UniCEN Hosts Sustainability & Grant Writing Workshop for Central Asian University Partners in Uzbekistan
UniCEN is one of the few initatives supporting inter-regional cooperation of the universities throughout the Central Asia. Participating universities come together to tackle common challenges and problems in the region. The IET TSUC among on of the actively participating universities, and has implemented a joint UniCEN project with the Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virgina, U.S.
On November 4-5, U.S.-Central Asia University Partnerships Program (UniCEN) hosted a Sustainability and Grant Writing Workshop in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Professor Khanjan Mehta, Vice Provost for Creative Inquiry at Lehigh University and Dr. Woden Teachout, a Leadership & Public Policy Professor at Union Institute and University facilitated the workshop. Both Dr. Teachout and Vice Provost Mehta have extensive careers in higher education programming, international project design and approach, and expertise in grant writing and management in the field of higher education.
Around 40 senior university administrators and heads of international relations departments from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan were invited to take part in an interactive workshop focused on sustainable internationalization solutions and strategies at their respective universities throughout Central Asia. From the IET TSUC participated Dalerjon Mirpochoev, the Vice-director on Research and International Relations and Saidqosim Mukhtorov, the Head of the International Center and Global Engagement. Focus on grant writing, international donor relationship building, and financing various types of internationalization projects provided for a robust conversation around further engagement with U.S. university partners. In addition to building local capacity related to grant writing, UniCEN team offered sessions on monitoring and evaluation, financial and programmatic reporting, and provided additional opportunities for peer learning in support of participants’ areas of interest.
At the end of the workshop, each Central Asian team presented their interdisciplinary project, value proposition for each of the three most important stakeholders, explained the approach and proposed solution, and discussed how they first implement their innovation for a sizeable number of people and later replicate/scale their innovation to other regions and ensure the project sustainability. UniCEN team members together with a grant writing consultant will continue working with Central Asian partners after the workshop to facilitate the proposal writing and further engagement with the U.S. university representatives.
UniCEN is building an influential platform, bringing together academia and practitioners around the Central Asia. Many project ideas born, international teams formed and appropriate connections established during these 2 days.” stated Saidqosim Mukhtorov, the Head of the International Center and Global Engagement
Through UniCEN, U.S. and Central Asian institutions of higher learning have engaged in a variety of bilateral small grants that have bolstered faculty exchange, publication of international journal articles, enhanced joint research around several UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and contributed to sustainable partners between the United States and Central Asia and between universities and institutions within Central Asia.
Meanwhile in the framework of the UniCEN, the IET TSUC will be expanding its partnership network, will focus on regional issues, and position itself as the regional player in for higher education. Our committed staff and expertise for regional development, working on new project proposals, and research projects, supporting SDGs achievement. The IET TSUC’s Itnernationalisation policy stands for multideminsional development, and covers all aspects of the higher education. You can read more about our internationalisation policy here
The Central Asia University Partnership Program (UniCEN), funded by the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent and administered by American Councils for International Education, strengthens capacities of U.S. and Central Asian university administrators and faculty to jointly address global challenges.
Through over 70 partnership grants, UniCEN partners at U.S. and Central Asian universities have collaborated since 2018 to modernize curricula, co-develop jointly taught courses, and conduct research with economic impact. This year, partner universities are creating regional knowledge hubs across the region and increase research capacities that support long-term and sustainable partnerships that strengthen the role of higher education in society.