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The University of Central Asia’s School of Professional and Continuing Education (UCA SPCE) held its ninth graduation on 30 August 2014 at the Town Theatre in Khorog, Tajikistan.

The graduation ceremony was attended by Mrs Qimatgul Aliberdieva, Deputy Governor of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO), Mr Ghulom Hoshim, Afghan Consul in Khorog, Mr Saidmahmud Sadri, Interim Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Mr Talopov Alibek, Interim Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic. Mr Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, Diplomatic Representative of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in the Kyrgyz Republic and Chair of the UCA Board Executive Committee was also in attendance.

 

Dr Krawchenko presents a professional certificate in Accounting Technology to Gulafshan Imamdad, an Afghan student who attended SPCE as a participant of UCA’s Cross Border Vocational Education in Badakhshan III programme.

 

“Cooperation between the Government of Tajikistan and AKDN began from independence and is constantly improving. The establishment of the University of Central Asia is a sign of the fruitfulness of this cooperation, and the University will become an international centre of science and education in the region,” said Aliberdieva.

 

The School recognised 220 graduates at the Khorog ceremony. Graduates of SPCE’s information technology programme received internationally-recognised International Computer Driving License and London Chamber of Commerce and Industry certificates. Professional certificates were awarded to graduates of Accounting Technology and Technical Vocational Education programmes. Graduates of the Cashier/Bookkeeping, English for Academic Purposes and Conversational English courses received Certificates of Achievements. Graduates of Conversational Russian, German and Chinese received Records of Achievements.

 

SPCE was established in 2006 in Khorog, and its Learning Centre in Dushanbe opened in 2008. To date, SPCE has enrolled over 22,000 learners in Khorog and 11,000 learners in Dushanbe.

For the third consecutive year, SPCE also graduated Afghan students in its Cross Border Vocational Education in Badakhshan (CVEB) programme, an initiative of the University of Central Asia in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Aga Khan Foundation USA, with funding from the United States Department of State, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs.

 

Through CVEB, 48 graduates from Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan and 12 from GBAO, Tajikistan received scholarships to enroll in English for Academic Purposes, International Computer Driving License, Bookkeeping/Cashier and Accounting Technology programmes at SPCE Khorog. The courses for Afghans were delivered in Dari, using Dari learning materials developed by SPCE.

 

Since 2009, SPCE has trained 200 Afghan and 35 Tajik instructors in different disciplines through CVEB. A 2013 survey found that 62 percent of Afghan CVEB graduates were employed.

 

The 220 graduates at the 2014 Khorog graduation ceremony.

 

Through partnerships with the Aga Khan Foundation and government agencies, SPCE also delivers courses in Afghanistan, opening its first learning centre in the country in Shugnan in 2010. In spring 2014, the School opened three new learning centres in Faizabad city and Darwaz and Ishkashim districts, including a Continuing Education Unit at Badakhshan University. English and information technology classes are underway.

 

“SPCE as the first operational School of UCA has made a significant contribution meeting needs for professional and vocational education in Central Asia. UCA has been working for several years on preparatory works on the site of the UCA campus in Khorog. I am very pleased to say that His Highness the Aga Khan has instructed UCA to accelerate campus construction. Work on the foundations will commence in September, and we hope to welcome students in 2018 when the first phase buildings are completed. We are fortunate to have the support of the Government of Tajikistan and the international donor community in making SPCE the leader in its spectrum of educational endeavour, and count on their support to make UCA a premier institution in undergraduate and graduate education and research,” said Kassim-Lakha in his address.