Central to the vision of the University of Central Asia (UCA) is to create an outstanding teaching institution that excels in the generation and application of knowledge. UCA is committed to providing access to university education to the most qualified candidates, regardless of a student’s economic status. UCA’s curriculum emphasises critical thinking across disciplines, research methods, quantitative reasoning, and writing, with a focus on ethics and community engagement.
UCA’s School of Arts and Sciences has residential campuses at high-altitude sites in Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic and Khorog, Tajikistan. The Naryn campus launched in 2016, offers undergraduate specialisations in Computer Science, and Communications and Media. The second campus opened in Khorog, Tajikistan in 2017. It offers Economics as well as Earth and Environmental Sciences. The third campus, at Tekeli, Kazakhstan is currently in the planning stage. It will offer Engineering Sciences and Business and Management.
As part of UCA's five-year undergraduate programme, students complete an intensive preparatory programme year. Developed in partnership with Seneca College in Toronto, this programme is designed to help students attain the necessary English and critical thinking skills to succeed at the university level.
UCA features the lowest student-to-faculty ratio in the region (nine to one) and offers majors responsive to labour market opportunities. Through UCA’s Co-operative Education Programme, students have the opportunity to gain work experience through paid summer internships with leading companies.
UCA’s curriculum is developed in partnership with the University of Toronto (Computer Science), University of British Columbia (Earth and Environmental Sciences), the National Research University’s Higher School of Economics, Moscow and Stockholm School of Economics/Riga, Latvia (Economics) and the University of Technology Sydney (Communications and Media). UCA has also partnered with the University of Victoria to develop an innovative co-operative education programme.