On Wednesday, November 2, the MAT (Master of Arts in Teaching) program held a MAT Student & Alumni Event, Classes of 2019-2022 gathered together at AUCA for warm communication and further attendance to intensive seminars that were prepared on this day. The special guest Tomoya Sonada, the Chief of Education and Health, at UNICEF Kyrgyzstan was a keynote speaker for the event.

Elizabeth Davis, the Assistant Professor at MAT added - "We were thrilled to have current MAT students and several alumni attend this joint event. As we are now in our fifth year of the MAT program, we are excited to connect our graduates to our current students and vice versa. With our plenary including Miranda Lupin's announcement of the US Embassy Scholarships for next year's cohort and our guest speaker Tomoya Sonada, UNICEF Kyrgyzstan, sharing a snapshot of education in Central Asia, we worked to achieve our event goals of inspiring our students through the program's ongoing support from the US Embassy, exposure to new ideas, and involvement in some of the larger dialogue around education. "

About MAT Program:

In addition to admitting current teachers, the AUCA MAT program also admits candidates who are aspiring to become school teachers. The program offers courses that address significant issues of the Central Asian educational context – for example, courses on inclusive education, multicultural education and identity, and sustainable development. Participants are required to defend a thesis and pass a comprehensive exam to graduate with a teaching license from the Kyrgyz Ministry of Education.