web-UCA-QNews-Vol2-No3-Eng

July - SEPTEMBER 2014
QNews
VOL.2 No.3
Special issue: SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL AND CONTINUING EDUCATION

UCA Q-NEWS | VOL.2 No.3 | Jul-Sep 2014
2
Contents
The First Word.........................................................................................................................3
News
Kassim-Lakha to Lead Planning and Building of UCA............................................................4
Board Executive Committee Visits Central Asia......................................................................5
UCA Football Team Strong at Regional Competitions ............................................................7
Marketing and Communications Network Launched...............................................................8
SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL AND CONTINUING EDUCATION
SPCE: Reaching Learners Across Central Asia......................................................................9
Recognised for Best Practices by ECDL Foundation............................................................10
SPCE TAJIKISTAN
220 Graduates from Tajikistan and Afghanistan....................................................................11
First Graduates of Practical Business Management Programme Recognised.....................12
Technical and Vocational Programme Builds Skills and Opportunities.................................13
SPCE Kyrgyz Republic
SPCE Alumni Win at Start-up Weekend................................................................................14
Building Health Care Capacity in Naryn................................................................................15
SPCE KAZAKHSTAN
Returning Kazakhs Learn Russian........................................................................................16
SPCE AFGHANISTAN
Supporting Good Governance in Afghanistan.......................................................................17
Badakhshan University Continuing Education Unit Opens...................................................18
PEOPLE
Afghan Instructor Receives SPCE Scholarship.....................................................................19
Naryn Entrepreneur Inspires Action and Ideas......................................................................20
RESEARCH AND LEARNING
Human and Environmental Relations in Climate Change Responses..................................21
Programme in Policy Analysis Offered in Dushanbe.............................................................22
Mobile Digital Library Follows the Nomads’ Path..................................................................23
CONSTRUCTION
Naryn Company Benefits from UCA Construction.................................................................24
UCA Formally Hands Over Dasht Village Road to Khorog Municipality................................25
Last page
News Bites............................................................................................................................26
UCA Public Lecture Series....................................................................................................27
The University of Central Asia (UCA) was founded in 2000. The Presidents of Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Kazakh-
stan and His Highness the Aga Khan signed the International Treaty and Charter establishing this secular and private Univer-
sity, which was ratified by the respective parliaments and registered with the United Nations. UCA was established to offer
an internationally recognised 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.
Cover photo: Instructor Zamira Sitkinushova (centre) teaches an English Starter class at the UCA
School of Professional and Continuing Education in Khorog, Tajikistan.
Photos on page 21 by Dr Karim-Aly Kassam, UCA Senior Research Fellow and Professor,
Cornell University.

3
The School of Professional and Continuing Education (SPCE) is the Uni-
versity of Central Asia’s (UCA) first operational school. This issue of Q-
News highlights the impact of SPCE programmes. Its scope reflects the
broad reach of SPCE, featuring both young graduates seeking to enrich
their learning and seasoned professionals building their credentials.
The School’s focus on entrepreneurship is evident in a variety of sectors,
ranging from construction, livestock farming and national competitions.
SPCE’s impact through its partnerships with governments is seen in the
delivery of its training programmes for civil servants. The School’s com-
mitment to strategically strengthen education is firmly rooted in its teach-
ing training programmes. Less known, but no less impactful, SPCE’s
contributions to other sectors, such as health care, are also featured.
SPCE continues to be our trail blazer programme, initiating UCA’s
growing programmes in Afghanistan through vital agreements with
government, development and education partners.
We believe you will enjoy the section on People. These stories of SPCE
graduates and instructors provide intimate accounts of the impact of
SPCE programmes. More often than not, it not just the SPCE qualifica-
tion that is valued, but also the experience of learning in a positive and
secure environment.
UCA is busy with the construction of undergraduate campuses in the
Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan followed by Kazakhstan. As the founda-
tions of these campuses are laid and the buildings take shape, we move
forward confidently, knowing that SPCE has created a strong founda-
tion on which to build.
Nisar Keshvani
Head of Communications
nisar.keshvani@ucentralasia.org
The First Word
Q-News is a quarterly magazine published by the University of Central Asia.
All rights reserved. Every attempt has been made to ensure the information
contained herein is valid at the time of publication. UCA disclaims any and all
liability for damages incurred directly or indirectly as a result of errors, omis-
sions or discrepancies. For permission to re-publish UCA Q-News stories or
request high resolution images, please contact: Nisar Keshvani, Head of Com-
munications: communications@ucentralasia.org
Editorial Team:
Managing Editor: Nisar Keshvani
Editor: Sia Nowrojee
Writers: Kimberley Fortin, Narmeen Lakhani, Daler Qubodbekov, Aline Rosset,
Zhamilya Arapova
Interns: Nilufar Bahromzoda, Gulazor Gulmamadova
Design: Mikhail Romanyuk
His Highness the Aga Khan
Meets with Leadership of the
Kyrgyz Republic
The Aga Khan Reviews Progress
of UCA’s Naryn Campus
Afghan Civil Servants Arrive
in Bishkek for Policy Analysis
Programme
GIS Laboratory Opens at UCA
and more...
In our next issue:

News4
The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN)
and UCA announce the appointment of Mr
Shamsh Kassim-Lakha as Executive Chairman
of UCA’s Board Executive Committee. Kassim-
Lakha will lead the planning and building of
UCA campuses in Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Repub-
lic and Kazakhstan.
Kassim-Lakha is a long-time supporter of UCA,
and was involved in the negotiations of the
international treaty that led to its establishment
by the governments of Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz
Republic and Kazakhstan and His Highness the
Aga Khan. Continuing his commitment to the
region, Kassim-Lakha was recently appointed
Head of the AKDN Diplomatic Representation in
the Kyrgyz Republic.
As Founding President of Aga Khan University
(AKU), the first private university chartered in
South Asia, Kassim-Lakha led its planning, build-
ing and operations for nearly three decades. AKU
was established by His Highness the Aga Khan
and has campuses in Pakistan, East Africa and the
United Kingdom.
Kassim-Lakha has served in senior positions in
Kassim-Lakha to Lead Planning and Building of UCA
the Pakistan government, including as the coun-
try’s Minister of Education, and as Minister of
Science and Technology in the caretaker govern-
ment in 2007-8.
In 2001-2, as Minister of State, he led the Pa-
kistani task force which recommended reforms
to higher education in the country, resulting in
major structural changes in universities and the
creation of the Higher Education Commission, of
which he was a member from 2007 to 2011.
Kassim-Lakha chairs the board of Pakistan Cen-
tre for Philanthropy and is a Senior Distinguished
Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs,
University of Toronto. He recently retired from
the board of the International Baccalaureate Or-
ganization, following two successive terms.
In recognition of his academic and social work,
Kassim-Lakha has received honorary degrees
from McMaster University, Canada and the
Aga Khan University. His awards for distin-
guished service include Sitara-e-Imtiaz and
Hilal-e-Imtiaz from the President of Pakistan
and Officer of the National Order of Merit from
the President of France.
Mr Kassim-Lakha presents his credentials to Erlan Abdyldayev (right), Minister of Foreign Affairs of the
Kyrgyz Republic.
“It is His Highness the Aga Khan’s expectation that
UCA should benefit from lessons learnt from AKU and
other world renowned universities. With UCA, we plan
to bring the best of global education to Central Asia.”
News

News
5
Naryn Vice-Governor Chinara Abdraimakunova and Board Executive Committee members briefed by
Kuban Sydybaev, a member of UCA’s core construction team.
Naryn Vice Governor and UCA Board
Visit Naryn Campus Site
On 4 July 2014, BEC members and the Naryn
Vice-Governor Ms Chinara Abdraimakunova
toured UCA’s main campus in Naryn, located on
a spectacular site along the Naryn River.
The visitors were briefed on construction pro-
gress and the engagement of local contractors and
a workforce primarily made up of Naryn resi-
dents. They examined the concrete works on the
academic building, excavations for dormitories
and on-site equipment, and toured the interna-
tional standard welfare facility, which includes a
commercial kitchen and cafeteria.
The Committee visited the School of Profes-
sional and Continuing Education (SPCE), which
offers programmes leading to professional
qualifications and skills improvement. SPCE
has enrolled over 19,000 learners in the Kyrgyz
Republic since 2006.
Archaeologist Dr Kubat Tabaldyev of Manas
University, who, with UCA, is producing an
archaeological map of the campus site and exca-
vating relevant sites, briefed the visitors. Excava-
tions and carbon dating have shown continuous
Board Executive Committee Visits Central Asia
settlement on the site since the Stone Age. With
continuous archaeological monitoring, University
buildings are being constructed on land parcels
with no historical importance. Archaeological ex-
cavations will be integrated into cultural heritage
courses, offering students a unique opportunity
for hands-on archaeological exploration.
Abdraimakunova noted, “We are grateful to UCA
for its commitment to develop Naryn Oblast. I
am pleased with recent construction develop-
ments and the archaeological findings on site are
important for preserving our heritage.”
Board Pays Courtesy Call on
GBAO Governor and Visits Khorog
Programmes
The next day, the Board toured UCA’s campus site
and programmes in Khorog. The campus site is
located 2,100 metres above sea level on land pro-
vided by the Government of the Republic of Tajik-
istan. They witnessed preparatory works, such as
an intensive stone removal and crushing process
that has provided employment to 250 residents.
Mr Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, BEC Executive
Chairman and Head of the AKDN Diplomatic
The UCA Board Executive Committee (BEC) visited Central Asia in July 2014 to review campus
and programme development and to meet with partners. Following meetings at the University’s
Central Administration Office in Bishkek, Committee members visited University facilities in
Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic and Khorog, Tajikistan.

News6
GBAO Governor Shodikhnon Jamshed meets with BEC members.
Representation in the Kyrgyz Republic, an-
nounced, “The Chancellor of UCA, His Highness
the Aga Khan, has tasked UCA’s management to
accelerate construction of its Khorog campus.
Beginning this September, UCA will start work
on the foundation of the main academic building.
Khorog is a challenging construction site but we
are confident that this fully residential campus
will open its doors in September 2018.”
The Board visited SPCE, which was launched in
Khorog in 2006 and in Dushanbe in 2008, and has
since enrolled over 33,000 learners in 120 training
courses in Tajikistan. The School is also reaching
Afghan learners through its Cross-Border Voca-
tional Education in Badakhshan project (see page
19). They toured SPCE’s Technical and Vocational
Education Training’s (TVET) state-of-the-art facil-
ity, built by TVET apprentices. TVET provides
practical experience and employment opportuni-
ties through industry and Aga Khan Develop-
ment Network (AKDN) partnerships. The facility
houses the alumni-run cooperative Zindagi and
construction company Sokhtmonchi LLC, which
regularly employ or train TVET students. For
more information about TVET, see page 13.
The Committee visited Mr Shodikhon Jamshed,
Governor of Gorno Badakshan Autonomous
Oblast (GBAO) to apprise him of construction
and academic developments.
“The GBAO government considers fruitful mutual
cooperation with the Aga Khan Development
Network in various socio-economic sectors very
important. The announcement of UCA’s start of
construction is excellent news and received by
our people with excitement,” said Jamshed.
The Board Executive Committee oversees the
construction and development of the university in
the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan.
The Naryn campus will open in 2016, the Khorog
campus will open in 2018 and the Tekeli campus
will open shortly after Khorog. Each campus will
offer two majors, from among Computer Science,
Economics, Communications and Media, Earth
and Environmental Sciences, Business and Man-
agement and Engineering Sciences. Students will
also have the opportunity to study for a minor in
Central Asian Studies, Development Studies or
Globalisation Studies.
The Committee includes Executive Chairman
Kassim-Lakha; Dr Shafik Sachedina, Director of
His Highness the Aga Khan’s Diplomatic De-
partment; Mr Naguib Kheraj, prominent United
Kingdom (UK) banker and board member of the
UK National Health Service and Prince of Wales
Trust; Mr Nizar Shariff, who has coordinated 50
construction projects for AKDN; and Mr Akbar
Ali Pesnani, Head of the AKDN Diplomatic Rep-
resentation in Tajikistan.
“Khorog is a challenging construction site but we are confident that this
fully residential campus will open its doors in September 2018.”

News
7
UCA hosted its third annual football tourna-
ment from 29 to 31 August 2014. Following the
inaugural 2012 tournament marking the opening
of its international standard sports facilities, the
University hosts the competition as part of Kyr-
gyz Independence Day celebrations in Naryn.
“This is the third year that UCA has hosted this
tournament and interest in football has in-
creased. Today six teams are representing Naryn
neighbourhoods, compared to just three in 2012,
when I also participated,” observed acting Naryn
mayor Mr Almaz Shaltaev Suranovich.
The teams included Almabak, Kyrgyz Arab
Friendship representing RTS neighbourhood,
Pazzakov of Razzakov neighbourhood, Tosh-
Bulak, Shaarcha from Sanedip, MDS, MSO and
Gorodok neighbourhoods and UCA.
Tosh-Bulak and RTS won the tournament in 2012
and 2013 respectively. This year, UCA beat Raz-
zakov 5-1 to win the champions trophy. Three
new awards were presented; Orozaliev Sagyn
(Razzakov) was honoured as best player, Bek
Jusupbek uulu (Almabak) as top goal scorer and
Argen Aiyichy uulu (UCA) as best goal keeper.
“In just three years, this tournament has become
a popular sporting event in Naryn,” said Mr
Grant Robertson, UCA Director of Construction,
“Our goal is to create facilities that serve as fo-
cal points in the community and as construction
progresses, UCA looks forward to more opportu-
nities to bring people from the region together.”
UCA Football Team Strong at Regional Competitions
UCA’s sports facilities were physically built
by residents of Naryn Town and Tosh Bulak
village, managed by UCA’s construction team.
The facilities are open to the public and will be
used by UCA students when the campus opens
in September 2016.
SPCE Naryn Wins Third Place in Local
Football Championship
On 4 June 2014, UCA’s football team placed
third in the ninth annual championship of the
Naryn Oblast Football Federation. This was the
second time UCA participated in the event, an
advanced league of 25 teams. The league took
place from February to May.
The teams represented prominent public and pri-
vate organisations in Naryn. UCA’s team com-
prised of staff from the School of Professional
and Continuing Education and the Construction
and Facility Division. Following intense train-
ing, the team moved up from twelfth to third
place. First place went to Kerbem and second to
Naryn Telecom.
“In addition to increasing sportsmanship
within the Naryn community, the competition
brought UCA staff from different departments
together. We had the largest crowd of support-
ers in the league, demonstrating our strong
sense of solidarity,” said team captain Rysbek
Shamuratov.
The UCA team with the champion’s trophy on Kyrgyz Independence Day.

News8
Head of Communications Nisar Keshvani (second from the right) leads discussions with
representatives from eight University locations during the Network meeting.
On 16 September 2014, 24 University staff mem-
bers in Tajikistan, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan
and Afghanistan participated in the UCA Market-
ing and Communications Network’s inaugural
meeting. It was hosted in Bishkek, with video-
conferencing to eight University locations.
“Online conferencing is an excellent way to
overcome the geographical distances between
our campus locations,” said Chyngyz Usubaliev,
Construction and Facilities Division Liaison Of-
ficer, who joined the meeting from Naryn.
The Network is a strategic initiative of University
Marketing and Communications. Designed to
improve internal communications across UCA
and enhance marketing and communications
initiatives, the platform equips members with
resources, best practices and skills and provides
a platform for inter-departmental partnerships
and synergies. Comprised of a liaison from each
academic and administrative department, the
Network meets monthly.
“The first meeting reminded us that UCA is in-
deed a regional University,” observed Khairisho
Shonusairiev, Learning Centre Manager, who
called in from Dushanbe.
Marketing and Communications Network Launched
At the inaugural session, Saule Chalbasova and
Nazgul Abdrazakova (Institute of Public Policy
and Administration) and Farrukhsho Fraidonov
(School of Professional and Continuing Educa-
tion) shared event planning and management
best practices. Narmeen Lakhani (Marketing and
Communications) introduced Network members
to UCA’s writing and editorial guidelines.
“Building capacity is a core function of Univer-
sity Marketing and Communications,” said Nisar
Keshvani, Head of Communications, “Each staff
member is an ambassador of the University and
Network representatives play a crucial role in
capitalising our internal synergies. As we move
closer to campus openings, we must be ready and
able to effectively convey the unique value of the
University.”
As part of its capacity building activities, Univer-
sity Marketing and Communications conducts staff
orientations for new staff and annual workshops
on core communications skills. Most recently,
writing workshops were held at UCA Naryn,
Bishkek and Tekeli. Marketing and Communica-
tions also developed communications protocol and
resources for staff and partners, such as the UCA
Writing Guide and the UCA Editorial Style Guide.
“Each staff member is an ambassador of the University and as
we move closer to campus openings, we must be ready and able to
effectively convey the unique value of the University.”

The University of Central Asia’s School of
Professional and Continuing Education (SPCE)
is a leading provider of post-secondary, non-
tertiary education in Central Asia. SPCE offers
35 programmes in eight areas of study, giving
young people and adults professional and vo-
cational qualifications that improve employ-
ment and income generating opportunities. All
SPCE certificate programmes are internationally
benchmarked with academic quality and integrity
assured through a system of external examiners.
The School is also a leading provider of edu-
cational literature, having published over 250
textbooks in support of its programmes.
Founded in 2006, SPCE is designed to serve the
immediate needs of the communities where UCA’s
campuses are being built and to reach the broadest
spectrum of learners possible. SPCE has learn-
ing facilities in Khorog and Dushanbe, Tajikistan;
Naryn and Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic; and Tekeli,
Kazakhstan. There are six satellite learning centres
in Afghanistan to be established or supported in
partnership with Afghan institutions.
The School offers certificate programmes in
English for specific purposes, accounting, infor-
mation technology (IT), entrepreneurship and
tourism, among others. It also offers an appren-
ticeship-based technical and vocational education
programme (see page 13).
Other key SPCE initiatives include its Interna-
tional Computer Driving Licence IT programmes
which are delivered regionally (see page 10); the
Local Economic and Community Development
certificate programme for civil servants across the
region (pages 16,17); the Cross-Border Vocation-
al Education in Badakhshan programme between
Tajikistan and Afghanistan (page 19); the Change
the World Around You! social entrepreneurship
contest and training programme for youth in the
Kyrgyz Republic and Kazakhstan; and the Aca-
demic Achievement Programme, which is helping
prepare students from Grades 7 to 11 for rigorous
university entrance requirements.
Since it was founded, SPCE has reached over
71,000 learners in Central Asia. For more
information about SPCE, please visit:
http://www.ucentralasia.org/spce.asp
Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic
SPCE Learning Facilities
Tekeli, Kazakhstan
Khorog, Tajikistan
SPCE: Reaching Learners
Across Central Asia
9SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL AND CONTINUING EDUCATION

SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL AND CONTINUING EDUCATION10
SPCE Director Gulnara Djunushalieva receives UCA’s Best Practices Award from ECDL Foundation
Chairman Jim Friars.
UCA was recognised as an outstanding example
of best practice in the Corporate/Private category
by the European Computer Driving Licence
(ECDL) Foundation. Gulnara Djunushalieva,
Director of UCA’s School of Professional and
Continuing Education (SPCE) received the award
at the ECDL Foundation Forum 2014 on 23 May
2014 in Bucharest, Romania.
The ECDL Foundation is the certifying author-
ity for the world’s leading international computer
skills certification programme, ECDL and (outside
of Europe) the International Computer Driving
Licence (ICDL). Offered in 150 countries, ICDL is
promoted within Central Asia by ICDLAsia.
SPCE is the Accreditation Partner of ICDL in
Central Asia. Since 2010, SPCE has reached
1,800 learners through ICDL, producing 850 cer-
tified graduates in Central Asia and Afghanistan.
In the Kyrgyz Republic, SPCE has delivered
ICDL at 12 test centres and has worked with
the government to train teachers, introduce
ICDL into secondary schools and produce
Kyrgyz-language learning resources. SPCE has
delivered ICDL at three test centres in Ka-
zakhstan and trained information technology
instructors at Taldykorgan Polytechnic College.
Since 2011, SPCE has delivered the ICDL pro-
gramme at its two Learning Centres in Tajik-
istan, and has produced seven Tajik-language
Recognised for Best Practices by ECDL Foundation
ICDL programme modules in its Cross-Border
Vocational Education in Badakhshan project.
SPCE has established five ICDL testing centres
in Badakhshan, Afghanistan.
The ECDL Best Practice Awards recognise
exceptional examples of the implementation of
ECDL Foundation programmes that help to raise
levels of digital literacy and promote ECDL/
ICDL in local markets. The Corporate/Private
category highlights innovative initiatives that
lead to noticeable improvements in digital lit-
eracy levels among private sector workers.
“UCA’s partnership with ICDL reflects our com-
mitment to providing Central Asians with top
quality, internationally recognised qualifications
and to responding to the needs of the Central
Asian market,” said Djunushalieva. “We are de-
lighted to be recognised by ECDL for our work in
Central Asia and Afghanistan, and to be continu-
ing our partnership.”
“UCA’s partnership with ICDL
reflects our commitment to
providing Central Asians with top
quality, internationally recognised
qualifications and to responding
to the needs of the Central Asian
market.”

SPCE TAJIKISTAN
11
The 220 graduates following the Khorog graduation ceremony.
SPCE recognised 220 graduates at its ninth
graduation in Khorog on 30 August 2014.
The ceremony was attended by Mrs Qimat-
gul Aliberdieva, Deputy Governor of Gorno-
Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO), Mr
Ghulom Hoshim, Afghan Consul, Mr Saidmah-
mud Sadri, Interim Iranian Ambassador and Mr
Talopov Alibek, Interim Kyrgyz Ambassador.
Mr Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, Head of the Aga
Khan Development Network (AKDN) Diplo-
matic Representation in the Kyrgyz Republic
and Chair of the UCA Board Executive Commit-
tee was also in attendance.
“Cooperation between the Government of Tajik-
istan and AKDN began from independence and is
constantly improving. The establishment of UCA
is a sign of the fruitfulness of this cooperation,
and the University will become an international
centre of science and education in the region,”
said Aliberdieva.
Graduates of SPCE’s information technology
programme received internationally-recog-
nised International Computer Driving License
(ICDL) and London Chamber of Commerce
and Industry certificates. Graduates of Ac-
counting Technology and Technical Vocational
Education programmes received Professional
Certificates. Graduates of Cashier/Bookkeep-
220 Graduates from Tajikistan and Afghanistan
ing and English courses received Certificates
of Achievements. Graduates of Conversational
Russian, German and Chinese received Re-
cords of Achievements.
For the third year, SPCE Khorog graduated Af-
ghan students in its Cross Border Vocational Edu-
cation in Badakhshan (CVEB) programme (see
page 19). A total of 48 graduates from Afghan
Badakhshan and 12 from GBAO, Tajikistan re-
ceived scholarships to enroll in English, account-
ing and information technology programmes.
Since 2009, 200 Afghan and 35 Tajik instructors
have received training, with courses and learning
resources for Afghans delivered in Dari.
“SPCE has significantly contributed to profes-
sional and vocational education in Central Asia.
I am pleased to say that His Highness the Aga
Khan has instructed UCA to accelerate campus
construction in Khorog. Work on foundations
will commence in September and we hope to
welcome students in 2018. We are fortunate to
have the support of the Government of Tajikistan
and the international donor community in mak-
ing SPCE the leader in its spectrum of educa-
tional endeavour, and count on their support to
make UCA a premier institution in undergradu-
ate and graduate education and research,” said
Kassim-Lakha in his address.
SPCE TAJIKISTAN

SPCE TAJIKISTAN12
Left: Japanese Ambassador Takashi Kamada commends the partnership with UCA.
Right: UCA Director General Dr Bohdan Krawchenko (left) with SPCE graduate Sayora Zarchabekova.
UCA celebrated over 175 graduates from the
School of Professional and Continuing Education
(SPCE) and the Aga Khan Humanities Project
(AKHP) at its sixth annual graduation ceremony at
the Ismaili Centre, Dushanbe on 28 June 2014.
Guests of honour included Mr Shodikov Ruslan,
Deputy Head of the Government Committee for
Youth, Sport and Tourism and Mr Akbar Ali Pes-
nani, Head of the Aga Khan Development Net-
work Diplomatic Representation in Tajikistan and
UCA Board Executive Committee member.
Welcoming guests, UCA Director General Dr
Bohdan Krawchenko emphasised the University’s
commitment to offering internationally-recognised
qualifications that meet the socio-economic needs
of Tajikistan. He described how UCA programmes
are often developed in collaboration with partners
who share the University’s vision.
His Excellency Takashi Kamada, Japanese Am-
bassador to Tajikistan, highlighted the successful
partnership between UCA and the Kyrgyz-Japan
Centre for Human Development (KRJC) in deliv-
ering a joint Practical Business Management Cer-
tificate Programme for the first time in Tajikistan.
The course includes modules on business planning,
marketing, financial and human resource manage-
ment, information technology and accounting. The
45 graduates of the programme included directors,
business managers and entrepreneurs from private
companies and service and information technology
First Graduates of Practical Business
Management Programme Recognised
sectors. They received their certificates from KRJC
Co-Director, Muneo Takasaka.
“The course gave me the opportunity to learn new
knowledge and apply it to my work. I will share
this expertise with my colleagues. The human
resource management module demonstrated how
a company should work,” said graduate Anzhella
Narzullaeva, a manager at Telecom Technology.
Five SPCE graduates received theAccounting Tech-
nology Certificate, based on International Financial
Reporting Standards and only offered in Central
Asia by SPCE. The School recognised 35 graduates
in English for specific purposes. Through a partner-
ship with FOCUS Humanitarian Assistance, SPCE
awarded Record of Achievements in conversational
Russian to 13 Afghan refugees.
Graduates of AKHP’s Humanities in English pro-
gramme received training in critical analysis, ethical
reflection, academic writing and reading. AKHP
builds skills to enable graduates to fulfill academic
and professional requirements, and to think criti-
cally and ultimately redefine those requirements.
“Education is the primary vehicle for the develop-
ment of civil society. UCA is being designed as an
expression of this principle in Central Asia,” said
Dr Ariff Kachra, UCA Dean of Academic Affairs,
in his address, “A good education improves your
life and maybe your family’s life. However, a great
education allows you to improve the quality of life
in the society in which you live.”

SPCE TAJIKISTAN
13
Asror Gulomkovirov grew up in Khorog, Tajik-
istan. After independence, he experienced first-
hand the lack of economic opportunity. Seeking
to enhance his options, with a background in
mechanics and experience in construction in
Russia, Gulomkovirov applied to the apprentice-
ship-based Technical and Vocational Education
Training programme (TVET) at SPCE.
“The auto-electrician course taught me new skills
and I found the training technique interesting; in the
morning, we learnt theory and in the afternoon, we
practiced what we had learnt. This helped me de-
velop new skills very quickly,” said Gulomkovirov.
After completing his course, TVET encouraged
Gulomkovirov to pursue additional training. He
is now an assistant mechanic with TVET’s auto
mechanic workshop, where he services cars for
clients, such as UCA partner, the Mountain Soci-
ety Development Support Programme.
Gulomkovirov’s story is not unusual in Khorog.
With 590 students enrolled to date in Khorog, TVET
provides training, practical experience and employ-
ment opportunities through industry andAga Khan
Development Network (AKDN) partners.
Technical and Vocational Education Training
TVET was launched in 2008 to build technical capacity and vocational skills that reflect the needs and opportuni-
ties within regional labour markets. It follows an apprenticeship model to develop skills in carpentry, masonry,
plastering and tile setting, plumbing and metal working and auto-mechatronics. The German Gesellschaft fuer
Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and International Organization for Migration (IOM) supported its
auto-mechanic and plumbing programmes respectively, through provision of equipment. Through its network
of partners, SPCE provides apprenticeship opportunities for learners and facilitates employment for alumni. The
programme is offered in a flexible format and learners can pursue several fields, building a portfolio of competi-
tive qualifications. SPCE has delivered TVET to 1,260 learners in Tajikistan, Kyrgyz Republic and Kazakhstan.
Technical and Vocational Programme
Builds Skills and Opportunities
TVET responds to local needs, recently offer-
ing courses on seismic strengthening and non-
structural seismic reinforcement of buildings and
thermal insulation of walls, commissioned by
AKDN partners.
TVET’s state-of-the-art 15,000 square metre
facility was built by TVET apprentices. It houses
the Zindagi cooperative and Sokhtmonchi LLC
construction company, which were founded by
TVET alumni and regularly engage both appren-
tices and alumni. Once apprentices master the
necessary competencies, they can join Zindagi,
which currently has 78 members.
“The backbone of TVET’s apprenticeship model
are the relationships between instructors and
alumni, which have led to an unprecedented
training and employment network,” noted Ubaid
Saidasanov, TVET Coordinator.
TVET apprentices and graduates are changing
the building landscape in and around Khorog,
building a water tank in Dashti Bolo village, the
Presidential Building gymnasium, public toilets
in Khorog and a secondary school in Shugnan,
and are working on UCA campus construction.
Left: TVET alumni Assistant Mechanic Asror Gulomkovirov services a vehicle.
Right: Instructor Daler Sulaimonov with students in the TVET plumbing and metalwork workshop.

SPCE Kyrgyz Republic14
SPCE alumni won the top three prizes at the entre-
preneurial Startup Weekend in Naryn in April 2014.
Forty six participants submitted entrepreneurial
ideas to the Startup panel committees. Winners
in the preliminary round created teams of other
participants to support them. Each team consulted
with top business professionals and perfected
their business model. The teams presented their
final projects to a jury and networked with poten-
tial investors and mentors.
Altynai Zholdoshbekova who proposed creating
notebooks with covers highlighting the traditions
and natural resources of Kyrgyzstan received top
prize and $500. Asanbek Tukeshov won second
place and $400 for his livestock breeding proposal.
Kalyikul Ysyraliev won third place and $300 for
his proposal to create a second greenhouse.
All three winners are graduates of SPCE pro-
grammes in Naryn. Zholdoshbekova completed a
university test preparation course and Tukeshov
and Ysyraliev graduated from SPCE’s five-month
Entrepreneurship Programme.
“Our goal at SPCE is to build skills that are of value
to local markets and the performance of our alumni
during the Startup Weekend confirms the value of our
programme. The event also highlights the young tal-
ent we have in the country,” said Nurbek Nisharapov,
Manager ofAcademicAffairs,SPCE Naryn.
Ysyraliev’s first solar greenhouse was built in
2013 with support from the European Union and
SPCE Alumni Win at Start-up Weekend
the Aga Khan Foundation, United Kingdom. It
was part of the Vegetable Value Chain Develop-
ment in Naryn Oblast project implemented by
the Mountain Societies Development Support
Programme, Kyrgyz Republic.
“Starting a greenhouse to sell organic crops was a
dream that I have now realised with many support-
ers. My SPCE training gave me business knowl-
edge, Startup Weekend provided marketing ideas for
my project, and the Naryn village council and agri-
cultural department advised me on how to manage
my greenhouse. Next, my plan is to build a heating
system so I can work in winter,” said Ysyraliev.
Startup Weekend was one in a series of events held
across Kyrgyzstan, organised by Startup Invest,
Kompanion Financial Group, the Central Asia Free
Market Institute and ICCO Cooperation in South
and Central Asia. The events were designed to en-
courage entrepreneurship in young people. Finalists
competed in the national level Get in the Ring event
in Bishkek in September. Kyrgyzstan was one of 64
countries hosting the entrepreneurship activity. The
winners from each country participated in the final
competition in the Netherlands in November.
Three graduates (from left to right) Kalyikul Ysyraliev’s representative, Altynai Zholdoshbekova and
Asanbek Tukeshov of SPCE programmes in Naryn won top prizes in Startup Weekend.
“Our goal at SPCE is to build skills
that are of value to local markets and
the performance of our alumni during
the Startup Weekend confirms the
value of our programme.”

15
Forty Naryn health care professionals attended
English courses at SPCE Naryn, delivered under
the Strengthening Health Systems in Central
Asia project.
UCA is involved as the region’s leading pro-
vider of short-term certificate courses, and as a
stakeholder in the quality of health care systems
in Central Asia. The University is committed to
supporting efforts to build capacity to improve
the standard of care in advance of the 2016 open-
ing of its Naryn campus and the development of a
regional diagnostic centre.
From December 2013 to April 2014, SPCE con-
ducted pre-beginner and starter English courses,
totalling 120 academic hours of training. Can-
didates were selected by the Mountain Socie-
ties Development Support Programme, Kyrgyz
Republic (MSDSP KG) and included medical
practitioners and administrative staff.
The top three SPCE performers went on to Jin-
nah Postgraduate Medical Centre and Aga Khan
University Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan, for a
six-day English training programme in obstetrics
and gynaecology and neonatology.
Building Health Care Capacity in Naryn
“Being able to communicate effectively in
English is important for my professional de-
velopment. In Karachi, my colleagues and I
were exposed to new terminology. The courses
we took at SPCE proved useful in preparing us
for our training in Karachi,” said Dr Nurzhan
Abdygazieva, Naryn Hospital.
SPCE Naryn will offer participants advanced
English courses. It will also deliver information
technology courses for health care professionals
in 2015 to ensure that technological advance-
ments in the health care sector are met with
adequate user knowledge.
This training to improve language and technical
capacity within the health care sector is part of a
larger, five-year Partnership for Advancing Hu-
man Development in Africa and Asia – a joint
initiative between the Aga Khan Foundation
Canada and the Government of Canada through
the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and
Development. The programme is implemented
locally by the Aga Khan Foundation Kyrgyz
Republic and MSDSP KG.
Medical practitioners and administrative staff in an English-language class at SPCE Naryn.
“Being able to communicate effectively in English is important for
my professional development. The courses we took at SPCE proved
useful in preparing us for our training abroad.”

SPCE KAZAKHSTAN16
In 2007, Ainur Parakhat left her home in China
and returned to her family’s country of origin, Ka-
zakhstan. Since her return, Parakhat has enrolled
in two Russian language courses at SPCE Tekeli.
Kazakh is the official state language of Kazakh-
stan. However, Russian is the second official
language and the language of interethnic com-
munication. Many institutions conduct business in
Russian and, soon after her arrival in Kazakhstan,
Parakhat realised that to succeed socially and eco-
nomically, she would have to learn the language.
“I have always had a strong desire to learn
languages. As an interpreter in a notary office
in China, I was able to help my countrymen with
documents. However, since I grew up in China, I
Local Economic and Community Development Programme
UCAis a key training partner of government ministries and state agencies in CentralAsia. The Local Eco-
nomic and Community Development (LECD) training programme, first developed by SPCE in 2010, equips
civil servants with important local administration and budgetary skills, enabling them to serve as key resources
within local government and in their communities. LECD has since been broadened from ten to twenty three
modules, including Local Budget and Budget Processes, Strategic Planning for Local Economic Development,
Management of Municipal Property, English for Civil Servants, Kyrgyz for Civil Servants and Information
Technology, and adapted to address the professional development needs of various government agencies. To
date, LECD has benefitted approximately 1,350 civil servants in the Kyrgyz Republic, including officials from
the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Economy, heads of municipalities and local government officials.A
part of this effort was supported by the Norwegian Ministry of ForeignAffairs under the Promoting Stability
and Economic Opportunity in Kyrgyzstan project implemented by UCA, theAga Khan Foundation, and the
Mountain Societies Development Support Programme. UCAis currently adapting LECD forAfghanistan and
Tajikistan under its Research and Public Policy Initiative (RPPI), supported by the International Development
Research Centre and theAga Khan Foundation Canada. UCAis working with the Independent Directorate of
Local Governance ofAfghanistan and the Institute of PublicAdministration in Tajikistan to deliver LECD.
Student, Ainur Parakhat (right) received one-on-
one instruction from SPCE Russian language
Instructor Dzhamilya Balmasheva.
Returning Kazakhs Learn Russian
only learnt Mandarin and Kazakh,” she explained.
Parakhat’s challenge is not unique. Many Kazakh
families left Kazakhstan in search of economic
opportunity. Those who went to China relied on
Kazakh and Mandarin language skills and did
not learn Russian. Young Kazakhs returning from
the diaspora report facing difficulties due to their
lack of Russian language skills.
“Our Russian language classes are fulfilling
a critical need of these young, talented people
who have returned to Kazakhstan, ready to con-
tribute to the development of the country,” said
Oleg Lyssenko, Manager of Academic Affairs
and Administration at SPCE Tekeli.
As an interpreter, it is even more important for
Parakhat to strengthen her knowledge of Rus-
sian. In addition to appreciating the opportunity
to learn Russian, Parakhat enjoyed the interac-
tive and practical teaching methods at SPCE.
“At SPCE, we learned to speak and listen, fill in
documents and communicate with each other.
The classes are dynamic and involve role-play-
ing and social events. I am very pleased with
the course and my desire to learn has increased
enormously,” said Parakhat.
SPCE Tekeli is located in a 1,190 square metre facil-
ity equipped with state-of-the-art learning technolo-
gies, two computer laboratories, four classrooms
and a 17,300 volume library. Since 2003, SPCE has
reached over 15,000 learners in Kazakhstan.
SPCE KAZAKHSTAN

SPCE AFGHANISTAN
17
Supporting Good Governance in Afghanistan
His Excellency Mr Abdul Khaliq Farahi, IDLG Director General (centre left) and Dr Bohdan Krawchenko,
UCA Director General after signing the agreement.
The Afghan Independent Directorate of Local
Governance (IDLG) and UCA signed an agree-
ment to increase the capacity of civil servants
through the delivery of UCA’s Local Economic
and Community Development certificate pro-
gramme (LECD). The agreement was signed on 5
August 2014 by His Excellency Mr Abdul Khaliq
Farahi, IDLG Director General and Dr Bohdan
Krawchenko, UCA Director General.
“The capacity development of local governance
staff is the primary and essential factor of good
governance. We hope this effort will bring about
positive change in strengthening governance and
further boost the relationship between IDLG and
UCA,” said Farahi.
UCA’s SPCE will develop the curriculum and
train instructors. IDLG will deliver LECD to
District Governors through weekly sessions over
the course of a year, representing 30 credits in the
European Credit Transfer System.
SPCE has successfully delivered LECD to 1,350
civil servants in the Kyrgyz Republic. UCA
is adapting LECD for Afghanistan under its
Research and Public Policy Initiative (RPPI),
supported by the International Development Re-
search Centre, Ottawa, Canada and the Aga Khan
Foundation Canada.
“This partnership reflects UCA’s commitment
to working with the government to build capac-
ity,” said Krawchenko, “The programme will
meet the needs of civil servants and will be the
product of close collaboration between Afghan
and UCA’s experts.”
UCA has partnered with Afghan government
agencies since 2011. The Institute of Public Policy
and Administration organised trade policy and
negotiations training and a symposium on small
and medium enterprises and administers UCA’s
Visiting Fellow Programme for Afghan civil
servants, under UCA’s Regional Cooperation and
Confidence Building in Central Asia and Afghani-
stan project, implemented with the support of the
Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs Trade and
Development and Aga Khan Foundation Canada.
Under RPPI, research and a symposium on policy
processes, co-hosted with the Afghan Ministry
of Finance, led to a policy analysis certificate
programme to be delivered to staff across vari-
ous ministries in 2014 and 2015. The Mountain
Societies Research Institute’s Central Asia and
Afghanistan Research Fellowship programme
supports research informing policy and pro-
grammes in mountain communities.
“UCA and the Aga Khan Development Network
(AKDN) are committed to working with the Afghan
Government and other partners to strengthen
institutions and build capacity,” said Mrs Nurjehan
Mawani, Head of the AKDN Diplomatic Repre-
sentation in Afghanistan, at the ceremony, “This
agreement represents another step in that process
during a critical time of transition for the country.”
SPCE AFGHANISTAN

SPCE AFGHANISTAN18
A new Continuing Education Unit at Badakhshan
University (BU) was inaugurated by His Excel-
lency Mr Obaidullah Obaid, Afghan Minister of
Higher Education, on 9 August 2014. Also in at-
tendance was Mr Shah Waliullah Adeeb, Governor
of Badakhshan.
The Unit was established through an agree-
ment between BU and UCA and the Aga Khan
Foundation, Afghanistan; UCA’s first formal
partnership with an Afghan university. Under
the agreement, UCA’s School of Professional
and Continuing Education developed the
professional competencies of instructors who
will teach at the Unit, leading to international
certification.
The Unit will increase access to skills training in
Badakhshan, where professional and vocational
education opportunities are limited. Beginner and
intermediate level courses in Applied English, Ac-
counting and Information Technology are offered.
“The Ministry of Higher Education is seeking to
delegate more authority to its directorates and
sub-educational units to monitor activities,” said
Obaid, “This agreement is an important step in
building capacity of BU instructors and at the
directorate level.”
The Unit is one of four satellite learning centres
in Afghanistan to be established or supported
by UCA in partnership with Afghan institu-
tions. Three of these, in Darwaz, Ishkashim and
Faizabad, were inaugurated earlier this year. SPCE
developed curricula and learning resources in Dari
and oversaw the professional development of 21
Afghan instructors who teach in the centres.
In the next five years, the learning centres will
train over 11,000 learners or 12 percent of the
adult population in the target districts. A SPCE
alumni survey found that 62 percent of graduates
in Afghanistan secured employment after com-
pleting SPCE courses.
The learning centres are part of the Multi Input Area
Development Global Development Alliance (MIAD
GDA) in Badakhshan Province of Afghanistan, an
alliance between the Aga Khan Foundation and the
United States Agency for International Develop-
ment. The programme makes investments across
sectors over a sustained period to support long-term
stability and growth in Afghan Badakhshan.
His Excellency Mr Obaidullah Obaid, Afghan Minister of Higher Education (centre) inaugurates the
Continuing Education Unit at Badakhshan University.
Badakhshan University Continuing
Education Unit Opens
“This agreement is an important step in building capacity of
Badakhshan University instructors and at the directorate level.”

PEOPLE
19
Afghan Instructor Receives SPCE Scholarship
Math instructor Abdulhaq Hatambik enhances his
teaching skills at SPCE Khorog.
For Afghan native Abdulhaq Hatambik, crossing the
border to pursue an education in Tajikistan holds the
key to a prosperous future in his home country.
Growing up in the Khushpok village in Ishkashim
district, Hatambik knows the challenges facing
the Afghan educational system firsthand.
“We studied outdoors, sometimes in tents,”
Hatambik recalls, adding that classrooms rarely
had proper learning materials. Due to a shortage
of qualified instructors, one teacher would often
be assigned to teach multiple subjects, despite
having little training in that field.
An instructor himself, Hatambik was unable to earn
a living in Ishkashim to support his family, despite
having a strong background in mathematics and a
hunger to continue his education. The 29-year-old
sought advanced training to build the high demand
accounting skills needed to succeed in theAfghan job
market. He found such an opportunity with UCA’s
Cross-Border Vocational Education in Badakhshan
(CVEB) programme, now in its third phase.
Hatambik is one of 60 Accounting, English, and
Information Technology instructors who received
scholarships to take professional development
courses at UCA under CVEB III. Participants
included 48 Afghan and 12 Tajik learners. A third
of the Afghan participants were female, the high-
est representation of Afghan women in CVEB to
date. The Afghan instructors resided and at-
tended courses at UCA’s School of Professional
and Continuing Education (SPCE) in Khorog,
Tajikistan from February to August 2014.
“UCA has quality learning materials, well-
prepared instructors and the best facilities.
Moreover, the society is peaceful, and I feel
secure in Khorog,” explained Hatambik. “ I have
strengthened my knowledge of accounting and
am confident that at the end of this course, I will
have the necessary accounting knowledge to find
a well-paying job in Afghanistan.”
Alumni surveys show that the CVEB programme
does improve employability and livelihoods. A
December 2013 found that 62 percent of CVEB
graduates were employed, compared to 41
percent before attending the programme. Nearly
half of the alumni surveyed reported securing a
promotion or new job, or receiving a better salary
as a direct result of participation in CVEB.
Cross-Border Vocational Education Programme
CVEB was developed to foster cross-border cooperation and improve employability and economic
opportunity on both sides of the Afghan-Tajik border by addressing issues of instructor preparedness.
Now in its third phase, this multi-year effort was first launched in October 2009. Specifically tailored
for instructors of English, Accounting and Information Technology and housed within UCA’s School
of Professional and Continuing Education, a regional training institution equipped to accommodate
learners from both sides of the border, CVEB III is guided by a broader strategy of investment in edu-
cation and instructor training to improve learning and economic opportunities for the local population.
CVEB is an initiative of UCA in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Devel-
opment (USAID) and the Aga Khan Foundation USA, with funding from the United States Depart-
ment of State, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA).
PEOPLE

PEOPLE20
Naryn Entrepreneur Inspires Action and Ideas
Left: Chubak Jakypov owns the first chicken farm in
Jylan-Aryk village and produces 300 eggs daily.
Chubak Jakypov is the owner of the first chicken
farm in Jylan-Aryk village in Naryn Oblast. With
demand in Naryn for 7,000 eggs per day and only
five other chicken farms in the area, Jakypov
seized an opportunity to generate income for his
family and contribute to the economic develop-
ment of his village.
In 2011, Jakypov enrolled in SPCE Naryn’s
Entrepreneurship Programme and learnt the skills
required to expand his livelihood and own a suc-
cessful and growing chicken farm.
“Our programme enables graduates to function
effectively in local markets. They learn busi-
ness concepts, marketing, communications and
computer technology and are exposed to new
resources and technology, that enhance their
potential for success,” said Anara Duisheeva,
Campus Head, SPCE Naryn.
In May 2012, Jakypov secured a loan from
Kyrgyz Investment and Credit Bank as an SPCE
alumni based on a partnership between UCA and
the bank. The loan enabled Jakypov and his wife,
Nursida Osmonalieva to expand their farm and
buy supplies and chickens. Their chickens pro-
duce 300 eggs a day, which are sold in the Naryn
market. When chickens no longer produce eggs,
they are sold to local butchers.
Since becoming a successful entrepreneur,
Jakypov was elected head of his village local
governing body (Ailyl Omotu). He is also an
ambassador for small business development,
encouraging fellow villages to start their own
businesses.
Jakypov observes, “Most people own sheep, but
chicken farming is efficient as returns on invest-
ments are quicker. Chickens also offer multiple
revenue streams such as eggs and meat.”
Jakypov plans to make his farm more sustain-
able by producing his own chicken feed and
developing a system to obtain clean water from
local sources.
“We now have more income and more work,”
said Osmonalieva, who is an active partner in
the business. “When Jakypov became village
head, I took on a lot more responsibility. Thank-
fully, our children are involved and with their
support, we will expand further.”
Looking to the future, Jakypov said, “It would
be good to have several people from one village
enroll in the Entrepreneurship Programme. They
could then conduct a market evaluation, create a
sustainable system and complement and support
each other.”
“Our programme enables
graduates to function effectively
in local markets. They learn
business concepts, marketing,
communications and computer
technology and are exposed to new
resources and technology, that
enhance their potential for success.”

21
“Climate change is impacting regions with al-
ready existing layers of inequities. Communities
that did not contribute to causing climate change
are at its vanguard and are experiencing dra-
matic perturbations. This is apparent in Central
Asian mountains,” says Dr Karim-Aly Kassam,
UCA Senior Research Fellow.
Speaking on How Can We Anticipate Climate
Change in Mountain Communities? Kassam
presented findings from multidisciplinary applied
research conducted in the Pamir Mountains from
2006 to 2010 as part of the UCA Public Lecture
Series, on 27 June 2014 in Bishkek.
Kassam explored the connectivity of human and
environmental relations and indigenous ways of
knowing through the calendar of the human body,
and their relationship to food sovereignty, sustain-
able livelihoods and responses to climate change.
He highlighted possible contributions from bio-
logical and social sciences and the humanities to
building anticipatory and adaptive capacity.
“Historically farmers in the Pamir Mountains
have used their bodies as a measure of the
changing time of the seasons. Their bodies act as
organic clocks and calendars to mark the passage
of time,” said Kassam.
Marking time on the body begins in spring, mov-
ing from the toenails up to the head, and over the
course of time, “Farmers describe that ‘the sun
Human and Environmental Relations
in Climate Change Responses
is in’a particular body part. In many cases, the
heart is associated with the time Pamiri villagers
celebrate Nowruz or New Year.”
Kassam asserts that “Harnessing farmers’aware-
ness of their external environment and revitalising
calendars of the human body may help villagers
better understand and adapt to climate change, re-
ducing anxiety and enhancing livelihood security.”
A UCA Senior Research Fellow since 2010, Kas-
sam recently worked with the Mountain Societies
Research Institute on food security research and
is involved in the development of UCA’s Earth
and Environmental Science major.
In May 2014, Kassam was elected to the Board of
Directors of the International Society of Ethnobiol-
ogy. In 2013, he received an award for promoting
multicultural diversity in research and teaching at
Cornell, and appointed Associate Editor of Action
Research Journal. In 2012, Kassam was elected
Foreign Member (Academician) of the Academy
of Sciences, Republic of Tajikistan and appointed
English Language Editor of the Academy’s Jour-
nal of the Biological and Medical Sciences.
Kassam holds a PhD in Natural Resource Policy
and Management from Cornell, where he is
International Professor of Environmental and
Indigenous Studies in the Department of Natural
Resources and the American Indian Programme
in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Historically farmers in the Pamir Mountains have used their bodies as a measure of the
changing time of the seasons.

RESEARCH AND LEARNING22
Policy Analysis Programme Offered in Dushanbe
Left: Dr Roziqzoda Abdulhakimi Sherali, IPA Rector addresses participants during the introductory session.
Right: Lecturer Zaure Sydykova introduces policy process concepts.
UCA’s Institute of Public Policy and Adminis-
tration (IPPA), in partnership with the Institute
of Public Administration (IPA) under the Presi-
dent of the Republic of Tajikistan, launched
its Certificate Programme in Policy Analysis
(CPPA) in Dushanbe on 25 August 2014.
Dr Roziqzoda Abdulhakimi Sherali, IPA Rec-
tor, Dr Madjidi Yusufjon Khairullo, Deputy
Head of Division on Strategic Planning and
Reforms of the Executive Office of President
and Dr Roman Mogilevskii, IPPA Head of Re-
search welcomed participants and provided an
overview of the training. Mr Tojiddin Jurazoda,
Coordinator of the Public Sector Reform Group
under the Executive Office of the President
of the Republic of Tajikistan and Kosimzoda
Grez, first Deputy Director of the Civil Service
Agency, were also present.
“The programme is a unique initiative in the
region. It will allow civil servants and experts
in Tajikistan to increase their capacity in policy
analysis, filling a need for increased capacity in
this area. IPA is pleased to cooperate with UCA in
providing this opportunity,” said Dr Roziqzoda.
CPPA is an executive programme offered under
IPPA’s Research and Public Policy Initiative
(RPPI), supported by the International Develop-
ment Research Centre and the Aga Khan Foun-
dation Canada. RPPI aims to ground policy-
making processes in Central Asia in sound
evidence and policy analysis by building the
capacity of researchers to conduct independent
and critical studies and by expanding the ability
of policy professionals to utilise such research
in policy development.
The Programme targets mid- to senior-level
civil servants, independent analysts and think-
tank and non-governmental organisation staff,
and the flexible, part-time schedule accommo-
dates working professionals. Thirty learners are
enrolled in the programme in Dushanbe. Seven-
teen participants are concurrently enrolled in the
programme in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic.
Taught by highly qualified instructors, curricu-
lum modules cover Policy Process in Govern-
ment, Economics for Policy Analysis, Methods
of Policy Analysis and Policy Monitoring and
Evaluation. Students will develop a policy paper
which will be evaluated at a colloquium by sen-
ior government officials. The best papers will be
published in IPPA’s Working Paper Series.
“This programme gives both young and sea-
soned professionals a platform to refine their
analytical skills and develop their capacity.
Through UCA’s partnership with IPA, we will
provide students with the required technical
expertise,” said Mogilevskii.
Course graduates will receive a professional de-
velopment Certificate in Policy Analysis. CPPA
is a 25 credit European Credit Transfer and Ac-
cumulation System (ECTS) programme.

23
As the sun set behind the mountains, the jailoo
or summer pasture was transformed into an
open-air movie theatre. The film screening,
organised by the University of Central Asia’s
mobile digital library eBilim, drew children and
adults from surrounding yurts outdoors to enjoy
a Kyrgyz movie.
“Although it was cold, it was a great experience
to watch a movie under the stars,” said Nazima,
12, whose family is herding livestock in the pas-
tures near Song-Kul lake.
Housed in a refurbished minibus, eBilim is
equipped with books, a printer, tablets and laptops
which are connected to a digital database of over
3,000 audio, video and text files that can be printed
or downloaded. eBilim has a regular monthly ten-
village route in Ak-Talaa and Naryn districts, and
has reached over 2,600 children and 1,200 adults.
During summer, life in Naryn’s rural moun-
tain communities changes. Schools close and
many families follow their nomadic traditions
and move to the jailoos at higher elevations. In
response, eBilim conducted three extended tours
to jailoos, offering continued, and in some cases
unprecedented, access to information and enter-
tainment for herders and their families.
Mobile Digital Library Follows the Nomads’ Path
“eBilim’s visit allowed me to discover new di-
mensions of knowledge in veterinary medicine.
I was able to spend my free time gathering infor-
mation,” said Aibek Toktogaziev, a veterinarian
from Dobolu village.
Aigul, 13, whose family is also herding livestock
near Song-Kul, found, “We were able to quickly
learn how to use the educational tools on com-
puters. Practicing using information technology
prepares me for the future and connects me to
modern ways of learning.”
eBilim has gathered community feedback to
improve the database and ensure its continued
relevance. The project plans to extend its reach,
serve as a coordinating platform to increase
access to practical information and function as
an outreach tool to enhance linkages between
researchers and communities.
eBilim is designed and implemented through a
partnership between UCA’s Mountain Society
Research Institute and the Mountain Societies
Development Support Programme, with financial
support from the German Gesellschaft fuer Inter-
nationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.
The eBilim vehicle visiting herders at a summer pasture or jailoo.
“Practicing using information technology prepares me for the
future and connects me to modern ways of learning.”

CONSTRUCTION24
UCA is working to maximise the economic
impact and capacity of its contractors in the con-
struction of its Naryn campus. One such con-
tractor, Asia Stroi Servis, recently won a tender
for the third floor of UCA’s Naryn town campus
which houses SPCE.
Asia Stroi Servis is an independent Naryn-based
company, registered in Kyrgyzstan. Founded in
2012 by Mr Samat Kaliduldaev and his col-
leagues, the company has been involved in
various UCA projects including the construction
of UCA’s sports facilities in 2012. The company
helped construct green and gabion walls around
the UCA campus site, and was awarded the
tender to build the extension for the construction
site office and the foundations for the concrete
batching plant.
“UCA is tendering our pre-construction con-
tracts to local and regional companies. This is
part of our commitment to regional economic
development. Currently, there are over 220
people working in construction at the Naryn
campus site. With the exception of two European
and forty Kazakh expatriates, all employees are
from Kyrgyzstan,” said Mr Grant Robertson,
UCA’s Director of Construction.
When campus construction was launched in
2013, all ten contracts to prepare the site were
awarded to Naryn contractors with Naryn
workforces. This included constructing the site
Naryn Company Benefits from UCA Construction
batching plant and stone crushing equipment;
building the office extension and welfare facili-
ties and establishing site utilities.
In 2013, UCA awarded $3.5 million in contracts
to local contractors, including Asia Stroi Ser-
vice, Ekaras 5, Jany Kurulush and Belekov Bay-
ish, resulting in the creation of 325 jobs in the
Naryn region. Construction of campus facilities
began in June 2014 and between 20 and 30 work
packages are being tendered.
“UCA is supporting economic development
in its campus communities one company at a
time,” says Construction Manager, Mr Neil
Carson, “We are pleased to have provided
Asia Stroi Servis with support. The company is
growing as it has been able to leverage UCA’s
engagement with communities surrounding the
campus.”
Asia Stroi Servis employs six administrators and
sixty local construction workers, some of whom
graduated from UCA’s Technical and Vocational
Education Training programme. The company
has secured a contract to build a school in
Ozgorush in the Bashy region and is working as
a subcontractor with other companies.
“We plan to improve our technical facilities and
to employ more people. This year we hired 60
people. In 2015 and 2016, we plan to employ
between 150 and 200,” says Kaliduldaev.
Mr Samat Kaliduldaev of Asia Stroi Servis (right) reviewing construction plans with Nenad Pesic, UCA
Assistant Design Manager.
CONSTRUCTION

CONSTRUCTION
25
UCA Formally Hands Over Dasht
Village Road to Khorog Municipality
Mr Faromuz Imomberdiev, Khorog Mayor and delegation tour the Khorog campus site and new Dasht road.
A new road connecting the Khorog Intercity Road
to Dasht village was completed by UCA and
officially handed over to the Khorog Municipal-
ity and the State Commission Department in the
presence of Mayor Faromuz Imomberdiev on 18
August 2014.
The handover ceremony was also witnessed by Mr
Kishovarz Shogunbekov, Head of the Architectural
Department; Mr Dilovar Nasullobekov, Head of
the Land Department; and Mr Tohir Abdolbekov,
Head of the Public Utility Department.
The two-lane road is part of several infrastructure
projects completed by UCA, which are essential
for full scale campus construction to begin, and
have employed some 250 local residents. The 2.5
kilometre road, which took five months to com-
plete, connects the University’s Khorog campus
site to the upper Dasht plateau, where many com-
munities reside.
Construction of the road was carried out by
Pomir, a Khorog-based company, while road
lighting was completed by Pamir Energo Ser-
vice. Both employed workers from Dasht and
Khithdj villages.
“On behalf of the Khorog Municipality, we ex-
press our gratitude to the UCA management and
construction team for completing this new road.
We look forward to continued collaboration, as
the University develops in the coming years,”
said Mayor Imomberdiev.
The government delegation also toured the
campus site and learnt about preparatory works,
including the intensive removal and crushing pro-
cess of 160,000 cubic metres of rock, which will
be used as base material for construction.
Since 2004, local construction companies have
actively engaged in tender processes, com-
pleting UCA’s development of a water supply
line from Khuzyel to Dashatak, a high voltage
electric line for the Dashtak community, a road
for relocated buildings and green wall around
the Khorog campus. In 2010, UCA also sup-
plied Dasht village with access to a 1,770 metre
drinking water pipeline.
“To ensure UCA is inclusive, we work with local
construction companies and nearby communities.
The Dasht village road is an opportunity for us to
facilitate and contribute to access to utilities and
services by the neighbourhoods around our future
campus,” said Mr Grant Robertson, UCA Direc-
tor of Construction.
Space planning for the Khorog campus site
is completed, and detailed design plans are in
progress. Numerous construction companies
have tendered for site setup works and excava-
tions. UCA’s construction works are carried out
almost entirely by local residents. In addition to
those located in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous
Oblast, companies in and around Dushanbe have
expressed interest in bidding for advanced and
site preparation works.

Last page26
IPPA and SPCE Engage in Small and Medium Enterprise Growth Project
On 19 September 2014, the Institute of Public Policy and Administration (IPPA) hosted a seminar
on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Development in Dushanbe, Tajikistan and Senior
Research Fellow Dr Kanat Tilekeyev presented research findings on MSME sectors in Tajikistan. On
24 September, Khairisho Shonusariev, Manager, School of Professional and Continuing Education
(SPCE) Learning Centre, Dushanbe, presented SPCE’s Small and Medium Business Management
programme at a stakeholder workshop organised by the Aga Khan Foundation, Tajikistan in Dushanbe.
These activities took place within the framework of the Small and Medium Enterprise Growth Project
for Central Asia, an initiative of USAID and the Aga Khan Foundation.
IPPA Senior Research Fellows Having an Impact
IPPA Senior Research Fellow Dr Nurbek Jenish was appointed Deputy Chairman at the National Bank
of the Kyrgyz Republic in August. IPPA Senior Research Fellow Dr Kanat Tilekeyev’s new book on
Rural Poverty Determinants in the Remote Rural Areas of Kyrgyzstan: A Production Efficiency Impact
on the Poverty Level of a Rural Household was published by Peter Lang: International Academic Pub-
lishers in September.
SPCE Hosts Community of Practitioners
On 31 August, SPCE Khorog, in partnership with the Adult Education Centre and with funding from
the European Training Foundation, hosted the Community of Practitioners (COP) meeting in Gorno-
Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO), coordinated by SPCE Deputy Director Dilovar Butabekov.
COP is a platform for key stakeholders to discuss vocational education.
SPCE and MSRI Participate in Pamir Invest 2014
From 15-16 August, SPCE Khorog staff attended Pamir Invest 2014 organised by Milal Inter (Asso-
ciation of Entrepreneurs and Mountain Farmers) and the Public Fund to Promote Cross-Border Trade
Cooperation in GBAO. Mountain Societies Research Institute (MSRI) Research Fellow Qobiljon
Shokirov participated in roundtables at the forum on Development of Tourism Infrastructure and Ser-
vices and Barriers to Business Development, Investment and Regional Cooperation.
Annual Construction and Facilities Workshop Asks Why Build?
From 30 July to 1 August, the Construction and Facilities Division held its annual workshop, includ-
ing a presentation on Why Build? The Role of the Earth and Environmental Science Major in the 21st
Century by Senior Research Fellow Dr Karim-Aly Kassam, and information sessions on the tender
process, executive design management and lessons learnt from Naryn campus preparatory works.
MSRI Researchers Participate in Socio-Ecological Workshops
News Bites
Last page

Last page
27
UCA Public Lecture Series
July-September 2014
The UCA Public Lecture Series highlights emerging research in and about Central Asia.
• The Study of Disaster Statistics in Public Safety, Dr Mikhail Rodkin, Russian Academy of
Sciences, 11 July 2014.
• Communication, Media, and Critical Thinking in the 21st Century, Dr Karim H. Karim,
Carleton University, 7 August 2014.
• Well-being and Coping Strategies of Single Mothers in Osh after the 2010 Conflict in Kyrgyzstan,
Dr Aksana Ismailbekova, Zentrum Moderner Orient (ZMO), 11 September 2014.
• Understanding the Link between Climate Change and Alpine Cryosphere, Professor Martin Hoelzle,
University of Fribourg, 12 September 2014.
• Creation of Information Infrastructure of Tajikistan for the Development of Higher Education
and Science, Professor Sadykov Hisrav Rizoevich, Tajik Technical University, 24 September 2014.
Full details: http://www.ucentralasia.org/PublicLectures
From 16 to 19 July, MSRI researchers, Jyldyz Shigaeva and Christian Hergarten, and Shannon
Hagerman and Ian Eddy of the University of British Columbia presented MSRI’s Learning Land-
scapes Social Ecological Systems research concept at the Global Fair and Workshop on Long-Term
Observatories of Mountain Social-Ecological Systems in Reno, Nevada. Their joint research is sup-
ported by the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development.
IPPA Organises Summer School on Labour Markets
From 13 to 24 July, IPPA and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute jointly organised a
Summer School on Labour Markets in Central Asia in Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyz Republic.
SPCE Afghanistan Staff Attend ICDL Workshop
From 12 to 16 July, four project coordinators from SPCE Satellite Learning Centres in Afghani-
stan participated in a workshop for International Computer Driving Licence testers at Kabul
University, under the Multi Input Area Development Global Development Alliance (MIAD GDA)
in Badakhshan Province of Afghanistan – an alliance between the Aga Khan Foundation and the
United States Agency for International Development.

SPCE Khorog
126 Lenin Street, Khorog, GBAO,
736000, Republic of Tajikistan
Tel.: +992 (3522) 22 277 Fax: +992 (3522) 22 778
spce.khorog@ucentralasia.org
SPCE Naryn
10 Seitaaly Jakypov Street, Naryn,
722900, Kyrgyz Republic
Tel.: +996 (3522) 51 204 Fax: +996 (3522) 51 228
spce.naryn@ucentralasia.org
www.ucentralasia.org
SPCE Tekeli
13 Gagarin Street, Tekeli, 041700,
Republic of Kazakhstan
Tel.: +7 (72835) 44 177, 43 444 Fax: +7 (72835) 43 849
spce.tekeli@ucentralasia.org
SPCE Learning Centre, Dushanbe
47A Druzhba Narodov Avenue, Dushanbe,
734013, Republic of Tajikistan
Tel.: +992 (37) 224 5823
spce.dushanbe@ucentralasia.org
University of Central Asia
Administration Office
138 Toktogul Street, Bishkek, 720001, Kyrgyz Republic
Tel.: +996 (312) 910 822 Fax: +996 (312) 910 835
info@ucentralasia.org
Aga Khan Humanities Project, Dushanbe
47A Druzhba Narodov Avenue, Dushanbe, 734013, Republic of Tajikistan
Tel.: +992 (37) 221 26 82
akhp.dushanbe@ucentralasisa.org
School of Professional and Continuing Education (SPCE)
UCA News Service
Keep abreast of UCA developments
and opportunities including: news,
public lectures, publications from our
research institutes and job vacancies.
www.ucentralasia.org/subscribe
SPCE Learning Centre, Bishkek
138 Toktogul Street, Bishkek, 720001, Kyrgyz Republic
Tel.: +996 (312) 910 822, Fax: +996 (312) 910 835
spce.bishkek@ucentralasia.org

web-UCA-QNews-Vol2-No3-Eng

More Related Content

Viewers also liked

web-UCA-QNews-Vol2-No3-Eng