Emma Harden-Wolfson

Higher Education in Central Asia Blog (est. 2011)

  • Coronavirus: The strangers reaching out to Kyrgyzstan’s lonely teenagers (BBC)

    In case you missed this story of hope and friendship that was published recently on the BBC, I’m reposting it here. Written by Abdujalil Abdurasulov, the story looks at how over 100 young adult Kyrgyz volunteers are reaching out to teens around the country to offer them companionship during Covid-19. It’s a wonderful initiative and… Read more

  • Kyrgyzstan: Distance-learning exposes weaknesses of education system (Eurasianet)

    This is an insightful article by Bishkek-based journalist Ayzirek Imanaliyeva published in Eurasianet on some of the challenges posed by Kyrgyzstan’s necessitated shift to online learning in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The article was published at https://eurasianet.org/kyrgyzstan-distance-learning-exposes-weaknesses-of-education-system. Bolsunai Turgunbayeva’s three school-age daughters take turns using her battered old smartphone. The device has become… Read more

  • Doing environmental research in Central Asia (online lecture, May 7)

    It’s been longer than usual since I’ve posted, mainly because there’s not much to say about education in Central Asia that’s not related to Covid-19. For a round-up of how the five states have been approaching the novel coronavirus, take a look at my April 1 post (not a joke, sadly). Since then, Tajikistan has… Read more

  • Covid-19 and education in Central Asia

    With the world’s attention drawn to the coronavirus pandemic for the foreseeable future, this week’s post looks at the current impact of Covid-19 on education in Central Asia. First, a few shout outs to others reporting on the spread of coronavirus in the region. For general updates on what’s happening across Central Asia, check out… Read more

  • The future is still bright

    The world is a different place these days as COVID-19 spreads its wings in all directions (officially reaching Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan by the time of writing on March 18). When we look back on these unusual times, I think we will see that coronavirus achieved what no politician, activist, or movement has yet managed… Read more

  • International Women’s Day: Celebrating female success, still marching for progress

    8th March saw the annual marking of International Women’s Day (IWD), which is a formal opportunity to celebrate female success on the one hand, but also a time to lament the continued global persistence of male-dominated structures and norms, and to work on ways to reverse this situation. IWD has developed and gained prominence since… Read more