Published: 08 April 2016 г.
This article is partof the series “Choosing a University,” exploring the questions and opportunities students encounter when applying to university. This series is produced by the University of Central Asia, now accepting applications for its inaugural cohort of students in September 2016. UCA has extended the application deadline to 15 April.
The best universities in the world offer students a fully residential experience, where education goes far beyond the classroom. Studies have shown students are more likely to take advantage of educational opportunities when living and learning on campus. And the University of Central Asia provides students an extensive, diverse range of learning opportunities, from individualized instruction to community-based learning projects, from an international group of faculty.
In the past, attending the best university was synonymous with relocating to a capital city. UCA will open its inaugural residential mountain campus in Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic, with the campus at Khorog, Tajikistan schedule to open in fall 2017 and Tekeli, Kazakhstan, anticipated in 2019. But the legacy of residential learning is relatively new to Central Asia, and students may wonder: why Naryn, Khorog and Tekeli?
The UCA campuses in Naryn, Khorog and Tekeli comprise one university in three countries. Each of UCA’s campuses is deliberately located on the Silk Road, the historic trade and transportation route that facilitated the global exchange of goods, cultures and ideas. The legacy of the Silk Road guides UCA’s student-centred education and focus on entrepreneurship and problem solving. Students at UCA will design and implement community initiatives in their area of study as part of service learning requirements, and participate in projects that address real life challenges in the region.
UCA campuses are located amidst the backdrop of stunning mountain settings, providing students the chance to learn from and engage with the environment and surrounding communities in a whole new way. The campus towns of Naryn, Kyrgyzstan; Khorog, Tajikistan and Tekeli, Kazakhstan offer culturally and ecologically rich environments and communities, dining options, excursion opportunities and transportation connections to regional centres.
On campus, students will receive an unparalleled learning experience: international and regional faculty teaching small class sizes, in beautifully designed, modern academic facilities with 100% Internet connectivity, state of the art technology, and state-of-the-art libraries, laboratories and sports facilities. Every UCA student will also be equipped with a brand new laptop computer.
At a higher education forum in Naryn earlier this month, the Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic praised UCA’s decision to locate its campuses in mountain communities and called Naryn “a place to watch,” as a model for regional connectivity. Each campus also lies within 150 miles of the contemporary economic and political powerhouse of China.
The University of Central Asia’s campuses are strategically located in mountain communities designed to become regional hubs of technology and innovation. By providing students a view of the country that extends beyond the capital city, the University aims to develop students into future leaders whose perspectives balance regional sophistication with global cosmopolitanism.