Since HEIs perceive their prestige as closely linked to their master and doctoral programs, the lack of resources and expertise has prevented the development of a systematic and appropriate set of MSc courses in environmental health to prepare the strongly needed graduates in such disciplines. To overcome this limitation, MSc and PhD programs can strongly benefit from international cooperation and from state-of-the-art teaching technologies. Main objective of this project is strengthening research capacities in partner countries in areas of public health, promoting a sound exchange of information and building capacities between higher education institutions of European Union and Central Asia. This objective will be achieved by tuning existing doctoral studies, developing new MSc programs and implementing blended learning approach.The project will enhance the quality & relevance of higher education across European and Central Asian regions and India in the public health areas and improve their capacity for sustainable international cooperation, thus collaborating at the creating a long lasting excellence international network, to continue its activities after the end of the project period.Specific objectives:- To foster professional competences of teachers in distinctive areas of Environmental & Occupational Health and Public Health;- To revise & update existing MSc&PhD curricula in EH, OH & PH;- To develop new MSc in EH, OH&PH tailored to local needs;- To introduce new pedagogical methods & quality assurance mechanism for Master studies;- To establish educational laboratories at PC universities for graduate students;- To establish e-learning systems at PC universities to support regular students, correspondence students as well as professionals in life-long learning.We expect PC participants mastered Innovative teaching techniques, Increased academic mobility, Mutual cultural enrichment & sustainable international partnership between EU & PC partners.

Countering environmental threats, endemic in Central Asia, is of key importance. Therefore, capacity building in environmental health expertise is warranted. A teach the teacher, interdisciplinary approach is proposed. The HARMONEE consortium will consist of nine Central Asian Higher Education Institutes (CA HEIs) in four different countries and two European Universities. The lack of resources and expertise in has hampered the development of systematic and appropriate MSc education in Public Health. This is essential for appropriate surveillance programmes and advice in tackling these problems. The general aim of the project is the improvement of knowledge and practices in Public Health (involving environmental and occupational health and One Health) in line with current needs and gaps in Central Asian countries. Based on a holistic perspective MSc education in Public Health will be developed by using a Teach the Teacher approach for a sustainable output.The project specific objectives will respond to the main needs that have been identified in the Partner Countries and their different institutes.1. The development of new Msc modules for strengthening of disciplinary skills required in the field of Public Health, such as environmental epidemiology, toxicology, infectious diseases, exposures sciences, occupational health, risk assessment for MSc students.2. Building local capacity by training teachers in the development and running of MSc education in Public Health.3. Improving the level of educational and research competences and skills in participating HEIs within Public Health related fields.4. Fostering and expanding existing regional and international network regarding Public Health education.5. The implementation of an interdisciplinary approach in Public Health education.We expect that PC participants will strengthen their local expertise in Public Health related disciplines and recognize the connectivity between them.

Central Asia (CA) needs modernization and capacity building on environmental protection techniques to reduce huge human and economic losses caused by disasters originated from improper environmental management. The aim of this project is sustainable capacity building in CA for environmental protection, using spatial methods. A consortium consisting of EU and non-EU partners as well as local stakeholders (including associate partners) in CA will collaborate in this project. Three innovative and blended courses on applications of spatial information science and technologies for environmental protection and disaster risk management will be developed, based on Bologna framework, to be taught in HEIs. The courses will be developed based on the needs of stakeholders and the region in general. E-learning systems will be setup in partner universities to offer the courses to stakeholders and students on a distance and blended mode, besides in campus training. It is in line with meeting the priority of the region on using ICT-based and flexible education in CA. An internet-based information Management System for Environmental Protection (iMSEP) will be developed and implemented for the stakeholders to be used for the collection, storage, management and analysis of spatial information for a better knowledge-based environmental protection. Training of trainers will be conducted for partner universities on how to teach and update the courses. Special training will take place, both in EU and CA, on how to use and support iMSEP. It guarantees the sustainability of using and supporting iMSEP in the region. Four workshops with the participation of HEIs, stakeholders, associate partners and students will be hold to disseminate the outcomes/outputs of the project. Culturing the use of spatial methods for environmental protection and enterprise-university cooperation will be motivated and addressed during the project, especially in the workshops. All outcomes will be evaluated.

In Kyrgyzstan, low budget of research led to massive outflow of highly qualified scientists & lowering their prestige.The quality & potential of scientific research expertise has declined leading to the mismatch of the existing scientific & innovation potential and production needs in the use of promising technologies, to the rupture of links between science & industry.The project is aimed at the strengthening research and innovation capacities in Kyrgyzstan through promotion of PhD degrees.The project consortium includeds 4 EU Universities with big expertise in research methodology and running PhD studies and 7 Kyrgyzstani Universities. The KG partner universities are the core of the active working network established during cooperation started in the project piloted by the Kyrgyz Ministry of Education & Science to introduce first PhD programs.To achieve the aim, the project consortium will conduct the following activities: 1. Modernisation of existing PhD studies and development of new innovative PhD program compliant with EU standards on specialties that are priority for the socioeconomic development of the country and meet society's needs.2. In order to enhance research competences of academic staff and to build innovative research expertise in Kyrgyzstan, the EU partners will provide comprehensive training trainers sessions PhD supervisors and teaching staff on needed topics covering Renewable Energy Technology, Agroeconomics, Public Health, Food Technology & Safety and others.3. Improvement of administration of PhD programs by training administrators of local PhD programs,4. Promotion of PhD culture amongst academic & non-academic stakeholders and wider society in Kyrgyzstan.

Kyrgyzstan is carrying out higher education reforms geared at amending European standards in higher education management. Particular emphasis is placed on the adaptation of the Bologna process and European quality standards in higher education. At present, the transition to three-cycle education has been completed. A national qualification framework has been developed and approved. However, reforms of the universities’ management system so far have not kept pace. In particular, financial management systems are not adequately promoting university autonomy which is a precondition to cultivate innovative and competitive universities. The development of alternative management tools to the old management models increasingly requires the expansion of autonomy in the activities of higher education institutions. The aspect of financial independence occupies a prominent place in the system of autonomy of the university. This project is devoted to piloting and expanding new systems of university self-governance and increasing financial autonomy. By means of studying the European partners’ experience with expanding their institutional and financial autonomy, a model for university financial autonomy in Kyrgyzstan will be developed, piloted and evaluated. The project plans are to perform a needs analysis, develop an implementation strategy, develop a model of university financial autonomy, develop proposals for revision of legal regulations in close cooperation with the authorities in charge, and pilot training activities for staff from universities and ministries representatives.The project will study further prospects for increasing the financial, economic independence of universities in Kyrgyzstan, clarify the current, and projected limits of the powers of universities in the paradigm of developed and legally established model of autonomy, project will identify effective solutions to the complex process of financial and economic autonomy.