The University of Central Asia (UCA) ''(russian: Университет Центральной Азии) i''s a

secular Secularity, also the secular or secularness (from Latin ''saeculum'', "worldly" or "of a generation"), is the state of being unrelated or neutral in regards to religion. Anything that does not have an explicit reference to religion, either negativ ...

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

research university A research university or a research-intensive university is a university that is committed to research as a central part of its mission. They are the most important sites at which knowledge production occurs, along with "intergenerational kno ...

Central Asia Central Asia, also known as Middle Asia, is a subregion, region of Asia that stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to western China and Mongolia in the east, and from Afghanistan and Iran in the south to Russia in the north. It includes t ...

. It was founded by an international charter between the governments of

Tajikistan Tajikistan (, ; tg, Тоҷикистон, Tojikiston; russian: Таджикистан, Tadzhikistan), officially the Republic of Tajikistan ( tg, Ҷумҳурии Тоҷикистон, Jumhurii Tojikiston), is a landlocked country in Centr ...

Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan,, pronounced or the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the south, and the People's Republic of China to the east. ...

and

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...

in partnership with the

Aga Khan Development Network The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) is a network of private, non-denominational (de jure) development agencies founded by the Aga Khan that work primarily in the poorest parts of Asia and Africa. Aga Khan IV succeeded to the office of the 49t ...

(AKDN) in 2000. UCA's first undergraduate campus opened in 2016 in

Naryn Naryn ( ky, Нарын, translit=Naryn, Mongolian : Нарийн, Nariin, Traditional Mongolian ᠨᠠᠷᠢᠨ) is the regional administrative center of Naryn Region in central Kyrgyzstan. Its area is , and its estimated population was 41,17 ...

, and was followed by a second campus in

Khorog Khorugh ( tg, Хоруғ, ; russian: Хорог, translit=Khorog; ) is the capital of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) in Tajikistan. It is also the capital of the Shughnon District of Gorno-Badakhshan. It has a population of 30,50 ...

(2017). The University has three schools: School of Arts and Sciences (SAS), Graduate School of Development (GSD) and School of Professional and Continuing Education (SPCE). The School of Arts and Sciences offers four undergraduate programmes on its two campuses. A third campus in Tekeli,

is currently in the planning phase.

Undergraduate School of Arts and Sciences (SAS)

UCA has a five-year undergraduate programme, including a one-year preparatory programme including cross-disciplinary, liberal arts and prerequisite courses, followed by a choice of six specialisations or majors. The programme also includes a mandatory Co-operative Education programme, where students receive paid internships. Students attend the campus based on what major they choose and will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. UCA has signed academic partnerships/memorandum of understandings with international institutions: *

Seneca College Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology is a multiple-campus public college in the Greater Toronto Area, and Peterborough, Ontario, Canada regions. It offers full-time and part-time programs at the baccalaureate, diploma, certificate and ...

, Canada (Preparatory Programme), *

University of Technology Sydney The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) is a public research university located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Although its origins are said to trace back to the 1830s, the university was founded in its current form in 1988. As of 2021 ...

, Australia (Communications and Media, BA), *

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...

, Canada (Computer Science, BSc), *

University of British Columbia The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a public university, public research university with campuses near Vancouver and in Kelowna, British Columbia. Established in 1908, it is British Columbia's oldest university. The university ranks a ...

, Canada (Earth and Environmental Sciences, BSc), *

Stockholm School of Economics The Stockholm School of Economics (SSE; sv, Handelshögskolan i Stockholm, HHS) is a private business school located in city district Vasastaden in the central part of Stockholm, Sweden. SSE offers BSc, MSc and MBA programs, along with ...

/Riga, Latvia (Economics, BA), *

National Research University – Higher School of Economics HSE University (russian: link=no, «Высшая школа экономики», ВШЭ), officially the National Research University Higher School of Economics (russian: link=no, Национальный исследовательский ун ...

, Moscow, Russia (Economics, BA), *

University of Victoria The University of Victoria (UVic or Victoria) is a public research university located in the municipalities of Oak Bay and Saanich, British Columbia, Canada. The university traces its roots to Victoria College, the first post-secondary instit ...

, Canada (Cooperative Education Programme) *

University of Alberta The University of Alberta, also known as U of A or UAlberta, is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford,"A Gentleman of Strathcona – Alexander Cameron Rutherfor ...

, Canada: Central Asian Faculty Development Programme *

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

, United Kingdom: Central Asian Faculty Development Programme

Undergraduate Programmes

The Graduate School of Development (GSD)

The Graduate School of Development has five divisions: # Institute of Public Policy and Administration # Mountain Societies Research Institute # Cultural Heritage and Humanities Unit # Civil Society Initiative, and # The Aga Khan Humanities Project

School of Professional and Continuing Education (SPCE)

The School of Professional and Continuing Education was launched in 2006. On 15 February 2020, the SPCE held its first graduation ceremony for 160 students at its learning center in Bokhtar, Tajikistan. SPCE has 17 learning centers with 172,000 alumni across

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. SPCE offers vocational and professional development programs to various age groups.

UCA Campuses

University of Central Asia Naryn Campus aerial shot

UCA's undergraduate programs are located at its residential campuses in Naryn, Kyrgyzstan and Khorog, Tajikistan. The Tekeli campus in Kazakhstan is currently in the planning phase. The campuses are of equal size and stature with modern classrooms, libraries, laboratories, secure, modular dormitories and athletic facilities open to the public, including football pitches and tennis courts. The campus in Kyrgyzstan is situated in Naryn Town 314 km (195 miles) from

Bishkek Bishkek ( ky, Бишкек), ), formerly Pishpek and Frunze, is the capital and largest city of Kyrgyzstan. Bishkek is also the administrative centre of the Chüy Region. The region surrounds the city, although the city itself is not part of ...

and is spread over 9 hectares for Phase 1. The campus in Naryn is the first phase of a larger vision for the 252-hectare site. Phase one includes a 13,927-square-metre space for 150 students When the final phase is complete, it will accommodate 1,200 students and span 125,000 square metres. Aerial shot of UCA Campus in Khorog

The campus in Tajikistan is located in Khorog,

GBAO Gorno-Badakhshan, officially the Badakhshan Mountainous Autonomous Region,, abbr. / is an autonomous region in eastern Tajikistan, in the Pamir Mountains. It makes up nearly forty-five percent of the country's land area, but only two perce ...

near the border with Afghanistan in the southwestern

Pamirs The Pamir Mountains are a mountain range between Central Asia and Pakistan. It is located at a junction with other notable mountains, namely the Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kunlun, Hindu Kush and the Himalaya mountain ranges. They are among the world' ...

range at an elevation of 2,200 m (7,200 feet) and on the

Gunt River The Gunt (russian: Гунт, tg, Ғунд ''Ghund'' or Аличур ''Alichur'', historically in English also ''Ghund'') is a river in the south of Tajikistan, north of the Shughnon Range. It is long and has a basin area of .

where it flows into the Pyandzh. The campus in Kazakhstan will be built in Tekeli, and is in planning stage. All three campuses were designed by

Arata Isozaki Arata Isozaki (磯崎新, ''Isozaki Arata''; born 23 July 1931) is a Japanese architect, urban designer, and theorist from Ōita. He was awarded the RIBA Gold Medal in 1986 and the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2019. Biography Isozaki was ...

, Aoki & Associates (IAA)

Board of Trustees

Shamsh Kassim-Lakha Shamsh Kassim-Lakha's (Sitara-e-Imtiaz, Hilal-e-Imtiaz, Officier de l’Ordre National du Mérite) career is characterized by entrepreneurial leadership of diplomatic, educational, healthcare, manufacturing, and venture capital institutions of ...

(Chairman) * Princess Zahra Aga Khan * Prince Rahim Aga Khan * Professor Andrew Petter, CM, QC * Senator Byrganym Aitimova * Professor Hans Hurni * Lutfiya Abdulkholiqzoda * Mr

Naguib Kheraj Naguib Kheraj (born July 1964) is a British banker. Early life Naguib Kheraj was born in July 1964. Kheraj was educated at Dulwich College, London, and Cambridge University, where he graduated with a degree in economics. A member of the Ismaili ...

* D
Almazbek Akmataliev
* Dr Sharofat Mamadambarova * Dr

Shenggen Fan Shenggen Fan (樊胜根) was the Director General of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) between 2009 and 2019. He is known for his work on transition economies and rural development in China. His research has focused on anal ...

References

{{Authority control 2000 establishments in Tajikistan 2000 establishments in Kyrgyzstan Universities in Kyrgyzstan Universities in Tajikistan Universities in Kazakhstan Education International