I recently teamed up with Vasila Bozichaeva, higher education researcher and PhD candidate at the Academy of Sciences in Tajikistan to do an interview with The Diplomat on education in Central Asia. Our interview responses were furr-ific In the interview, we cover everything from the idea of a university in Soviet times to how Tajikistan's …
The next phase
Welcome to my newly refreshed website, complete with a new background image from a helicopter ride from Dushanbe to Khorog in Tajikistan a couple of years ago. The site now also features a new Watch/Listen page with video and audio recordings of talks and events I've participated in. The update also reflects the next phase …
Join me live on Oct 1: Surviving a crisis: Resilience, adaptation, and transformation in higher education after the collapse of the Soviet Union
I'm giving a seminar on October 1 (9am Eastern, 2pm UK, 6pm Dushanbe) about my recently completed doctoral work and would love to see you there. It's being hosted by the Centre for Global Higher Education, an international research centre with hubs at the University of Oxford and University College London. Here's the description: After …
Nine years of blogging later…
Cat memes are now an integral part of the blog. I started to include them after a friend suggested (jokingly??) that I should add cat pics to increase readership... I started this blog back in September 2011 after completing my Master's degree and having had the chance to write my final report about a subject …
Making it easier for international students to work in Russia
New regulations in Russia are making it easier for international students to work whilst studying
Back to school in Central Asia
Covid-cat is ready to go back to school (if it's open) The impending start of the 2020/21 school year is presenting challenges for teachers, students, parents, and governments around the world. Although some countries have managed to come up with a plan, many are still fumbling in the COVID-19 induced darkness, even with September just …
Watch/listen again: My SCOLAR Talk on higher education in Central Asia
Screenshot from my SCOLAR Talk on August 13, 2020 with Olesya Dovgalyuk Thanks to everyone who tuned in live last week to watch my SCOLAR Talk with the talented Olesya Dovgalyuk. We had a great time chatting about everything from Ibn Sino (Avicenna) to the 400+% growth in the higher education system in contemporary Kyrgyzstan! …
Continue reading Watch/listen again: My SCOLAR Talk on higher education in Central Asia
Join me live: Thurs Aug 13 on SCOLAR Talk
Join me live at 9.30am EST / 9.30pm CST on Thursday August 13 talking higher education in Central Asia with SCOLAR Talk
Kazakhstan publishes its back-to-school plan
While many countries are still pondering what to do with students come the new school year in September 2020, Kazakhstan - currently under a state imposed quarantine for a second time - has announced its back-to-school plan. If you're ready, open your laptop... most students in Kazakhstan aren't yet leaving their house to go back …
Continue reading Kazakhstan publishes its back-to-school plan
Celebrity calling: Supporting Indian students stuck in Kyrgyzstan
Around 4,000 Indian international students are still stuck in Kyrgyzstan after COVID-19 measures have led to closed borders and calls to return home. This represents almost half of the total number of Indian students in the country - India is the top sending country of international students to Kyrgyzstan (see my 2019 post on this). …
Continue reading Celebrity calling: Supporting Indian students stuck in Kyrgyzstan
