A Guide to the University of Central Asia’s Undergraduate Education

DEVELOPING MOUNTAIN SOCIETIES WITH A WORLD CLASS EDUCATION

AFGHANISTAN PAKISTAN

CHINA

KAZAKHSTAN

UZBEKISTAN

TAJIKISTAN

Almaty

Bishkek

Dushanbe

Khorog

Faizabad

Ishkashim

Zebak

Darvaz

Shugnan

Osh

Tashkent

Khujand

Naryn

TekeliTaldykorgan

Astana

KYRGYZ REPUBLIC

UCA Campuses

Central Administration Office

School of Professional andContinuing EducationLearning Centres

School of Professional andContinuing EducationSatellite Learning Centres

Aga Khan Humanities Project Centres

Aga Khan Humanities Project Partners

Institute of Public Policy and Administration

Mountain Societies Research Institute

Cultural Heritage and Humanities Unit

His Highness the Aga Khan and President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan sign the founding Treaty in Dushanbe.

His Highness the Aga Khan and President Askar Akayev of Kyrgyzstan sign the founding Treaty in Bishkek.

His Highness the Aga Khan and President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan sign the founding Treaty in Astana.

KHOROG TEKELINARYN

Launched in 2016

Opening in 2017

Anticipated Opening in 2019

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AFGHANISTAN PAKISTAN

CHINA

KAZAKHSTAN

UZBEKISTAN

TAJIKISTAN

Almaty

Bishkek

Dushanbe

Khorog

Faizabad

Ishkashim

Zebak

Darvaz

Shugnan

Osh

Tashkent

Khujand

Naryn

TekeliTaldykorgan

Astana

KYRGYZ REPUBLIC

UCA Campuses

Central Administration Office

School of Professional andContinuing EducationLearning Centres

School of Professional andContinuing EducationSatellite Learning Centres

Aga Khan Humanities Project Centres

Aga Khan Humanities Project Partners

Institute of Public Policy and Administration

Mountain Societies Research Institute

Cultural Heritage and Humanities Unit

“By creating intellectual space and resources, this University will help turn the mountains that divide the nations and territories of Central Asia into the links that unite its peoples and economies in a shared endeavour to improve their future well-being.”

His Highness the Aga KhanChancellor, University of Central Asia

The UCA Library houses a rich collection of academic resources and offers research support to students.

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ASIA

The University of Central Asia (UCA) was founded in 2000. The Presidents of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan and His Highness the Aga Khan signed the International Treaty and Charter establishing this secular, private and not-for-profit University, which was ratified by the respective parliaments and registered with the United Nations. The Presidents are the Patrons of UCA and His Highness the Aga Khan is the Chancellor.

UCA was established to offer an internationally recognised standard of higher education in Central Asia and prepare graduates to contribute leadership, ideas and innovation to the economies and communities of the region. UCA’s mission is to foster the socio-economic development of Central Asia, particularly its mountain societies, while helping the peoples of the region preserve and draw upon their rich cultural heritages as assets for the future.

The University consists of its Undergraduate School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Professional and Continuing Education, the Graduate School of Development's Institute of Public Policy and Administration and Mountain Societies Research Institute, the Cultural Heritage and Humanities Unit, the Central Asian Faculty Development Programme and the Aga Khan Humanities Project.

The UCA Naryn Campus sits on 252 hectares of land amidst the Tien-Shan mountain range.

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Karlygash KussainovaZharsy, Kazakhstan,

Economics

"I chose to study at UCA to receive an education certified according to global

standards and to discover different

cultures."

Why Choose UCA?UCA is committed to providing access to university education to the most qualified candidates, regardless of a student’s economic status. We are looking for academically strong students who have demonstrated their potential for leadership and are passionate about learning both inside and outside the classroom. Students will explore Central Asia’s geography, culture, sociology and economy, to better understand their relationship to the world.

WORLD CLASS CURRICULUM• Curriculum emphasising critical thinking

across disciplines, research methods, quantitative reasoning, and writing, with a focus on ethics and community engagement

• Exposure to a unique combination of liberal arts, science, and technology

• Experiential education through team learning projects that apply academic concepts to real world issues

• Case learning to strengthen problem solving skills

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD OF EDUCATION• Faculty holding PhDs and engaged in research relevant to regional

issues• English language instruction, with immersion programmes to create

fluency • The smallest faculty student ratio in Central Asia (1:9)

VIBRANT STUDENT LIFE• A student-centred environment in class and on campus• High quality facilities and residence at each of UCA’s three

campuses• Opportunity to participate in social and academic clubs• Unique study abroad opportunities• Robust cultural, sports and social programmes in a setting of stun-

ning natural beauty• Student Life Advisors and Faculty Mentors providing academic and

personal support

• Curriculum developed in partnership with leading universities with specific career paths in mind• Programmes benchmarked to international professional certification bodies• Specialisations relevant to Central Asia’s current and future labour market needs

UCA undergraduates work together on a group assignment

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Jyldyz Sarieva Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic

Communications & Media

“The library is my favourite place on this campus. We also have a gym, fitness centre,

dining hall … everything we need to study and

work hard for our future.”

MOUNTAIN BASED EDUCATION• Curriculum encouraging students to unlock the economic potential

of Central Asia• Research dedicated to issues relevant to mountain societies • Focus on conserving of Central Asian cultural heritage, traditions,

and history

AFFORDABLE EDUCATION (see page 10 for more information)

• Merit-based admissions; no student will be denied acceptance based on financial need

• Generous financial aid with merit scholarships, needs-based grants, and student loans offering manageable terms for young graduates

• A fixed yearly tuition payable in national currency

MAKING YOU JOB READY• Paid summer internships to gain work experience with leading

companies • Career planning services and mentorship throughout your time at UCA • A focus on ethics and entrepreneurship to create self-starters • Immersive language education to increase national and global

marketability

STATE OF THE ART FACILITIES• State of art classrooms and laboratories • Advanced information technology with wireless internet con-

nectivity across campus • Spacious dormitory rooms that can be configured for privacy • Ample study, recreational areas and sports facilities • Library connected to rich international collections and databases • Sheltered walkways and secure facilities • Fully accessible to students with physical disabilities

Basketball, football and badminton action at the UCA Sports Dome

Dr Dietrich Schmidt-Vogt, Director of the Mountain Societies Research Institute, UCA 5

WHAT UNDERGRADUATE ACADEMIC PROGRAMMES DOES UCA OFFER?

Naryn (2016) Khorog (2017) Tekeli (Anticipated 2019)BSc Computer Science Earth and Environmental Sciences Engineering Sciences

BA Communications and Media Economics Business and Management

Minor Central Asian Studies Development Studies Globalisation Studies

Undergraduate Programme

At UCA, you will have the opportunity to graduate with a major and minor. After five years, you will graduate with either a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or a Bachelor of Science (BSc). UCA is the first university in Central Asia to offer integrative majors and minors.You can attend any of the University’s three residential campuses in Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic (launched in 2016); Khorog, Tajikistan (2017); and Tekeli, Kazakhstan (anticipated 2019), based on the major and minor you select. Students entering UCA in the 2017-2018 Academic Year with majors in Computer Science and Communications and

Media will enroll in the campus in Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic. Students majoring in Economics and Earth and Environmental Science will enroll in the campus in Khorog, Tajikistan. Students interested in majoring in Engineering Sciences or Business and Management offered at the Tekeli, Kazakhstan campus will undergo Preparatory and Core Curriculum programmes in either Naryn or Khorog, before transferring to the completed campus in Tekeli in 2019. Depending on your selected area of study, you have the opportunity to spend at least one semester at another UCA campus.

GENERAL EDUCATION IN LIBERAL ARTSThe University’s Core Curriculum is a liberal arts approach to general education that exposes students to a variety of relevant subjects. UCA’s approach is designed to help students develop critical thinking skills. The Core Curriculum is holistic and grounded in the Central Asian context. It allows students to: • Research and write to gain knowledge of the universe, society, and of self• become more familiar with a variety of subject areas in the humanities, science and maths, and

their practical value in everyday life• develop a cosmopolitan understanding of the world around them, and • address some of the more challenging issues facing the region.

YOUR UCA ACADEMIC PATHWAY

UCA faculty utilise integrated technology and student-centred instruction in the classroom.

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PREPARATORY PROGRAMME

LIBERAL ARTS

PRE-REQUISITES

MAJOR

MAJOR/MINORAdditional major courses and courses within chosen minor: • Central Asian

Studies• Development

Studies• Globalisation

Studies

Courses within chosen major: • Computer

Science• Communications

& Media• Earth &

Environmental Sciences

• Economics• Engineering

Sciences• Business &

Management

Prerequisite courses in the arts or science tracks based on major.

Courses to develop critical thinking and introduce cross-disciplinary topics of study.

Evaluation and enrichment in maths English and science Study and research skills development.

YEAR5

YEAR4

YEAR

YEAR3

YEAR

YEAR2

YEAR

YEAR1

PREPARATORY PROGRAMMEThe University’s five-year undergraduate education begins with a mandatory Preparatory Programme to facilitate students’ success at the international level. UCA specialisations are as comprehensive and complex as those offered at top universities worldwide, where students enter with 12 years of secondary education. The Preparatory Year focuses on English for academic purposes, mathematics and science, including laboratory work, to ensure that UCA undergraduates are on par with students internationally. It is designed by Seneca College in Toronto, Canada, an international leader in university entrance programmes, and taught by experienced faculty with relevant degrees and professional certifications.

Common spaces in student dormitories

In Year 2, you will complete courses in the core curriculum designed to ensure you develop a strong liberal arts foundation.

In Year 3, you will complete 10 common pre-requisite courses for either the Bachelor of Science or the Bachelor of Arts majors.

In Year 4 and part of Year 5, you will take approximately 10 mandatory courses and five electives to complete the requirements of your major and you will take five courses to complete your minor.

Finally, in Years 3, 4, and 5 you will complete three different practice-based learning projects dedicated to making you job and career ready.

In Year 1, you will complete the Preparatory Programme and hone your skills in English, maths and science.

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MAJORS, NARYN CAMPUS

Computer Science, BSc

Information and communications technology is the economy’s fastest growing sector globally and regionally, and specialists are in high demand.

UCA’s Computer Science programme is designed to produce specialists that meet industry standards set by the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the US-based Association for Computing Machinery.

The programme of study is supplemented by courses on entrepreneurship, preparing graduates to generate opportunities in Central Asia.

Communications & Media, BA

UCA’s Communications and Media programme offers an integrated approach to journalism, new media, public relations, advertising, marketing communications, multi-media design, media production, media law, management, and ethics and social responsibility.

Intensive language courses ensure graduates have superior fluency in their native language and in Russian.

Working in the state of the art UCA Media Studio, students will develop production skills and build a portfolio of work to serve as a calling card when seeking employment.

UNDERGRADUATE MINORSUCA’s minors provide an opportunity for in-depth exploration of complex societal issues. The minors are designed to expand students’ intellectual horizons and integrate a diversity of knowledge that will broaden students’ employment and graduate education qualifications.

Central Asian Studies (Naryn Campus)The interdisciplinary Central Asian Studies minor includes courses on history, culture, literature, economy, social structure, and other topics within national and regional contexts. Taught by specialists, it aims to provide the foundations for rigorous inquiry into critical issues confronting Central Asian countries amidst new global realities. The minor is linked to UCA’s Cultural Heritage and Humanities Unit.

Undergraduate Education

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MAJORS, KHOROG CAMPUS

Earth & Environmental Sciences, BSc

Responsible natural resource development that will serve as an engine of sustaining growth requires technical skills informed by a solid understanding of environmental, social and cultural issues, and of what is needed to spur private sector investment. UCA’s cross-disciplinary programme is science and technology based.

It integrates socio-cultural perspectives allowing students to form a knowledge base to engage with complex issues such as extractive industries development, climate change, and food security.

Developed in collaboration with a consortium of universities, this specialisation benefits from the resources of UCA’s Mountain Societies Research Institute.

Economics, BA

UCA’s Economics programme equips students with theoretical and quantitative skills and a special understanding of practical microeconomics and enterprise development in Central Asia. The challenging major spans a breadth of subjects including macroeconomics, econometrics, public finance, international trade and economic policy.

Designed in collaboration with leading universities, the programme benefits from the research assets of UCA’s Institute of Public Policy and Administration and strong partnerships with government ministries across the region.

Development Studies (Khorog Campus)The interdisciplinary minor in Development Studies builds on unique assets: the experience of the world’s largest private development agency - the Aga Khan Development Network, and its partners - and is informed by UCA’s undergraduate majors and research institutes. It offers an exploration of development as both a complex analytical issue, and as a field of professional endeavour. The minor provides the technical and analytical skills needed to pursue a career in development.

The University plans to offer Business and Management and Engineering Sciences and a minor in Globalisation Studies at the Tekeli, Kazakhstan campus, anticipated to open in 2019.

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“UCA provides an opportunity to learn about the challenges of the mountains, not only through our interdisciplinary curriculum but also by learning, living in the mountains and gaining first-hand experience.”

Eraj Uzoqov Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Computer Science

A university education is one of the most important investments that a student and family can make. A degree from a quality university can significantly influence your future earning potential. The University understands that a world class education is costly and is committed to sharing this cost with every UCA student. One of UCA’s founding principles as a private, not-for-profit institution is that no admitted student will be denied an education because of inability to pay.

GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS

UCA works with a global set of university and industry partners to ensure students benefit from curriculum that is global in nature but relevant to the region. Various countries have generously contributed to the development of UCA’s curriculum and facilitated relationships with their national universities or research institutes. Private companies globally have also partnered with UCA by providing research, training, and advisory services to support the development of the University’s six major and three minor areas of study.

Tuition & Financial Aid

Australia Canada European Union

France

Germany Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Latvia

Norway Pakistan Russia Switzerland

Tajikistan UnitedKingdom

United States

YOUR FINANCIAL NEED WILL NOT AFFECT YOUR ABILITY TO GET ACCEPTED TO UCA. ADMISSION IS BASED SOLELY ON MERIT.

Depending on the evaluation of need and merit, UCA may fund up to 90% of the cost of education through scholarships, grants and interest free loans. Because the University is confident its graduates will find quality employment, UCA student loans have highly favourable repayment terms.

UCA’s Commitment to Making Quality Education Affordable

Student tuition represents a fraction of the total education cost: nearly 80% of the per-student cost is subsidised by UCA. UCA’s tuition is significantly lower than the cost of comparable standards of higher education in neighbouring China, Russia and Turkey, and in comparison to the highest quality universities in Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Kazakhstan.

Tuition and Fees will not increase (in US dollar terms) over your five years at UCA

• UCA supports students with merit scholarships, needs-based grants and interest free loans

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Will my financial situation advantage or disadvantage me in the application process?

Admission to UCA is based on merit. The University is committed to admitting the best and brightest students from both urban and rural areas of Central Asia, regardless of economic status. No student will be denied admission to UCA on financial grounds.

Once admitted, UCA devotes dedicated resources to each student to ensure education is accessible to all, regardless of his or her ability to pay.

UCA will provide unique scholarship and financial aid options subsidising up to 90% of tuition based on demonstrated financial need.

How does a UCA student loan work?

• Interest free loans are offered in national currency • Annual administration fee of five percent (5%) is assessed from the year of loan received• Students have a two-year grace period after graduation to begin repayment

• Students have 10 years following this grace period to repay their loan

When and how do I apply for Financial Aid?

• Financial aid applications are available to all shortlisted candidates, and students apply annually for assistance. Financial Aid decisions are made by a committee and not by any one individual.

• Tuition fees for instruction • Textbooks and instruction materials • Residence, meals, health plan• Laptop computer • Fitness centre, sports and recreation • Individual tutorials and counselling

UCA'S COMPREHENSIVE FEES INCLUDE:

Each UCA campus has state of the art classrooms, laboratories and libraries

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UCA © November 2016

Visit www.ucentralasia.org/admissions to apply today!

HOW TO APPLY?

Key dates (subject to change*)

PRE-UNIVERSITY PROGRAMMES

UCA offers pre-university programming to prepare students to pursue higher education. Secondary students are encouraged to participate in these enrichment programmes, which are designed to upgrade critical academic areas and prepare students for the competitive university admissions process.

The UCA Admissions Exam

1 Nov 2016:

3 Mar 2017:

17 Mar 2017:

2 Apr 2017:

Applications available online

Early Bird Application Deadline (no application fee if you apply before 3 March 2017). Regular Application Deadline (Application fee US$15)

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

Shortlisted candidates to submit supporting documents: 1. Recommendation forms2. Financial aid applicationInterview

May 2017:

Apr - May 2017:

KEY DATES FOR SHORTLISTED APPLICANTS

Jan – Feb 2017

Winter Upgrading Programme for Grade 11 students

Mentorship Programme for Grade 11 students

Summer Camp for Grade 10 students

Jan 2017

Jul – Aug 2017

admissions@ucentralasia.org

+996 312 663 822 (Kyrgyz Republic)

+996 770 822 901 (Kyrgyz Republic)

+992 93 999 99 64 (Tajikistan)

+7 777 822 3948 (Kazakhstan)

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