Turkmenistan is actively seeking to expand its international higher education partnerships. A recent delegation led by Deputy Minister of Education of Azat Atayev visited the United States to explore opportunities for collaboration and the potential establishment of American university branches, the newspaper “Neutral Turkmenistan” writes.
Meeting at the State Department
The official visit of the Turkmen delegation started in Washington, where negotiations were held at the US State Department.
The parties noted the positive experience of the participation of Turkmen students and teaching staff in 16 educational programs implemented by the American Councils for International Education “ACCELS”.
The American side also offered to establish a partnership through the educational programs “Fulbright”, “Study in USA” and “IVLP”.
The proposed academic exchange programs aim to develop new formats of interaction, including joint seminars. Both sides emphasized the importance of creating mechanisms that foster skills and knowledge in key areas of the Turkmen education system.
Specific areas of focus include academic measurement, educational statistics analysis, accreditation procedures, centralized examinations, teacher certification, and research commercialization. The goal is to learn from the American university system’s experience in these areas.
During the meeting, the possibility of opening branches of American universities in Turkmenistan was considered. This step is aimed not only at strengthening bilateral cooperation, but also at providing access to innovative American methodologies and educational technologies for Turkmen students and teachers.
The meeting took place within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of education between the Government of Turkmenistan and the United States, which was signed in April last year. During this time, the parties have developed an appropriate Roadmap for cooperation.
AC Language School
The Turkmen delegation visited AC Language School, where they discussed developing tailored educational courses to meet the needs of the Turkmen labor market.
Proposed courses include tourism (intercultural communication, foreign languages), technology (IT, programming, additive technologies, bioinformatics), business (MBA-level programs), energy (specialists for energy, renewables, sustainability, project management, innovation), and agriculture (agribusiness, sustainable agriculture, processing, management, advanced technologies).
AC Language School offers international certifications that can enhance the competitiveness of graduates and contribute to Turkmenistan’s integration into the global scientific and educational community.
Meeting at the Educational Testing Service
The Turkmen education delegation met with Ashpol Lytton, Director of Government and External Relations at ETS.
ETS is a world leader in the development and evaluation of educational tests, including such as “TOEFL”, “SAT”, “ACT”, etc.
Turkmenistan proposed a partnership to prepare for participation in the International Program for the Assessment of Educational Achievements of students (PISA) and to explore using AI and advanced technologies to develop innovative test questions. This initiative aims to improve the competitive selection process for universities and enhance the overall quality of education.
Online meeting with the Council for Higher Education Accreditation
During an online meeting with representatives of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), the prospects of joining the higher education accreditation system of Turkmenistan to the Council for Higher Education Accreditation International Quality Group (CIQG) were discussed.
The Turkmen side noted that in recent years the country has joined the Lisbon Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications in the European Region, and is also developing programs that meet international requirements.
Visit to Kent State University
The meeting with the Rector of Kent State University Todd Deacon was marked by the signing of three memorandums of cooperation – with the International University of Humanities and Development, the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the Turkmen State Institute of Architecture and Civil Engineering.
These agreements cover a wide range of areas, including academic programs, joint research initiatives, and cultural exchanges.
A key highlight of the partnership was the project to open a branch of Kent State University in Turkmenistan, prepared by the Turkmen side. This project could involve dual degree programs and co-education at the International University of Humanities and Development, providing Turkmen students with direct access to a world-renowned American institution.
In addition to the branch campus, Kent State University has agreed to conduct a series of webinars with its new Turkmen partners.
During the visit to Kent State University, a cultural event was held to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Magtymguly Fragi. ///nCa, 21 October 2024