Presidential Research and Education Fund
PREF POLICY 2023-2024
OVERVIEW
The Presidential Research and Education Fund (PREF) was established in 2019 as a unique initiative designed to support discrete projects from faculty, students, and staff for research and educational activities through the Office of the President at the American University of Central Asia. The Fund especially welcomes seed funding for new initiatives at the University, multidisciplinary projects, and those involving AUCA students are strongly encouraged. Over the last four academic years, the PREF Grant funded 62 projects initiated by the faculty, students, and staff. 60 research projects have been implemented successfully. The other two research projects are in the process of being finalized.
The positive results of previous academic years and the commitment of the faculty, students, and staff to do their research encouraged us to continue this program.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
- Full-time AUCA faculty
- Full-time AUCA active students (both bachelor's and master's)
- Full-time AUCA staff members
- Current part-time faculty can apply if students are involved in the project.
- Those who have been awarded PREF funding in 2022-2023 AY are not eligible to apply.
- Recipients of PREF awards 2019-2020, 2020-2021, and 2021-2022 are eligible to apply.
FINANCE
The Office of the President will make awards depending on the requested amount of money per project, tax-inclusive.
Please be aware that the principal investigator for the project is responsible for carrying out logistics as well as administrative and financial procedures and reporting related to the PREF project. Umut Kydyrgychova, Executive Officer to the President, will consult and assist you in resolving any questions that may come up before the application and during the project implementation period. However, in case you have never administered documents at AUCA, it may be useful to include a team member responsible for managing administrative processes.
TOPICS
There is no restriction imposed on the possible topics of your initiatives. Nevertheless, based on the last four years of experience, we encourage you to consider the project’s social impact while designing your proposal. We are specifically interested in seed funding for new initiatives that may be scalable or potentially create a long-lasting impact through proof of concept, especially in Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia, including Afghanistan and Iran.
Among possible topics to be proposed, but certainly not limited to these:
- Art, history, and culture of Central Asia and its neighbors;
- Future governance challenges resulting from climate change;
- How inclusive is AUCA as an institution of higher education?
- How to energize Kyrgyz citizens and students about the imminent and huge risks of climate change?
- Technological change and its impact on mental and physical health;
- What are the unique characteristics of nomadic peoples and cultures?
- What have we learned about online/hybrid education and its potential role in the future?
- What promotes and obstructs creativity and innovation in higher education?
Project results may also be very diverse; from the production of new high-tech goods to traditional and non-traditional art forms, documentaries and videos, and even more standard academic studies.
Below you can see how diverse the PREF projects were
2019-2020 AY
- An order of polarizing microscope with transmitted and reflected illumination, Rustam Orozbaev
- Augmented reality as an educational tool for children with developmental delays, Vladislav Pak
- Beyond plain visualization: 3D modeling of historic buildings in Karakol, Aida Abdykanova, Jyldyz Bekbalaeva, Tolgonai Kozhokanova
- Data Art, Anastasiya Valeeva
- Digitization of the National Academic of Science herbarium with AUCA students, Amadeus DeKastle
- Media representation of Islam and Muslims in Kyrgyzstan, Mukaram Toktogulova, Elira Turdubaeva
- Online Kyrgyz language course for beginners, Uulkan Kambaralieva, Daniyar Karabaev
- Participation in the International Film Festival in Rotterdam, Anastasiya Lysogorova
- Startup Bootcamp, Bermet Talasbek kyzy, Begimay Abdraeva
- The casebook of the constitutional chamber of the Kyrgyz Republic: 15 major decisions as a promoting and internationalization of the rule of law and constitutionalism in Kyrgyzstan, Saniia Toktogazieva, Kanykei Kasybekova
- The foundation needed for AUCA to be competitive in attracting a large research grant that will help children on the autistic spectrum, Michael Brady
- The value of liberal arts education: AUCA alumni perspectives and curriculum design opportunities, Anguelina Popova, Jarkyn Shadymanova, Emil Begimkulov
- The voices of the Afghan students at AUCA, Tamo Chattopadhay, Zarlasht Sarmast
2020-2021 AY
- Accreditation of undergraduate programs at AUCA: lessons learned and way forward, Chynara Ryskulova, Anguelina Popova
- Blockchain technology in Kyrgyzstan, Saikal Anvar kyzy
- Climate change in Kyrgyzstan: short movie series project, Adina Sulumbekova, Kamila Kurbonmamadova
- Compilation and preparation of the publication of the collection AUCA Mathematical Olympiads for secondary school students, Sergey Sklyar, Syrgak Kydyraliev, Elena Burova
- Development of a Kyrgyz language textbook for students whose first language is English, Gulmira Duisheeva
- Documentary Interview Film "Immigration, Sense of Belonging and Envisioning the Future: unheard voices of people of Kyrgyzstan", Ruslan Rakhimov
- Forward - to the past. Satellite images of the Chui region from 1960 to the present day, Talgat Dzhumashev
- Implementation of international law by domestic courts of Kyrgyz Republic, Hannepes Taychayev
- Mapping of Issyk-Kul rock art: prevention and preservation, Aida Abdykanova
- On the Edge of Bishkek: Highlighting Ecological Problems Through Creative Writing and Visual Research, Mingoiim Nishonova
- Oral histories collection at AUCA, Jyldyz Bekbalaeva, Aijamal Sarybaeva
- Problems, progress and prospects of organic farming as a means of sustainable agriculture in Kyrgyzstan, Mairambek Nurgaziev
- Responsible mining at the top of the world: Balancing the protection of investors’ rights and advancement of sustainable development in the Kyrgyz Republic, Begaiym Esenkulova
- Role of gender and social media in Kyrgyzstani parliamentary elections October 2020, Olga Tarabashkina
- Singing the Song of the Land You Are in. Local dissemination of the findings of the AKYN project, James Plumtree
- Tengrian beliefs/practices in post-Soviet Kyrgyzstan, Mukaram Toktogulova, Baitur Toktosunov
2021-2022 AY
- A textbook on the German language for tourist purposes, Gulshayir Derbishalieva, Diana Arykbaeva
- Adaptation of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-V (WISC-V), Elena Kosterina, Olga Yarova
- Annual flagship activities for economics students of Bishkek universities by the AUCA Economics department, Dina Mamadjanova
- Dusty Data Project (digitalization of archived statistical data), Akylai Muktarbek kyzy
- Central Asian Nomad Youth @cany.kg, Erkebai Bakhavadinov
- Collaborative teaching materials website, Ilias Suvanov
- Continuation of the digitization of the National Academy of Science herbarium, Amadeus DeKastle
- Creation of GIS and remote sensing laboratory in AUCA, Zheenbek Kulenbekov
- How can we do more for refugee students, Nicholas Durham Andersen
- Hybrid education: its effectiveness and sustainability (the case of AUCA), Cholpon Chotaeva
- Inherent powers of courts in the Kyrgyz Republic, Hannapes Taychayev
- Integration of international innovative practices of Climate Fresk and Model COP for climate education and engagement in Kyrgyzstan, Samar Kanatov
- Measuring and mapping walkability in Bishkek, Otabek Nigmatov
- Promotion of sex education for teenagers through social media, Ramina Ergeshova, Albina Dastanova
- Student empowerment through the experience of “OVOP+1” local rural development projects, Aizada Tynyeva, Yumi Takahashi
- The emerald handbook of childhood and youth in Asian societies – generations between local and global dynamics, Elena Kim
- Справочник по культуре русской речи в вопросах и ответах, Svetlana Kunduzakova, Eleonora Karypkulova
2022-2023 AY
- Art has no gender, Gulnur Esenalieva, Viola Mustafina, Darya Gusmanova
- BusQuiz, Talant Asan uulu
- Carbon sequestration of the trees of the EcoPark in Bishkek, Zere Abisheva
- Challenges of environmental research with modular array cameras, Sagynbek Orunbaev
- DigitalHub (Digital literacy and cybersecurity), Erkebai Bakhavadinov
- Film Lab Camp, Daniyar Abdykerimov
- Green Kyrgyzstan, Kanykei Kochkambaeva
- Invisible traces, Nurzhamal Karamoldoeva
- Riverfront development: identifying potential locations for public spaces, Nurzhan Beken kyzy
- Satellite analysis of glaciers in Ala-Archa National Park, Zhamilia Baiborieva
- Security, conflict management and peacebuilding, Alisher Norov
- Student churn analysis and prediction: a case study at AUCA, Azamat Kibekbaev
- Teaching sustainability through the collaborative, collective creative building of eco-house, Olga Tarabashkina
- True nomadism in the conditions of the urban world: Challenges and uniqueness of lives of chabans in Suusamyr Valley, Adina Sulumbekova, Aksana Shanaeva
- Unlocking the collection of early printed books, Jyldyz Bekbalaeva
- Дидактыкалык оюндар аркылуу кеп өстүрүү, Zaripa Samudinova
HOW TO APPLY
Your PREF Application form should be completed and submitted via email to kydyrgychova_u@auca.kg following the deadline announced for each call.
The subject of the email: PREF_Name and Surname_2023-2024
The PREF Application Form is usually distributed once the call is announced and includes some narrative and a budget, including personal information of applicants (faculty, staff, and students). In case your project proposal is approved, you might be required to provide a more detailed budget.
For detailed information contact Umut at kydyrgychova_u@auca.kg.