials. Welcoming the Prime Minister, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of UCA, Dr. Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, conveyed congratulations to the youngest Prime Minister in the history of the Kyrgyz Republic, and asked if he would share with the students the secret of his success. “Be yourself, and never compromise your principles,” said the Prime Minister when responding to a similar question during the question and answer session which followed his speech.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister conveyed his appreciation of what had been accomplished at UCA, “from the architecture to the artwork on the walls.” He was particularly happy that His Highness the Aga Khan had established UCA in a mountainous rural setting, and not in a major city. “The tranquility of the campus surrounded by mountains offers a perfect setting for study and contemplation. If my office had been nearby I would have used these facilities every day.”
More...
http://www.akdn.org/press-release/prime ... mpus-naryn
Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic, 19 September 2017 - “UCA is an example others should emulate”, said the Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic, Sapar Isakov, during his visit to the University of Central Asia’s (UCA) campus in Naryn on 19 September 2017. He asked the journalists accompanying him to photograph the campus facilities and share with their readers as an example of what is possible in Kyrgyzstan.
The Prime Minister toured the campus, met with students and faculty in the classrooms, and even played a game of table tennis with a student. He was accompanied by the Governor of Naryn Oblast, the Mayor of Naryn, and senior government officials. Welcoming the Prime Minister, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of UCA, Dr. Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, conveyed congratulations to the youngest Prime Minister in the history of the Kyrgyz Republic, and asked if he would share with the students the secret of his success. “Be yourself, and never compromise your principles,” said the Prime Minister when responding to a similar question during the question and answer session which followed his speech.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister conveyed his appreciation of what had been accomplished at UCA, “from the architecture to the artwork on the walls.” He was particularly happy that His Highness the Aga Khan had established UCA in a mountainous rural setting, and not in a major city. “The tranquility of the campus surrounded by mountains offers a perfect setting for study and contemplation. If my office had been nearby I would have used these facilities every day.”
More...
http://www.akdn.org/press-release/prime ... mpus-naryn
http://www.ucentralasia.org/Resources/Item/1515
Chancellor Presides at Inaugural Meeting of UCA Trustees
Date: 08 November 2017
The inaugural meeting of the University of Central Asia’s (UCA) Board of Trustees was held on 6 November 2017 in Gouvieux, France. His Highness the Aga Khan, Chancellor of UCA, welcomed the Founding Trustees and urged them “to make research one of the highest priorities of the University. Only through the creation of new knowledge will we be able to address the multiple challenges that affect the quality of life of mountain societies. Over time, it is high quality and relevant research which will earn UCA a place among the renowned universities of the world.” He added that the stewardship of UCA was now in the hands of the Board of Trustees. Among the items discussed at the meeting were current programmes and future initiatives of the University.
Inaugural Session of UCA’s Board of Trustees (6 November 2017). Front Row (L to R): Mrs. Elvira Sarieva, Prince Rahim Aga Khan, His Highness the Aga Khan, Princess Zahra Aga Khan, Dr. Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, Senator Byrganym Aitimova. Back Row (L to R): Mr. Naguib Kheraj, Dr. Hans Hurni, Dr. Shenggen Fan, Dr. Sharofat Mamadambarova.
A day earlier (5 November), the Trustees received an orientation and briefing on AKDN and UCA. Presentations highlighted the vision and mission of UCA, the international Treaty and Charter executed by the Founders in 2000, current academic programmes and those in the planning phases, matters relating to the design and construction of the campuses, and the recruitment of students, and senior faculty and staff.
The Trustees bring a wealth of expertise and experience, and include prominent individuals with distinguished backgrounds in academia, government, development, and civil society. UCA’s first Board of Trustees include:
Princess Zahra Aga Khan
Prince Rahim Aga Khan
Dr. Shamsh Kassim-Lakha (Pakistan): Chairman of the Board of Trustees; and AKDN Diplomatic Representative to the Kyrgyz Republic
Senator Byrganym Aitimova (Kazakhstan): Member of the Senate of Kazakhstan; former Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the UN; and former Minister of Education and Science
Dr. Shenggen Fan (China): Director General, International Food Policy Research Institute, a UN agency located in Washington DC
Dr. Hans Hurni (Switzerland): Director and Founding President of the Board of the Center for Development and Environment, University of Bern; and Professor Emeritus
Mr. Naguib Kheraj (UK): Deputy Chairman, Standard Chartered; Senior Advisor, AKDN; and Trustee, Aga Khan University
Dr. Sharofat Mamadambarova (Tajikistan): Professor of English Language; Head of the Aga Khan Humanities Programme, UCA
Mrs. Elvira Sarieva (Kyrgyzstan): Deputy Head of the Kyrgyz Presidential Apparatus; former Vice Prime Minister for Social Affairs; and former Minister of Education and Science
An appointee of the Government of Tajikistan to UCA’s Board of Trustees is expected shortly.
Commenting on the inaugural meeting of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Shamsh Kassim-Lakha said “UCA is fortunate to have the wisdom of such distinguished Trustees to guide its next phase of development. The Board represents a remarkable pool of knowledge and experience from Central Asia and beyond, and I am honoured and privileged to serve as its Chairman. The Trustees have made an excellent beginning by taking a deep interest in the current academic programmes, and committing themselves to the mission established by the Founders of UCA.”
Chancellor Presides at Inaugural Meeting of UCA Trustees
Date: 08 November 2017
The inaugural meeting of the University of Central Asia’s (UCA) Board of Trustees was held on 6 November 2017 in Gouvieux, France. His Highness the Aga Khan, Chancellor of UCA, welcomed the Founding Trustees and urged them “to make research one of the highest priorities of the University. Only through the creation of new knowledge will we be able to address the multiple challenges that affect the quality of life of mountain societies. Over time, it is high quality and relevant research which will earn UCA a place among the renowned universities of the world.” He added that the stewardship of UCA was now in the hands of the Board of Trustees. Among the items discussed at the meeting were current programmes and future initiatives of the University.
Inaugural Session of UCA’s Board of Trustees (6 November 2017). Front Row (L to R): Mrs. Elvira Sarieva, Prince Rahim Aga Khan, His Highness the Aga Khan, Princess Zahra Aga Khan, Dr. Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, Senator Byrganym Aitimova. Back Row (L to R): Mr. Naguib Kheraj, Dr. Hans Hurni, Dr. Shenggen Fan, Dr. Sharofat Mamadambarova.
A day earlier (5 November), the Trustees received an orientation and briefing on AKDN and UCA. Presentations highlighted the vision and mission of UCA, the international Treaty and Charter executed by the Founders in 2000, current academic programmes and those in the planning phases, matters relating to the design and construction of the campuses, and the recruitment of students, and senior faculty and staff.
The Trustees bring a wealth of expertise and experience, and include prominent individuals with distinguished backgrounds in academia, government, development, and civil society. UCA’s first Board of Trustees include:
Princess Zahra Aga Khan
Prince Rahim Aga Khan
Dr. Shamsh Kassim-Lakha (Pakistan): Chairman of the Board of Trustees; and AKDN Diplomatic Representative to the Kyrgyz Republic
Senator Byrganym Aitimova (Kazakhstan): Member of the Senate of Kazakhstan; former Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the UN; and former Minister of Education and Science
Dr. Shenggen Fan (China): Director General, International Food Policy Research Institute, a UN agency located in Washington DC
Dr. Hans Hurni (Switzerland): Director and Founding President of the Board of the Center for Development and Environment, University of Bern; and Professor Emeritus
Mr. Naguib Kheraj (UK): Deputy Chairman, Standard Chartered; Senior Advisor, AKDN; and Trustee, Aga Khan University
Dr. Sharofat Mamadambarova (Tajikistan): Professor of English Language; Head of the Aga Khan Humanities Programme, UCA
Mrs. Elvira Sarieva (Kyrgyzstan): Deputy Head of the Kyrgyz Presidential Apparatus; former Vice Prime Minister for Social Affairs; and former Minister of Education and Science
An appointee of the Government of Tajikistan to UCA’s Board of Trustees is expected shortly.
Commenting on the inaugural meeting of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Shamsh Kassim-Lakha said “UCA is fortunate to have the wisdom of such distinguished Trustees to guide its next phase of development. The Board represents a remarkable pool of knowledge and experience from Central Asia and beyond, and I am honoured and privileged to serve as its Chairman. The Trustees have made an excellent beginning by taking a deep interest in the current academic programmes, and committing themselves to the mission established by the Founders of UCA.”
MoU between UCA and Afghanistan
Details and photos at:
https://twitter.com/Sarabinaheed?ref_sr ... ervants%2F
Details and photos at:
https://twitter.com/Sarabinaheed?ref_sr ... ervants%2F
University of Central Asia and Stockholm School of Economics in Riga Sign Agreement of Cooperation
|
The University of Central Asia (UCA) and the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga (SSE Riga) signed a memorandum of understanding on February 14th 2018 in Riga, Latvia. The intended areas of cooperation include development of curriculum for UCA’s undergraduate programme in Economics, faculty and student exchanges as well as research cooperation.
More..
http://www.ucentralasia.org/Resources/Item/1586
|
The University of Central Asia (UCA) and the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga (SSE Riga) signed a memorandum of understanding on February 14th 2018 in Riga, Latvia. The intended areas of cooperation include development of curriculum for UCA’s undergraduate programme in Economics, faculty and student exchanges as well as research cooperation.
More..
http://www.ucentralasia.org/Resources/Item/1586
Princess Zahra and other members of the Board of Trustees visit the UCA campus...
https://twitter.com/ucentralasia/status ... al-asia%2F
https://twitter.com/ucentralasia/status ... al-asia%2F
SPCE is an Authorised Cambridge Assessment English Centre in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan
The University of Central Asia's (UCA) School of Professional and Continuing Education (SPCE) is officially accredited by the Cambridge Assessment English as a centre to offer English language examinations.
More...
http://ucentralasia.org/Resources/Item/1621
The University of Central Asia's (UCA) School of Professional and Continuing Education (SPCE) is officially accredited by the Cambridge Assessment English as a centre to offer English language examinations.
More...
http://ucentralasia.org/Resources/Item/1621