American Councils for International Education and U.S.-Central Asia University Partnerships Program (UniCEN) is proud to announce the first 16 program finalists (Cohort 1).
UniCEN received a tremendous response from U.S. university representatives from New Hampshire to Hawaii, 32 states in total, and their university partners from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, and Tajikistan. Our Selection Committee comprised of the representatives of U.S. State Department, U.S. Embassies in Tashkent, Bishkek, Dushanbe, Nur-Sultan and American Councils DC and field offices, reviewed many outstanding proposals focusing on curriculum, teaching and assessment methods for better-quality student outcomes; faculty research and personnel development; student exchanges and faculty policies, practices, and administrative structure and regretfully had to decline many qualified applications during this grant cycle.
Below is the list of UniCEN finalists who will receive funding up to $22,500 per project:
| № | US partner University | Central Asia partner university | Project Title |
| 1 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Samarkand State University, Uzbekistan | Co-Development and Cross-Pollination of Effective, Hands-On Nuclear Physics Educational Activities |
| 2 | Kent State University | Tashkent University of Information Technologies, Uzbekistan | Accreditation, Assessment, and Improving Student Outcomes |
| 3 | American University | Ferghana State University, Uzbekistan | American University and Ferghana State University Educational Partnership |
| 4 | University of California-Davis | National University of Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan | Creating new opportunities for genomics in Uzbekistan |
| 5 | Lehigh University | Almaty Management University, Kazakhstan | University Partnerships for Global Social Impact Projects |
| 6 | Michigan State University | Kazakh Agro Technical University, Kazakhstan | Establishing teaching and research capacity on renewable resources and utilization in Kazakhstan |
| 7 | University of Maryland Eastern Shore | Kyrgyz National University named after Zh. Balasagyna, Kyrgyzstan | United States -Kyrgyzstan Collaborative Partnership for Building Capacity in Plant Biotechnology |
| 8 | University of Oregon | American University of Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan | Characterizing Bishkek’s seismic hazard as a training exercise for Central Asian and American students and educators |
| 9 | University of Wyoming | Tashkent State University of Economics, Uzbekistan | English for Tourism and curriculum review |
| 10 | University of California at Berkeley | Urgench State University, Uzbekistan | Comprehensive and Interactive Multi-Disciplinary Teaching with an Application in Structural Health Monitoring |
| 11 | Old Dominion University | Innovative University of Eurasia, Kazakhstan | Complementary Opportunities for Start-up and Growth in Pavlodar and Norfolk |
| 12 | Purdue University | Tajik Agrarian University, Tajikistan | Improving Food Technology and Food Safety Education in Tajikistan |
| 13 | University of Nebraska | Taraz State University, Kazakhstan | Advancing Institutional Capacity for Sustainable Groundwater in with Central Asia with Emphasis on Karakalpakstan, a former Aral Sea Region in Uzbekistan |
| 14 | Kettering University | Andijan Machine-Building Institute, Uzbekistan | Academic Cooperation Between Kettering University and Andijan Machine-Building Institute |
| 15 | Oklahoma State University | Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers, Uzbekistan | Central Asia University Partnerships Program with Uzbekistan |
| 16 | Mississippi State University | Tashkent State Agrarian University, Uzbekistan | MSU and TSAU and TIIAME Dual Degree Initiative |
Congratulations to the UniCEN finalists! Additional information on each university partnership project will be available on the website shortly.
Next UniCEN RFP will be announced early next year and we hope that our current applicants will consider reapplying or submitting new proposals.
UniCEN Team wishes you a joyful holiday season and a knowledge-filled New Year! We are looking forward to working with you in 2020!
