Emma Harden-Wolfson

Higher education in Central Asia blog

  • A summer of learning: Fieldwork, conferences, and more in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan

    It’s been rather quiet on the blog of late. Don’t worry – I haven’t run out of ideas to keep the blog going. On the contrary, I probably now have too many. I also have a LOT of new photos of universities to add to my photo gallery (see the bottom right part of the… Read more

  • ESCAS-CESS 2017 Conference report

    The first joint conference of the European Society for Central Asian Studies (ESCAS) and the Central Eurasian Studies Society (CESS) was, it is fair to say, a roaring success. Held at the stunning new purpose-built campus of the American University of Central Asia in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, ESCAS-CESS was the largest international conference of Central Eurasian… Read more

  • University admissions in Tajikistan: Who wants to be an engineer?

    It’s university admissions season in Tajikistan and as a record number of school leavers sit the nationwide university entrance exams, ever-reliable news outlet Asia-Plus took a look at the prospects for the class of 2021. This unified nationwide testing system was introduced in 2013 as part of a project funded by the World Bank and… Read more

  • Ищу участников для интервью

    Дорогие читатели моего блога! Мне нужна ваша помощь найти участников для интервью. Читаете дальше… Летом 2017 г. я буду проводить исследование для своей кандидатской диссертации. Название моей диссертации: Как реагирует высшее образование на крупные институциональные изменения? Падение Советского Союза и университеты в Казахстане, Кыргызстане и Таджикистане. Я ищу нынешних и бывших преподавателей для интервью (на… Read more

  • The use and abuse of honorary titles in academia

    I recently reported on a new China-led university alliance, and noted the increasing influence of China in Central Asia. So I thought it was good timing to note that Kyrgyz career diplomat and Minister of Foreign Affairs Erlan Abdyldaev was recently awarded an honorary academic post by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The award of Honorary… Read more

  • Town and gown dispute update: Statement from University of Central Asia 

    Shortly after my post on the rising tension in Naryn, Kyrgyzstan following an alleged town and gown dispute after a sports match, the University of Central Asia has now issued a detailed version of the incident on its Facebook page. The English version is copied below in full: UCA LOOKS TO BUILD BRIDGES FOLLOWING BASKETBALL… Read more