A fundraiser for the “Give a Cow” social project took place at the American University of Central Asia (AUCA). The project was launched by the Bishkek Rotary Club one year ago. At the moment, 22 families have already received cows. Organizers plan to reach 100 families within the year.

"Negotiating Kyrgyz Nationhood: Of History Textbooks' and History Teachers' Attitudes towards the Soviet Past"
By Damira Umetbaeva, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Journalism and Mass Communications Department, AUCA.

Associate Professor of Philosophy Duane Lacey currently teaches in the FYS Division. In the near future, he will also be teaching in the new L.L.M. Graduate Program. Professor Lacey shares his academic experience, research projects, thoughts on AUCA, and even some advice for students in this brief interview.

CASI is resuming research seminar series by AUCA faculty and visiting scholars this semester. Please be kindly informed about the dates and titles of the talks.

 
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February 10, 2016
Raisa Belyavina, PhD Candidate, Teachers College, Columbia University, CASI Visiting Scholar
Abstract:
To address the challenges of attracting new teachers to the profession and reducing highly overburdened teaching loads assigned to teachers, the Kyrgyz Republic implemented a new teacher salary structure in 2011, which eliminated the Soviet-era stavka system and replaced it with a workload system that is common around the world.

CASI Research seminar: "Implementing a new salary structure in Bishkek schools: How reforms change schools and schools change reforms". Speaker: Raisa Belyavina, PhD Candidate, Teachers College, Columbia University. Date: February 10, 2016.

January 29, 2016, sixth grade students of the #67 School of Bishkek visited AUCA.

This fall, the American University of Central Asia (AUCA) will launch a new “4+1” educational program. After studying four years at AUCA and getting a diploma, AUCA graduates of Business Administration will be able to apply to the “4+1” program to continue their education abroad.

January 27, 2016 the Deputy Chief of Mission in the U.S. Embassy in Kyrgyzstan Alan Meltzer visited AUCA and talked to students about the U.S. presidential election process.

January 27, 2016
Peter Krasnopolsky, PhD candidate, University of Nottingham, School of International Studies, China, CASI Visiting Scholar
Abstract: After the dissolution of the USSR, post-Soviet Central Asia had predisposition and capacity to emerge as a coherent region. However, in the past decades the degree of cooperation and exchanges between the five states has declined. The literature generally agrees on internal (inter-regional) constraints to cooperation among Central Asian states. However, there is little consensus regarding the roles played by major powers, particularly Russia and China, on Central Asian regionalism.