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.
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.
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:
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 |
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.
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