UCA’s Research Institutes were founded to establish UCA as a leading centre of academic scholarship for Central Asia. UCA is committed to a rigorous research agenda, designed to strengthen academic inquiry in the region and provide the foundation of knowledge, human resources, research products, and curricula to support UCA’s undergraduate and graduate programming.
AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer
The Graduate School of Development's Mountain Societies Research Institute (MSRI) is a university-wide, interdisciplinary research institute. It is dedicated to addressing the challenges and opportunities within Central Asian mountain communities and environments.
MSRI is located in Khorog, Tajikistan. It promotes the transfer of knowledge to policy and practice, aimed at supporting and enhancing the resilience and quality of life of mountain societies.
MSRI's Background Paper Series strategically identifies research priorities and pathways to application for each MSRI priority area, such as pastoralism and farming, sustainable land management and mountain tourism.
UCA
The Graduate School of Development’s Institute of Public Policy and Administration (IPPA) was established in 2011 to strengthen public policy in Central Asia. It provides in-depth analysis on current and emerging policy issues facing the region, and improves the analytical capacity of governments and civil society to use evidence in decision-making processes through professional development.
The Institute is strengthening public policy and administration in Central Asia by engaging regional and international stakeholders in policy-oriented research, professional development and networking activities. IPPA resources include the IPPA Working Paper Series and the IPPA Occasional Paper Series.
Through IPPA, UCA’s undergraduate students are exposed to stimulating, innovative and rigorous inquiry into public policy related to the socio-economic development of Central Asia. IPPA is based in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic.
AKDN / Mikhail Romanyuk
The University’s Cultural Heritage and Humanities Unit (CHHU) is advancing the University’s mission by preserving and promoting the rich and diverse cultural heritages of the region through research, documentation, archiving and support of regional scholars.
The Unit supports Central Asian scholars to conduct high-quality research and publish and disseminate their work to regional and international audiences through the UCA Cultural Heritage Book Series, which was launched in 2010. A key research focus is musical heritage, building on seminal work conducted by the Aga Khan Music Programme to revive traditional music through education, recordings, and support of teachers and musicians in the region.
The Cultural Heritage Unit is based in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic.