The Academy took part in the kick-off meeting of the Erasmus+ Project on ” Strengthening Higher Education in the Water Sector for Climate Resilience and Security in Central Asia”.
As part of this project, five universities from the European Union and twelve HEI from Central Asian states will collaborate to enhance professional competence in water management and water diplomacy.
Margarita Kadyrova, the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, highlights that the project will prioritize the development of water diplomacy.
The primary objective of the Erasmus + project on ” Strengthening Higher Education in the Water Sector for Climate Resilience and Security in Central Asia” is to enhance human capital in Central Asian countries to address pressing issues related to the water sector. The project aims to achieve this goal through the development of new educational programs and the integration of innovative components into existing programs. The updated and newly created programs will prioritize the cultivation of critical thinking skills, proficiency in working with academic texts, and using of interactive teaching methodologies. Furthermore, the project will place significant emphasis on the advancement of water diplomacy as a distinct and specialized field within the realm of diplomacy.
According to the Vice-Rector, as part of this project, several key goals have been identified to address urgent issues in the water sector. These goals include training a new generation of managers, enhancing cooperation among the states of Central Asia in the domain of water resources management, enhancing the qualifications and expertise of professors and teaching staff involved in water-related disciplines, increasing mobility for experience exchange, supporting scientific research for innovation.
As emphasized during the kick-off meeting, higher education institutions will play a crucial role in the implementation of the project. Their involvement will be instrumental in achieving the project’s objectives. Furthermore, significant emphasis will be placed on fostering collaboration among state bodies, civil society, and the private sector regarding the matters under consideration.
The kick-off meeting took place on June 6-7, 2023, at the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic. This significant event served as a platform for collaboration, bringing together esteemed representatives from higher education institutions from the European Union and Central Asian states. The meeting garnered the participation of distinguished guests, including the Head of the European Union Mission to Kyrgyzstan, the Vice Minister of Education and Science of Kyrgyzstan, the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan, as well as representatives from the diplomatic missions of the Central Asian states.
