American University of Central Asia - AUCA - Presidential Research and Education Fund

Presidential Research and Education Fund

PREF POLICY 2022-2023

OVERVIEW

The AUCA Presidential Research and Education Fund (PREF) was established in 2019 as a unique initiative designed to support discrete projects from AUCA faculty, students, and staff for research and educational activities through the President's Office at AUCA. The PREF fund especially welcomes seed funding for new initiatives at the University, multidisciplinary projects, and those involving AUCA students are strongly encouraged. Over the last three academic years (2019-2020, 2020-2021, 2021-2022) 46 research projects and educational activities initiated by AUCA faculty, students, and staff were implemented successfully. And these positive results of three years encouraged us to continue the PREF Fund and launch a new round of funding during the 2022-2023 academic year. We are now announcing the call for research projects and educational activities for the PREF Award 2022-2023.

 

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

  • Full-time AUCA faculty;
  • Full-time AUCA active students (both bachelor and master). Graduating AUCA MA students are eligible to apply if the research project is meant to be finished by December 20, 2022;
  • Full-time AUCA staff members;
  • Current part-time faculty can apply if students are involved in the project;
  • Recipients of PREF awards in the AY 2019-2020, 2020-2021, and Fall 2021 are eligible to apply. Those who have been awarded PREF funding in Spring 2022 are not eligible to apply.

 

FINANCE

The President's Office will make awards depending on the requested budget, tax-inclusive.

Please be aware that the principal investigator for the project is responsible for carrying out logistics as well as administrative and financial procedures and reporting related to the PREF project. Executive Officer to the President, HR, and Finance Offices will consult and assist you in resolving any questions that may come up. However, in case you have never administered documents at AUCA, it may be useful to include a team member responsible for managing administrative processes.

 

TOPICS

There is no restriction imposed on the possible topics of your initiatives. Nevertheless, based on the last three years of experience, we encourage you to think about the project’s social impact while designing your research projects and the proposal. We also highly encourage you to think about publication opportunities upon the completion of your research project. We are specifically interested in seed funding for new initiatives that may be scalable or potentially create a long-lasting impact through proof of concept, especially in Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia, including Afghanistan and Iran.

Among possible topics to be proposed, but certainly not limited to these:

  • Art, history, and culture of Central Asia and its neighbors;
  • Future governance challenges resulting from climate change;
  • How inclusive is AUCA as an institution of higher education?
  • How energize Kyrgyz citizens and students about the imminent and huge risks of climate change?
  • Technological change and its impact on mental and physical health;
  • What are the unique characteristics of nomadic peoples and cultures?
  • What have we learned about online/hybrid education and its potential role in the future?
  • What promotes and obstructs creativity and innovation in higher education?

Project results may also be very diverse; from the production of new high-tech goods to traditional and non-traditional art forms, research papers and published articles, documentaries and videos, and even more standard academic materials (books, manuals, reading materials, etc.)

 

From the table below you can see how diverse the PREF projects are: 

Term

Project Title

PREF Winner

Fall 2019

An order of polarizing microscope with transmitted and reflected illumination

Rustam Orozbaev, Professor

Fall 2019

Beyond plain visualization: 3D modeling of historical buildings in Karakol

Aida Abdykanova, Associate Professor                  Jyldyz Bekbalaeva, Library Director                    Tolgonai Kozhokanova, Electronic Service Assistant

Fall 2019

Media representation of Islam and Muslims in Kyrgyzstan

Mukaram Toktogulova, Associate Professor              Elira Turdubaeva, Professor

Fall 2019

Online Kyrgyz language course for beginners

Uulkan Kambaralieva, Professor                          Daniyar Karabaev, Assistant Professor

Fall 2019

Participation in International Film Festival in Rotterdam

Anastasiya Lysogorova

Fall 2019

The foundation needed for AUCA to be competitive in attracting a large research grant that will help children on the autistic spectrum

Michael Brady, Associate Professor

Fall 2019

The value of liberal arts education: AUCA alumni perspectives and curriculum design opportunities

Anguelina Popova, Ph.D., Director of CTLT            Jarkyn Shadymanova, Associate Professor                Emil Begimkulov, Assistant Professor

Fall 2019

The voices of Afghan students at AUCA

Tamo Chattopadhay, Associate Professor            Zarlasht Sarmast, Global Fellow Program Coordinator

Fall 2020

Blockchain technology in Kyrgyzstan

Saikal Anvar kyzy, Assistant Professor

Fall 2020

Compilation and preparation for publication of the collection AUCA Mathematical Olympiads for secondary school students

Sergey Sklyar, Professor                                                    Syrgak Kydyraliev, Professor                                            Elena Burova, Assistant Professor                                                              

Fall 2020

Development of a Kyrgyz language textbook for students whose first language is English

Gulmira Duisheeva, Assistant Professor

Fall 2020

Implementation of international law by domestic courts of Kyrgyz Republic

Hannepes Taychayev, Professor

Fall 2020

Problems, progress, and prospects of organic farming as a means of sustainable agriculture in Kyrgyzstan

Mairambek Nurgaziev, Associate Professor

Fall 2020

Singing the song of the land you are in: local dissemination of the findings of the AKYN project

James Plumtree, Assistant Professor

Fall 2020

Tengrian beliefs/practices in post-Soviet Kyrgyzstan

Mukaram Toktogulova, Associate Professor            Baitur Toktosunov, Graduate student, MAATH

Fall 2021

Adaptation of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-V (WISC-V)

Olga Yarova, Associate Professor                            Elena Kosterina, Associate Professor

Fall 2021

Annual flagship activities for economics students of Bishkek universities

Dina Mamadjanova, Undergraduate student, ECO

Fall 2021

Central Asian Nomad Youth (@cany.kg)

Erkebai Bakhavadinov, Undergraduate student, BA

Fall 2021

Collaborative teaching materials website

Ilias Suvanov, Instructor

Fall 2021

Continuation of the digitization of the National Academy of Science Herbarium with AUCA students

Amadeus DeKastle, Instructor

Fall 2021

Creation of GIS and remote sensing laboratory in AUCA

Zheenbek Kulenbekov, Associate Professor

Fall 2021

Dusty data project (digitalization of archived statistical data)

Akylai Muktarbek kyzy, Assistant Professor

Fall 2021

Measuring and mapping walkability in Bishkek

Otabek Nigmatov, Graduate student, MAATH

Fall 2021

Promotion of sex education for teenagers through social media

Ramina Ergeshova, Undergraduate student            Albina Dastanova, Undergraduate student

Fall 2021

The Emerald Handbook of Childhood and Youth in Asian Societies – Generations between local and global dynamics

Elena Kim, Professor

Fall 2021

Справочник по культуре русской речи в вопросах и ответах

Eleonora Karypkulova, Assistant Professor        Svetlana Kunduzakova, Professor

Spring 2020

Augmented reality as an educational tool for children with developmental delays

Vladislav Pak

Spring 2020

Data Art

Anastasiya Valeeva, Assistant Professor

Spring 2020

Digitization of the National Academy of Science Herbarium with AUCA Students

Amadeus DeKastle, Instructor

Spring 2020

Startup Bootcamp

Bermet Talasbek kyzy, Program Manager, MBA

Spring 2020

The Casebook on Constitutional Chamber of the KR: 15 major decisions as a promotion and internationalization of rule of law and constitutionalism in Kyrgyzstan

Saniya Toktogazieva, Associate Professor          Kanykei Kasybekova, Assistant Professor

Spring 2021

Accreditation of undergraduate programs at AUCA: lessons learned and way forward

Chynarkul Ryskulova, Professor                       Anguelina Popova, Ph.D., Director of CTLT

Spring 2021

Climate change in Kyrgyzstan: short movie series project

Adina Sulumbekova, Undergraduate student, LAS

Spring 2021

Documentary interview film: immigration, sense of belonging, and envisioning the future ("Unheard Voices of People of Kyrgyzstan")

Ruslan Rahimov, Associate Professor

Spring 2021

Forward - to the past: satellite images of the Chui region from 1960 to the present day

Talgat Dzhumashev, Graduate Student, MAATH

Spring 2021

Mapping of Issyk-Kul rock art: prevention and preservation

Aida Abdykanova, Associate Professor                Montana Reid, Undergraduate student

Spring 2021

On the edge of Bishkek: highlighting ecological problems through creative writing and visual research

Mingoiim Nishonova, Administrative Assistant, NGA

Spring 2021

Oral histories collection at AUCA

Jyldyz Bekbalaeva, Library Director                        Aijamal Sarybaeva, Assistant Professor

Spring 2021

Responsible mining at the top of the world: balancing the protection of investors' rights and advancement of sustainable development in the Kyrgyz Republic

Begaiym Esenkulova, Associate Professor

Spring 2021

Role of gender and social media in Kyrgyzstani Parliamentary elections October 2020

Olga Tarabashkina, Assistant Professor

Spring 2022

A textbook on the German language for tourist purposes

Gulshaiyr Derbishalieva, Assistant Professor Diana Arykbaeva, Assistant Professor

Spring 2022

AUCA students’ empowerment through the experience in “OVOP+1” local rural development projects (Japan)

Aizada Tynyeva, Assistant to Artistic Director, Instructor Yumi Takahashi, Instructor

Spring 2022

How can we do more for refugee students

Nicholas Andersen, Graduate Student, MACAS

Spring 2022

Hybrid education: its effectiveness and sustainability (the case of AUCA)

Cholpon Chotaeva, Professor

Spring 2022

Inherent powers of courts in the Kyrgyz Republic

Hannepes Taychayev, Professor

Spring 2022

Integration of international innovative practices of Climate Fresk and Model COP for climate education and engagement in Kyrgyzstan

Samar Kanatov, Undergraduate student, ECO

 

HOW TO APPLY

Your PREF APPLICATION FORM 2022-2023 should be completed and submitted to kydyrgychova_u@auca.kg (Re: PREF Application Form 2022-23). All application forms should be submitted following the deadline of October 25, 2022, by 12:00. Your Application Form 2022-2023 will include some narrative and a detailed budget, including personal information of an applicant and other team members. Once you submit your application form, you will receive an email from the President's Office. 

For more information contact Umut Kydyrgychova at kydyrgychova_u@auca.kg.

 

DEADLINE

Call for research projects: September 6, 2022

Proposals submission deadline: October 25, 2022

NOTE: The funding for approved PREF research projects and educational activities must be disbursed by July 20, 2023. And your final reports should be submitted upon the completion of each research project or educational activity by August 10, 2023, to the President's Office at kydyrgychova_u@auca.kg 

WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR RESEARCH PROJECTS!

 

American University of Central Asia
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Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic 720060

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