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College Board Superior Placement® academics will see main changes for the 2019-2020 college yr. When reviewing any e book, poem, essay or different literary work take cautious notes which, can be used later. Include the exact title, writer's identify and a paraphrasing of the preface or introduction. Additionally notice essential themes, kinds, and content. When recording particular ideas related to a specific part embrace web page, paragraph, and line number for easy re-examination at a later date.
We say 'steal', however this is not the identical as saying that plagiarism is okay, of course. But think about this instance. You learn an accessible e book on Shakespeare's language and the creator makes some extent about rhymes in Shakespeare. While you're working in your essay on the poetry of Christina Rossetti, you discover the same use of rhyme, and keep in mind the purpose made by the Shakespeare critic. This isn't plagiarising a point however making use of it independently to a different writer. It reveals independent interpretive expertise and a capability to know and apply what you've gotten learn. That is another of the advantages of reading critics, so this is able to be our closing piece of recommendation for learning the right way to write a superb English essay: find a critic whose fashion you like, and research their craft.
Check and enhance your data of AP English: Studying Essays – Basics with fun a number of choice exams you possibly can take online with Over 200 practice questions to help you along with your AP English Language and Composition Exam Prep; Go. This query counts as one-third of the total essay section rating.) In his 2004 novel When answering the free-response part of the AP ap english exam open essay questions English Exams, writers ought to reply the query shortly and avoid beginning with ideas that don't relate directly. This question counts one-third of the whole essay part score.) The next paragraphs open Joan Didion's essay Los Angeles Pocket book." Learn them fastidiously. ENGLISH LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION PART II Total time—2 hours Essays moved fluidly from reader to reader with accuracy and speed.
When studying the passage, pay special consideration to the connection between the 2 characters. Word particular lines which give particular insight. Formulate your opinion and structure your essay to support it. A properly-written response for this immediate would perceive the various nuisances seen on this excerpt. Notable factors to mention in an efficient essay embrace the underlying hypocrisy of Henchard, the unhealthy relationship between the characters and the paradox wherein Elizabeth-Jane tries in vain to narrate to her father, causing her own pain.
Major Elements In essay samples – Insights
13. Hearken to Your Teacher: That is maybe an important of all the free response ideas. Over the course of the semester, your trainer will offer you ample advice for the exam. Pay close attention to your trainer's guidance. If the knowledge your instructor offers you wasn't related, they would not waste their time giving it to you. Your teacher knows the examination; it's solely logical to comply with their advice.
Managing your time, because the AP exams develop closer, is crucial if you need an ideal score. There are many resources obtainable on-line to assist get the most from your AP® English Literature study plan , both on and CollegeBoard Whether you're pure at writing and comprehending literature, or not, you may want to put together for the coming exam. Here are some quick ideas that will help you get probably the most out of study classes.
The AP® English Literature and Composition exam consists of two sections, the primary being a fifty five-question multiple selection portion price forty five% of the entire check grade. This section assessments your skill to learn drama, verse, or prose fiction excerpts and answer questions about them. The second section, price 55 escapism literature% of the overall rating, requires essay responses to 3 questions demonstrating your capability to analyze literary works. You will have to debate a poem analysis, a prose fiction passage evaluation, and an idea, situation, or element evaluation of a literary work-in two hours.
Ensure that your essays cover acceptable material. Analyze your organization. Look at your diction and usage of rhetorical strategies. Criticize your understanding of the immediate, the textual content, and the weather you've referred to as out in the essay. Scrutinize your style.
Full with textual proof, consideration to detail, and insightful evaluation, this effectively-organized essay has a transparent and convincing message. If there's a weak spot, it is that this essay doesn't give equal time to Hamlet's relationship with Gertrude as it does to his relationship with Claudius. But the College Board understands that writing three essays in two hours is difficult work, so those gracious people aren't anticipating absolute perfection. And because the immediate would not require more than one relationship discussion, anything talked about about Gertrude is just gravy so far as we're concerned.
Uncovering Effortless literature essay examples Products
The A response not only gives one other example of the daddy-daughter inverse relationship — the more he helps her slot in, the extra estranged they grow to be — but additionally ends the place the writer started: though they're bodily reunited, they're still emotionally separated. Without repeating it verbatim, the student returns to the thesis statement on the finish. This return and recap reinforce the focus and management of the argument when all the previous paragraphs efficiently proved the thesis statement.
Beginning every paragraph with a clear, centered subject sentence that previews the main concept or focus of the paragraph helps you the author and the reader maintain observe of every part of your argument. Each section furthers your factors on the way in which to convincing your reader of your argument. If one point is unclear, unfocused, or grammatically unintelligible, like a home of playing cards, the whole argument crumbles. Glorious compositional expertise assist you lay it all out neatly, clearly, and absolutely.


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The time is now to sign-up for ComEd's Peak Time Savings Program
On April 17, 2017 By laura.oakleaf
Time is running out to take advantage of ComEd's Peak Time Savings program, a feature of newly installed smart meters.
The deadline to enroll for ComEd's Peak Time Savings program is April 30th. The program rewards customers who reduce their electricity usage when costs and demand are high, typically when air conditioners are […]Click here for more →
Tax Day is Almost Here: Don't Miss Out on Energy Efficiency Tax Credits
On April 13, 2017 By laura.oakleaf
Did you make energy efficiency improvements to your home in 2016? You may be eligible for a federal tax credit that expired on December 31, 2016. Eligible improvements include building envelope improvements, such as upgraded building insulation; exterior doors; windows or roofs, as well as new high-efficiency heating, cooling and […]Click here for more →
Spring Into Action: Ways to Save Money and Energy in Your Home
On March 20, 2017 By laura.oakleaf
Happy first week of spring! As we say goodbye to the cold winter temperatures and transition to warmer weather, it's a great time to think about ways you save energy and money in your home during the spring and summer months.
Landscaping can help keep your home cool – Creating shade for your […]Click here for more →
Earth Hour: 60 Minutes to Protect the Planet
On March 15, 2017 By laura.oakleaf
Cook County will turn off its non-essential lights March 25 to commemorate Earth Hour and call attention to climate change. The Cook County Department of Facilities Management will save energy – and send a message about the role all of us can play in cutting harmful greenhouse gas emissions – by turning […]Click here for more →
January is Radon Awareness Month
On January 23, 2017 By laura.oakleaf
January is Radon Awareness Month and the Cook County Department of Environmental Control reminds you to be aware of the health risks of radon. Radon is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas that comes from the radioactive decay of naturally occurring uranium in the soil. It can enter homes and buildings through small […]Click here for more →
Cook County Exceeds Target in Key Sustainability Metric
On January 6, 2017 By laura.oakleaf
New report shows 22 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
For the third year in a row, Cook County has exceeded its greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) reduction goals, the County's Annual Sustainability Report shows.
GHGs from County buildings have decreased by 22 percent since they were calculated in 2010, an achievement that surpasses […]Click here for more →
Winter is Here: Tips to Save Energy This Season
On January 4, 2017 By laura.oakleaf
The temperature outside is frosty, but your home shouldn't be. Consider weatherizing your home in order to save energy and money and to keep your home toasty. Weatherization focuses on finding the small leaks and holes in your home's building envelope (otherwise known as the separation of the interior from the exterior of your home) […]Click here for more →
Smart Savings for Park Ridge Residents
On December 16, 2016 By laura.oakleaf
Want to save money on your utility bills? Join Cook County's Department of Environmental Control, Citizens Utility Board (CUB) and Elevate Energy to learn about ways to save money and energy with your smart meter, home weatherization and energy efficiency programs. Experts will also discuss rebated and free in-home devices and appliances. Please come […]Click here for more →
Give the Gift of Energy Savings this Holiday Season
On December 13, 2016 By laura.oakleaf
Holiday decorations make this time of year a treat, but those twinkly lights come at a price. Holiday lighting in the United States alone uses enough electricity to power 200,000 homes for up to a year. If all the decorative lights sold in the US this year were ENERGY STAR® certified, the energy cost […]Click here for more →
BuiltWorlds is a multi-platform media network committed to fostering a better built future. Their SmartWorlds video series explores the development of smart cities — from sustainability in infrastructure and building design to the implementation of innovative products and technologies. In the latest episode on SmartWorlds, they look into the large waste and […]Click here for more →
A Message from the President
I believe that Cook County should be a world-class model of sustainability. We are working not only to boost sustainability practices throughout County government, but also to join forces with local governments, nonprofits and business, to accomplish more than we could separately in making each of Cook County's communities sustainable. To further this work, I appointed Deborah Stone as the County's first Chief Sustainability Officer, and as Director of the Department of Environmental Control. I also recognize that Cook County needs to share ideas and collaborate with a diverse group of community leaders and sustainability experts. In March 2012, I appointed the Cook County Sustainability Advisory Council to help lift our vision higher and give us access to best practices. You can meet the Council members and read more about their mission in the "Advisory Council" section of this website. Toni Preckwinkle,Cook County Board President
What is Sustainability?
" Ensuring that there is enough for today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."Deborah StoneChief Sustainability Officer, Cook County Government
Contact UsCook County Chief Sustainability Officer
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Diamonds gentlemens club Castle Hill me
Open to make your shopping experience that bit more -Sat -closed Sun. On the other hand there are tight restrictions on the goods you can take free of customs duty from Switzerland to your country. At the stands you will often. They serve generous helpings of earthy local food - definitely not a bad way to explore Swiss cuisine. Total BarTellstrasse 19, a block east of the Langstrasse.
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Tearin shit up. Or occasionally somewhere on the way from the former to the. Cash flow: Ex-stripper Blac Chyna was throwing hundred dollar Hil at the Diamodns clad dancers at Monday's launch of new gentlemen's club Ace Of Diamonds in Los Angeles.
Sternen Oerlikon k Ba um linst. They serve generous helpings of earthy Diamoncs food - definitely not a bad way to explore Swiss Massage in Geraldton 6. United States. All languages. A selfie smile for social media! The perfect Zurich winter holiday can be found in the following pages, so start exploring and enjoy your stay! The steakhouse is Swingers Nowra 3.
The is the strip Castlee. She was good.
Blac Chyna 'drops $10k on dancers' at launch of new LA strip club Ace Of Diamonds
This place is hands down the best strip club in Denver. The steakhouse is great. If you order in the club make sure and ask for the steakhouse menu.
Everything is great on the menu and even the burger is amazing. My wife and I have been here before on a weekday night and had fun. We went this past Friday and expected the same, but were totally disappointed.
The steakhouse is great and the servers are good, but this time none of the girls were friendly at all to us. We had bottle service and sat next to another couple that did the same and they had the same Free chat room in Hoppers Crossing. The girls apparently don't like to dance for couples on the weekend so don't bother going on Friday or Saturday especially if you're a decent looking couple.
This place has all the potential to be a top club and falls completely short because of this problem. Gladstone tantric yoni massage good.
My boyfriend and I went here for our first ever strip club experience. The bouncer and front desk girl were so friendly and answered any questions we.
We were both a little nervous so we didn't sit at the tables directly in front of the strippers but waited a little bit to get a little more comfortable. We had this one woman, Jasmine, come up to us Hi,l talk with us and she was so amazing and friendly that when she came on stage to dance we decided to get closer and watch.
She was incredible and very fun. As the night went on and we became more comfortable we went from table to table watching different woman and they were ALL so friendly I was a little worried because I've seen reviews about the girls being rude to gentlemenss costumers.
I will definitely go. This Is also CY steak house. The is the strip club.
Diamonds gentlemens club Wiedikon Switzerland
Still great food and beautiful women. NOT Busselton county asian massage kids. We went straight to the bar area and stayed there for the rest of the evening. The bartender was very friendly and answered all our questions. The women's restroom in the main bar area reminded me of a run down gas station-dirty looking, damaged, no locks on the stalls.
We still stayed and enjoyed the dancers, a few more drinks and our evening. Pretty sure that's a big no-no.
Diamonds gentlemens club Castle Hill me
Own gentlwmens manage this property? Diamonds gentlemens club Castle Hill me your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much. Guide and advice to the best Strip Clubs In Maine. There is only 3 strip clubs in Maine. Diamonds Gentlemen's Club, located in the Top ten dating sites Woodridge of Bangor towards clb.
F-- - *- - which contains the valuable diamond that you have often heard me speak of. finished that wonderful likeness for the late Mrs. Hoggarty of Castle Hoggarty. He wore it, he said, at the battle of Vinegar Hill, when his club pigtail saved hair, belonging to a baker's dozen of sisters that the old gentleman had ;.
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Herrenchiemsee Royal Castle of Bavaria. Linderhof. ❶Most strip clubs in Maine offer some food and full alcoholic beverage service. Was there tonight little over priced on the drinks and the shooters included a 25 sec dance was ok but bs.
By Iona Kirby For Dailymail. Scroll down for video.
The best Castke clubs in Toronto have their spiritual home on Yonge St. You can unsubscribe anytime or contact us for details. The steakhouse is great.
Nurses want more security at Ellsworth hospital after multiple assaults by patients
Political row over tragic migrant deaths as Labour's Diane Abbott says the UK must make it EASIER for people to enter and Tory minister says 'more attention' would have Castlf given to tackling people trafficking if politicians had 'got on' genltemens Brexit 'What sort of people can put others into a container and let them die?
The Rail doesn't get its name from a stripper's pole, but actually predates this obligatory accessory to the Diajonds dancer's act. You get a modest but Diamonds gentlemens club Wiedikon Switzerland room close the the train station.
Date of visit: July |The Best Strip Clubs in Toronto. The Diamonds gentlemens club Castle Hill me Geelong girls tits clubs in Toronto have their spiritual home on Yonge St.
A third of our list resides on Yonge, in locations that often date back to when they were bars with bands.
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Many of these clubs are family-owned - yes, you read that right - and as venerable as anything else in the town, with histories going back to the late '60s, when loosened city regulations turned go-go girls into topless dancers and Yonge Street went from seedy to sleazy. They look pretty much like you'd imagine - ripped and patched upholstery, neon lighting and walls painted black, with watered-down drinks and a staff of dancers who are either working their way through college or professionals with a kid or two to feed.
Or occasionally somewhere on the Mount Isa friends zone from the former to the.
The Rail doesn't get its name from a stripper's pole, but actually predates this obligatory accessory to the exotic dancer's act. It remains in full garish vigor within walking Young gay escort Nowra of Rosedale and U of T and some Mai Richmond massage Richmond the city's best hotels, and was the sort of place where you were most likely to spot celebrities during the Toronto International Film Festival.
More high profile than upscale, it put itself on the front line of the city's fight against lap dancing, if that means anything to you. With valet parking and a King West location, "Eyes" is the strip club for the upwardly mobile.
More top stories
mee There's a coat check, but on second thought thanks but no thanks. The stage is bigger than a kitchen table, and thanks to its proximity to the city's publishing and PR industry, Eyes has witnessed more than a few memorable evenings remembered by people who really should have known better. That was a long time ago, though, and nowadays you're more likely to see a lovely young lady with a few piercings and a half-finished sociology MA next to a peroxided pro who's paying off her implants before Diamonds gentlemens club Castle Hill me a ticket to L.
Sunbury or massage Lancaster has two locations, one in rapidly-gentrifying Bloordale and the other out on the Queensway, in what was once a supper club that gave these clubs their. The Body massage in Diamonvs location is a bit grittier, the Etobicoke club more likely to see the odd wet-eyed suburban dad with a hard, faraway look in his eye.]


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Teambuilding 101: Avoiding Hiring Mistakes with Eric Holstein, F&B Consultant
Hiring a staff, or even a single employee, can be a particularly fraught experience for a food entrepreneur. Bringing someone on to a team that's currently just you, or just a few founders, brings questions of company culture and forces you to modify or hand over processes that you may have developed yourself. It's easy to start to panic – but you shouldn't. Building a team can be one of the most rewarding parts of business ownership, and with the addition of extra hands, you have the opportunity to be better than ever before.
We sat down with Eric Holstein, a total food & beverage guru and someone who has founded everything from a s'mores cart to a food incubator. He knows exactly how difficult it is to bring new members to a food team, and he has some great advice that you won't want to miss.
Are there any particular industries that you are looking for experience in when you're hiring for a food team?
This might be self-explanatory, but I always try to look for some experience in the food industry. Not necessarily any experience related to the actual position, but I've always felt that any food industry job gives a person a certain grit and understanding of how unglamorous the food industry actually is. Even if they were a busboy in college – sometimes I weigh that higher than an MBA.
Can you talk about how you've set expectations for employees that haven't worked in a startup environment before?
Start-up jobs are all over the place, so typically I try to stress that it's going to be a horrible job. You need to make sure the candidate understands that the job description is a guideline, not a set of tasks, and if they're joining a smaller start-up they need to be ready to just jump in.
I read an article a few years back about the 7 things to consider when hiring (The 7 C's), and it's a good way to make sure your employee is a good fit. Those include competency, capability, compatibility, commitment, character, culture and compensation.
What are the best resources for small business owners looking to hire?
The SBA! The Small Business Association has the best resources out there – they're completely free, and the SBA's goal is to promote job growth through small businesses, so they are inherently dedicated to making your hiring process go well.
In terms of job boards, I've always liked Good Food Jobs – postings are relatively inexpensive, and their website features great content and interviews. GFJ makes you feel like you're choosing from the best applicants out there. Culinary Agents is also useful, and the candidates on there seem to be tailored.
Do you have any advice for founders who have a tough time giving up control of aspects of the business to new employees?
It's always tricky – you own it, and it's your baby – but everyone has skill sets, every single person. No founder is amazing at everything. Most likely, the best thing a founder could be doing is talking about the product and bringing enthusiasm to people! I think founders should pass work off to others as quickly as possible.
If you're a cook, hire a sales team and save your time to make the best product. If you're in love with the brand, hire an operator who can handle the nitty-gritty for you.
If you think you can do everything better than everyone else, it's just not true.
What are some hiring mistakes that you made early in your career?
When I first started hiring a long time ago, everyone's advice was to "find someone who's a culture fit," and I subscribed to that without understanding what it meant. You don't want people who are like you – you want different skill sets, different cultures, and different viewpoints.
The "culture fit" that matters is the commitment and passion to what you're doing. if you're a juice company, find someone who loves the reasons why you're making juice, and who wants to work as hard as you want them to work. Where you fail is hiring people who look and act exactly like you.
Also, don't underestimate the importance of doing background checks and checking references. An employee represents your company, you want to make sure there isn't anything that can damage your reputation. If there isn't a reference from their last employer, ask why. Nowadays, it's pretty reasonable to order a background check.


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Datta Jayanti Concert
December 6, 2019 - 3:30 pm
On the occasion of Shri Datta Jayanti Sanjeev will perform Datta Bhajans penned by the revered saint Sri Pant Maharaj Balekundri and composed by Vandaneeya Dada Bhagwat. He will be accompanied by
Tejovrush Joshi (Tabla) , Dnyaneshwar Sonawane (Harmonium) , Sachin Parab (Pakhavaj) , Ajit Gandhi (Dimdi) , Sachin Kudalkar (Manjira) . The prog will be anchored by Shrivats Kulkarni.
This programme has been organised by Shri Pant Bhakt Mandali, Mumbai west
Date : December 6, 2019
Time : 3.30 pm to 7 pm
Venue : Prabodhankar Thackerey Mini Hall, Borivali west
Entry is free and open to all


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Download detailed product information and instructions in English HERE.


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. If there are a couple of vestiges of warm and comfortable climate delegated us it's the ideal time to appreciate those final couple of games of basketball, soccer, football, plus all of the exciting outdoor cookout as well as tailgating games you enjoy. That being said, wintertime is actually coming, visit here.
Along with the upcoming drop in temperature level, it is actually a great tip to start preparing ahead for methods to keep your own self as well as your loved ones occupied when the climate outdoors is actually shocking so below are actually some popular means to have fun in the convenience of your very own home.
Board Games The excellent aspect of board games is actually that there's a large variety of games for every age group as well as playing type. They can easily even sneak in some instructional value to unwary little ones. Cartel is actually an excellent means for the little Donald Trump in your household to review both their mathematics skills and also their brutality.
If you are actually looking to instill a little bit of hand-eye control, games like Jenga could be had fun with as handful of as two folks as well as still be actually fun, if not endlessly embarrassing when you obtain defeated by a six years of age along with much smaller sized hands than you.
Video Games I recognize, it is actually almost a wrong to advise children play computer game as opposed to going outdoors and also acquiring some exercise, yet remember that these suggestions are for when the climate does not allow outside exciting. Besides, there are video game choices that are exciting for the entire loved ones, visit website.
All three of the major game systems, Xbox 360, Wii, and also PlayStation 3, currently provide at least the choice for activity squeeze, play that equates your activities either overall or with a controller right into action in the game. All 3 systems have a variety of party-style games that use this technology while stimulating team play, and also some of all of them can be rather physically extreme, leading to the gamers to work up a sweat, excellent for acquiring some workout when it is actually too cold to become outside rollicking.
Card Games There are actually numerous games you may enjoy with only a regular deck of cards, never mind whatever games you create by yourself with that said exact same deck. When you include all of the specialty games along with their own decks of cards it is actually easy to view how shedding a bad patch to playing cards along with your loved ones might happen.
Sports Games There are some "indoor sports" games that you may play at the same time, with choices being on call for a variety of budget plans, age groups, and also potential.
A billiards table is actually the excellent indoor ready the home along with a recreation room reminiscent of a club or even pub. Adding a dartboard to the equation simply finishes the ensemble and offers up one more game that may be played when there is actually currently a game being used the table.
Games like air hockey, ping pong, as well as Foosball benefit a more youthful group and can easily assist countless gamers, even concurrently. They also lack sharp objects like a dart board significance that they are actually more secure for those with smaller little ones that may wish to play, but that should not be actually enabled to manage something like a dart.


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There are three gates providing entry to the historic centre of the town of Alcudia : the Porta del Moll (or Xara), the Porta de Mallorca (or Sant Sebastià) and the Porta de la Vila Roja.
Porta del Moll or de Xara provide entry to Alcudia from the north and connect Alcudia to the harbour. The name translated into English means "gate to the port".
On market days, which is on Tuesday and Sunday, the market area is by this gate, and right behind starts the main street of Alcudia old town.
Porta de Vila Roja is located north-west and it is connected with the route leading to the port situated around 800 metres from the port in the Bay of Pollensa. First, there was a wooden drawbridge and in the 19th century an imposing stone bridge was built. Recently it is a bridge, which lead to the centre of the town. The gate has not been conserved, but there is an opening in the line of the wall through which the town can be accessed.
Porta de Mallorca o de Sant Sebastià is located at the entrance to the town and was the gate that connected Alcudia to the royal road to Palma. It has two side towers with a rounded archway in the centre that frame an impressive gateway with access via a raised bridge.


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Making it easier for international students to work in Russia
Good news for international students in Russia: updated regulations that came into force earlier in August 2020 make it easier for them to work whilst they are studying.
Previously, international students had to obtain what one Uzbek student calls "an enormous pile of documents" before seeking term-time employment, which was enough to deter that student from looking for a part-time job.
With the change to the law, international students may now look for work during term time with just written confirmation from their university or college that they are a registered student. Neither they nor the employer needs to seek special permission or undertake a large paperwork exercise, and there are no limits on how many hours a week can be worked (as long as the work doesn't place during a scheduled class). This mirrors the regulations already in place for breaks between semesters.
The thinking behind this policy change is to encourage students who need or want to find work to look for a job that's more related to the area they are studying. More importantly, this move aims to reduce the cash (i.e. illegal) jobs that everyone knows students are doing.
This is hopefully a win-win for everyone. And what's not to like about a regulation that reduces, rather than increases, red tape?
Russia's international students
According to UNESCO, there are 250,658 international students in Russia. This means that just under 5% of the total student population is international – which may not sound much, but it's on a par with the USA. The top sending countries to Russia are, unsurprisingly, from the former Soviet space with Central Asian countries leading the way: Kazakhstan (65,237 students), Uzbekistan (20,862), Turkmenistan (17,457), Ukraine (15,263), Tajikistan (14,204) and China turning up next with 11,950 students.
Here's an infographic from RFE/RL showing the growth in international student numbers in Russia in recent years:
Back to school in Central Asia
The impending start of the 2020/21 school year is presenting challenges for teachers, students, parents, and governments around the world. Although some countries have managed to come up with a plan, many are still fumbling in the COVID-19 induced darkness, even with September just around the corner. Here's a round up of where things stand in Central Asia (with updates as applicable after this was originally posted):
Kazakhstan is one of the countries with a clearly laid out plan of action, which was published in July (so organized!) and which I discussed in an earlier post.
Kyrgyzstan announced on August 18 that universities and colleges would begin the academic year online. There are no plans yet to return to face-to-face learning, which is not surprising given the very difficult time the country is currently having in managing COVID-19. Schools will also be online with the exception of first graders, who will study in person.
Tajikistan has finally admitted that COVID-19 exists, but this has had little impact on regular activities. However, schools did finish the previous school year early (in April) and as a result started back on August 17 – ahead of the traditional September 1 timeline. The additional two weeks will be an adaptation period, according to the Minister of Education, not least to catch up on the time lost because there was no switch to remote learning.
Students will have to follow fairly strict measures such as maintaining physical distancing in the school yard, wearing a mask, and regularly washing hands. As far as possible, lessons are to take place outdoors or in larger indoor spaces to help teachers keep a 2m distance from students and to ensure the minimum 1m space between students.
The August 5 directive from the Ministry regarding the return to school also mentions enhancements to cleaning and sanitary measures, although is silent on how this will be funded and who will do this additional work.
Turkmenistan apparently has a dust problem but does not have a COVID-19 problem. So presumably schools and universities will operate as usual come September.
Update August 21: The Ministry of Education issued directives on the new school year on August 14 (but these were not reported immediately). School will return on September 1 as is traditional, but with some changes to the health and safety regime. These include mandatory deep cleaning before the start of the school year, disinfection after every lesson, daily temperature checking for students, class sizes limited to 10-15 students, shorter lesson times, mask wearing, physical distancing in class (2 metres) and use of larger spaces for classes.
As with Tajikistan's plans, there is no mention of how this will be paid for or who will do the additional cleaning etc.
Uzbekistan, which did a pretty good job of pivoting to distance learning earlier this year, has not yet decided on the format for the new school year. As at at last week, the Ministry was preparing for both face-to-face and online delivery. New TV lessons were being filmed from mid-August in preparation for online learning – by 'online', the government means both internet and TV based delivery.
I checked the Ministry of Education's website and Telegram channel today (August 18) but there's no update yet. An August 18 meeting of central and local officials noted that three options are still under consideration (as well as the two above, presumably the third is a hybrid mode) and stressed the importance of ensuring clean drinking water in all schools.
Update August 25: School may return in online and face-to-face format from September 14, confirms the Ministry of Education. A poll held by the Ministry showed that 70% of parents opted for online schooling.
Watch/listen again: My SCOLAR Talk on higher education in Central Asia
Thanks to everyone who tuned in live last week to watch my SCOLAR Talk with the talented Olesya Dovgalyuk. We had a great time chatting about everything from Ibn Sino (Avicenna) to the 400+% growth in the higher education system in contemporary Kyrgyzstan!
You can now watch a recording of the event here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNEwTwKc0X0
Or download the podcast and take me with you on your next run/walk/drive/wheel! While you're about it, feel free to subscribe to SCOLAR Podcast to hear more episodes too:
Thanks again to Olesya and the SCOLAR team for the invite to chat.
SCOLAR Network: we are a Beijing-based non-profit youth network, affiliated with but independent from the Secretariat of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. We have several projects under our umbrella, through which we aim to:
- connect young people from the SCO region, including (primarily) Russia, Central Asia, China, India and Pakistan, with each other;
- bridge the gap between university graduates and professionals for career development; and, broadly,
- foster innovative collaborations for regional development and popularization of local cultural and historic heritage
Our projects include including Model SCO educational simulation game; Discussion Club, where we meet with experts and diplomats in Beijing; Ladies Circle, where we host talks with the female role figures from the region; Deep Dive, where we visit companies and institutions (including in different cities and countries) to learn about their cultures; and some others. SCOLAR on Facebook / LinkedIn / WeChat
On what may lie ahead for Tajik higher education
A recent radio interview with Umed Mansurov, Vice-Rector (President) for International Affairs of Russian-Tajik Slavonic University in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, shed interesting light on what the future may hold for the country's higher education sector.
Mansurov points to a number of reforms that have been introduced over the past 20 years. For Tajikistan, the most significant has been the decision to introduce 'European standards' (this means implementing the Bologna Process programme of reforms), which in turn requires the introduction of quality assurance measures such as having degree programs accredited by international bodies.
Mansurov praises the country's inherited Soviet system of education as having provided a 'more fundamental and deeper' level of training, but also critiques both the old system and the Soviet-trained teachers still embracing that era's pedagogical and scientific norms as outdated and no longer fit for the country's economy.
The Bologna system is deemed to be more suitable, for example by providing greater opportunities to specialize later by studying for a Master's degree. The big shift for ex-Soviet countries has been from a typically five year Specialist undergraduate degree – which in the West is often seen as comparable to a combined Bachelor's and Master's – to the European model of a three year Bachelor's followed by a two year Master's degree. The introduction of a new Master's degree has been slow to embed in Tajikistan, and many employers, parents, faculty members and students themselves are sceptical about the value of a Bachelor's degree.
Although Mansurov thinks the opportunities for greater academic mobility offered by the Bologna system are positive for Tajikistan, he realistically notes that "academic mobility is an expensive pleasure". Mansurov mentions costs such as transport and living expenses, but his analogy could be extended to access to mobility – it remains the case that the small number of Tajik students who get to study abroad tend to be from wealthier families.
In response, Mansurov believes that there should be more inter-regional cooperation among Central Asian universities. However, "coordination [between them] is very weak". As a result, his university tends to send students to Russia and Belarus for exchange and he says there aren't many international students studying in Central Asia at all.
As Mansurov, says "much still needs to be done". For the time being, that's a comment that could easily apply to almost all efforts to make substantive changes to Tajikistan's higher education.
You can study abroad, except where you can't: Uzbekistan restricts students from some Kyrgyz and Tajik universities
After a minor uproar over Uzbekistan's February 2020 announcement that its students abroad should return home, the country's latest announcement about where its citizens may (and may not) study abroad was unlikely to go unnoticed – even as regional travel remains restricted as a result of Covid-19.
A total of 16 universities – 8 each in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan – have been identified by the Uzbek government as not providing a sufficient quality education for the 'level of demand in the Uzbek labour market'.
This recommendation was made on the basis of reseaarch commissioned by the Uzbek State Inspectorate for Education Quality Control of the government as well as on the universities' test results.
The universities that Uzbek students are no longer to study at are:
- International University of Central Asia
- Kyrgyz-Uzbek University
- International Medical Higher School
- Kyzyl-Kia Pedagogical Institute at Batken State University
- Osh Humanities and Pedagogical Institute
- Jalalabad State University
- Osh State Law University
- Maylu-Suu Institute of Law and Government
- Tajik Open University
- Khujand State University
- Tajik State Pedagogical University
- Tajik Institute of Enterprise and Service
- Tajik Tax and Law Institute
- Tajik State University of Languages
- Kurgan Tyube State University
- Tajik State University of Law, Business and Politics
Some of the inferior institutions listed above are not a surprise (although this is the first I've heard of an Open University in Tajikistan, and I thought I had a pretty decent grasp of the country's higher education sector) but others do raise eyebrows – Tajikistan's teacher training (pedagogical) university certainly used to be among the best in the country. Perhaps – let's hope – it is more a case of Uzbek teachers planning to teach the Uzbek curriculum in Uzbekistan needing to be trained in Uzbek universitires rather than their Tajik counterparts.
There weren't any universities in Kazakhstan in the list, although some dissatisfaction was raised with the institutions that allow students to enrol without admissions exams and which are fully distance learning (i.e. beyond the current Covid-19 shift to remote higher education).
Overall, this is a rather dismal end of year report for Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan's higher education institutions, despite the diplomatic language the recommendations are couched in.
It also highlights again the pivot Uzbekistan has been making away from its common Soviet past with its neighbours and towards a more global position in a seemingly relentlessly competitive world. As the report pointedly recommends, 'it would be better for Uzbekistanis to study at universities in countries that are ranked higher in important university rankings'…
Covid-19 and education in Central Asia
With the world's attention drawn to the coronavirus pandemic for the foreseeable future, this week's post looks at the current impact of Covid-19 on education in Central Asia.
First, a few shout outs to others reporting on the spread of coronavirus in the region.
For general updates on what's happening across Central Asia, check out EurasiaNet's coronavirus dashboard, which is updated daily.
An early analysis has been provided in a brief open access policy memo by Marlene Laruelle and Madeline McCann for PONARS Eurasia. Published on March 27, it offers insights on the political and ideological responses of the post-Soviet states.
And on March 29, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty published its latest Majlis podcast on the topic of coronavirus in Central Asia. Majlis is always worth a listen to so do subscribe to the podcast once you've downloaded the current episode.
For education not specific to Central Asia, four suggested resources:
1) track the astonishingly high percentage of the world's out of school children (currently over 80%) with UNESCO's International Institute for Educational Planning;
2) read a thoughtful letter to Education Ministers around the world by Professor Karen Mundy and Susannah Hares;
3) follow Alex Usher's daily blog for responses to Covid-19 in higher education and some important reflection on what may life ahead; and
4) Canada specific but this spreadsheet by Ken Steele is an incredibly detailed and up to date report on the responses of higher education institutions around the country.
OK, now back to Central Asia.
Covid-19 has officially made it to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan but somehow neither Tajikistan nor Turkmenistan has reported any cases as at March 31 when this post was written. On April 1, schoolchildren in Tajikistan went back to school after their spring holidays to classrooms that have been disinfected twice – but not because there has been any coronavirus, of course…
So Tajikistan and Turkmenistan join an illustrious if rather short list of countries that also includes North Korea which are yet to report any cases. On the contrary, as has been well commented upon on social media, Tajikistan's erstwhile Leader of the Nation Emomali Rahmon has overseen numerous well attended public events in recent days. This includes the national Navruz celebrations that brought thousands of people together in defiance of the global trend for physical distancing.
So it is to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan that we turn to see how they are responding in the sphere of education – it's business as usual in Tajikistan and Turkmenistan's schools and universities for now.
Kazakhstan closed all schools and has moved the spring holiday from March 16 to April 5. Teachers are working from home during that period and a government sanctioned group is working on making alternative teaching and learning arrangements in the likely event that schools will remain closed after April 5.
Pre-schools are working as usual but parents are asked to keep their children at home if at all possible; no child will lose their place at the pre-school if they are not attending.
Colleges and universities rapidly switched to distance learning with an array of technologies available for use. These include solutions common around the world such as Google Classroom, Moodle, Coursera, and Zoom as well as locally built programs. Although the government's webpage says that universities and colleges should already be familiar with at least some of these forms of online learning, one enterprising news agency has published a list of universities where distance learning is well established.
Students who are unable to travel home are being allowed to stay in dorms but must stay in their rooms. Kazakh students who study abroad and international students in Kazakhstan have had varying fates. Some, such as a group of 54 Kazakh students studying in the Russian city of Samara, were sent home on a free bus on March 30. They will be able to continue their studies at a distance, something that will keep them busy as they complete a mandatory self-quarantine once they get home. Less lucky has been a group of 115 Indian students who are currently stranded at Almaty airport, unable either to leave for home or to get back into the locked down city.
The response in neighbouring Kyrgyzstan, where a state of emergency has also been declared, is similar to Kazakhstan's (albeit with significantly less funding available from the state). Schools will be shut after a long vacation that runs until April 8. After that, they will continue learning using video lessons which will broadcast on two TV channels as well as YouTube.
To support distance learning, around 400 textbooks in four languages (Kyrgyz, Russian, Uzbek and Tajik) have been made freely available online. A fantastic looking website for school children, iBilim, has been released in two languages (Kyrgyz and Russian). The site is still being tested but kudos to the developers for getting it up so fast. A government hosted learning site is also being worked on but I couldn't get into it when I tried today. As well as Zoom and Google Classroom, Kyrgyz teachers will also be communicating with their students using WhatsApp and Telegram.
Colleges and universities in Kyrgyzstan switched to distance learning on March 30 following a government directive. Students have also been granted a longer spring break during which time instructors and administrators were asked to develop plans to use technology to support distance learning and to supervise students' independent work. Students have been advised to return to their family homes and remain there for the time being.
The University of Central Asia is making up to 90 beds available on its Naryn campus in Kyrgyzstan and is providing food and medical supplies to vulnerable members of the local community.
Looking a little further ahead, it's not yet clear how higher education admissions will be managed. Students finishing high/secondary school this year may end up like their British counterparts i.e. with no final/university admission exams but graded based on their classwork. This has not yet been confirmed. Some universities that hold their own entrance exams (e.g. University of Central Asia) have postponed the exams that are scheduled for this time of year.
Mirroring Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan closed all pre-schools, schools, colleges and universities for an early spring break on March 16. From March 30, during the holiday, lessons began to be shown on TV.
Disability rights researcher Dilmurad Yusupov noted approvingly that TV classes have been accompanied by sign language interpretation (except for English classes, where there is a lack of professional interpreters). This 'Online-maktab', as online/TV school is being called, is being broadcast on a range of TV channels to ensure they reach as many people as possible.
The Minister of Higher and Specialized Secondary Education Imomjon Majidov recommended on March 31 that students use the newly available free time to study and do research (he's clearly not one to waste a good crisis). He will even be using an official Telegram channel, 'We will defeat Covid-19' to set up an online contest for which prizes will be offered by the Minister's office.
No decision has been made about when students will be able to return to study. A government directive approved on March 27 on distance learning enables the introduction of relevant technologies and approaches to support undergraduate and Master's students; these are still under development. At least two foreign branch campus universities (South Korea's Inha U and India's Amity U) have switched to accepting admissions documents electronically for those seeking admission in September this year.
Until then, the government has been extremely active about keeping people up to date, primarily using Telegram (which is extremely popular in Uzbekistan) and the Coronavirus Info channel, which already has 1.3m subscribers. For example, the Ministry of Pre-school Education issued a post with guidance for parents on how to support their kindergarten/nursery aged children to access and make the most of the new TV/online lessons.
That is where things stand for now, at the end of March. As we are seeing around the world, the situation is changing day by day. I'll report again if anything major changes in Central Asia.
Catten the curve!
The one suitable way to end this round up is, of course, through the medium of feline:
More Russian schools for Tajikistan
Here's an interesting story on the continued growth of Russian language (and primarily Russian government funded) schools in Tajikistan. The story is (c) RFE/RL Tajikistan and author Farangis Najibullah (an excellent journalist; please check out her other work):
No Shortage Of Students As Tajikistan Builds New Russian Schools
Originally posted at https://www.rferl.org/a/tajikistan-new-russian-schools/30384557.html on January 18, 2020
Tajikistan's parliament has approved an agreement to build five new Russian schools in the next three years, with funds largely provided by the Russian government.
The move shows the Tajik authorities' willingness to maintain close ties with Moscow and reflects a growing demand among Tajiks for Russian-language education.
During a parliamentary debate in Dushanbe on January 15, Deputy Education Minister Rahmatullo Mirboboev said the schools will be designed to hold at least 1,200 students each.
The Russian-speaking community has significantly dwindled in the Central Asian country as the population of ethnic Russians has fallen from some 395,000 in 1979 to just 35,000 when the last census was taken in 2010.
Despite that, it's expected there will be no shortage of students for the new Russian-speaking schools.
The demand among Tajiks for more educational facilities in which Russian is the language of instruction has risen both in cities and rural areas in recent years.
There are already 32 Russian-only schools in Tajikistan, with 10 of them established in the past two years.
Dozens of mixed-language schools offer education in both Tajik and Russian classes, taught separately.
Rampant Unemployment
Tajik parents who enroll their children in Russian schools say it will enhance their chances of studying in Russian universities and getting well-paid, white-collar jobs in Russia.
Unemployment is rampant and wages very low in Tajikistan, one of the poorest of the former Soviet republics. The average monthly wage in October was $140.
"My eldest son goes to a Russian school," says Zahro, a pediatrician from the northern province of Sughd who didn't want to give her full name.
She says her younger son couldn't get a place in the Russian school and that he is "currently studying in Tajik" while waiting for a vacancy.
"A longer-term plan for them is to study medicine in Russia, possibly in some smaller cities where living costs are not high," Zahro said. "The children are working hard, we're also getting additional private instruction in chemistry and physics."
Like many other Tajiks, Zahro believes the Russian-language schools in Tajikistan generally offer a better-quality education.
Russian schools are the second-best option for middle-income parents like Zahro, who can't afford to send their children to private schools.
There are dozens of private schools and lyceums — including English schools — that enjoy a reputation for providing quality education with a broader range of extracurricular offerings, smaller class sizes, and experienced teachers.
Russian Investment
Plans to open more Russian schools in Tajikistan were discussed during a meeting between Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Dushanbe in September 2018, the Tajik leader's official website reported.
Rahmon has always maintained a close relationship with "strategic partner" Russia, which hosts many hundreds of thousands of Tajik migrant workers.
The migrants' remittances — estimated at around $2.5 billion and equal to about one-third of the country's gross domestic product in 2018 — is an important factor for Tajikistan's social and economic stability.
Russia, in turn, has always been keen to keep Central Asia within its sphere of influence, and uses Russian-language education and the lure of economic opportunities as a tool of soft power.
Since August 2018, Moscow has sent more than 100 Russian teachers to Tajikistan — a mountainous country of some 8.9 million people — while also providing textbooks for the country's Russian schools.
A large portion of the teachers' wages are reportedly paid by the Russian Education Ministry.
During his annual press conference on December 19, 2019, Putin mentioned the need to open more Russian schools in Central Asia.
"It is more difficult to adapt for those who come, for example, from Central Asia. What can we do? We have to introduce our education systems, open Russian-language courses, Russian schools, and university branches," said Putin when asked about Russia's demographic situation and the immigration issues his country faces.
Tajik education officials say the five new schools will be built over the next three years in the capital, Dushanbe, as well as in the cities of Khujand in the country's north, Bokhtar and Kulob in the south, and the western town of Tursunzoda.
Why are there no foreign universities in Tajikistan?
This is the excellent question posed by Khaidar Shodiev writing for Asia-Plus, the nearest thing Tajikistan has to an independent newspaper. Strictly speaking, the country's higher education system is not entirely devoid of international universities, with the regional University of Central Asia's campus in Khorog and three Russian branch campuses all in the capital Dushanbe.
But the bigger question Shodiev is asking in the article links to the broader systemic disincentives for foreign institutions to set up shop in Tajikistan on the one hand, and the lack of discernable will to fundamentally reform the education system from the Tajik government's side. Yes, it's accepted a heck of a lot of cash from the World Bank to implement the Bologna Process, but scratch the surface and most people will tell you that the so-called 'transition' to this series of European-inspired educational transformations is nowhere near getting off the ground.
The article can be found at https://asiaplustj.info/ru/news/tajikistan/society/20191204/pochemu-v-tadzhikistane-ne-otkrivayutsya-zarubezhnie-vuzi but in case the website gets blocked again, and for non-Russian readers, here it is below after an English translation by me.
Why are there no foreign universities in Tajikistan?
By Khaidar Shodiev
Tajikistan's higher education institutions (HEIs) don't fall into any of the university rankings, whether global or among the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Only one well-known foreign university has opened a branch in the country – Moscow State University.
Asia-Plus reports on why this is this case, and why the country is not rushing to increase the number of prestigious foreign universities.
Past the rankings
The well-known British newspaper Times Higher Education (THE) recently released its annual World University Rankings for 2019.
The top three universities in the world haven't changed. For the third year in a row, the first place is held by Oxford University, which has the top indicators in research (quantity of research, research income and reputation). As before, second and third places are occupied by Cambridge University and the US' Stanford University.
Of all the countries in the CIS, Russia has the most HEIs in the ranking with 35 contenders. Kazakhstan is the Central Asian leader with 10 HEIs in the QS international education ranking. No HEIs in Tajikistan were listed in these international rankings.
What are the reasons for this state of affairs?
"If you are talking about the criteria that are used to compile international rankings, then this is first of all about scientific (research) output and the quality of teaching," says Ilhom Kamolzoda, head of the department of international affairs at the Ministry of Education and Science.
"The level of research is measured by the quality and quantity of articles that are published in top international journals that are included in the Scopus citation database. Following that, the rankings measure the ratio of teaching staff to students, the number of international students and faculty, and so on."
Kamolzoda noted that Tajikistan is currently in transition to the Bologna system of education.
"Furthermore, for HEIs in the country to be recognized in international rankings, degree programs need to undergo international accreditation. And of course, as I've already noted, more high-quality research and training of highly qualified professionals to an international standard are necessary. Work on this is ongoing," he says.
"The old school has fallen but a new one hasn't yet been formed"
Education expert Bakhtiyor Asliddinov believes we need to dig deeper to find the reason for the current state of affairs in the country's higher education.
"After the fall of the USSR, the single education system collapsed, and links between HEIs in the former Soviet republics were lost," he says.
"The situation was exacerbated by the events of the 90s [ES note: the civil war from 1992-97] as a result of which thousands of academics, researchers and lecturers fled Tajikistan. Universities like Tajik Technical University, the Polytechnic and the Medical Institute – which had been well known in the Soviet Union – lost many of their best people. The old school fell and a new one hasn't yet formed."
Bakhtiyor Asliddinov also explains that in its drive to increase quantity, the Ministry of Education and Science has been unable to assure the quality of education in many HEIs. This has also led to declining education quality in his opinion.
"Previously in Tajikistan there were around 10 HEIs. Now there are over 30. Previously, each course had three cohorts (per year) and now there are up to 10 and sometimes more. How do you find qualified candidates for all these HEIs with such large numbers of students? How much are these degree programs in demand? Is work available for all graduates? I don't think these questions will find answers for some time," the expert says.
According to Asliddinov, beyond these factors, the quality of secondary [high] school education also needs to be taken into account: how can you get a high quality higher education if the secondary level leaves much to be desired?
"For our universities to be part of the global higher education landscape and for graduates to be desirable to employers, this education issue needs to be dealt with holistically," he noted.
Foreign universities: To be or not to be?
The establishment of branches of well-known international HEIs in a country is a common practice around the world.
In recent years, our neighbours have been actively working on this. The number of foreign branch campuses has begun to grow in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, and in Uzbekistan their number has grown three times in the last two years, and now there are 21 of them!
The situation changed at the end of 2017 when the government of Uzbekistan decided to fundamentally reform the education system in the country. It announced a five-year moratorium on all forms of taxes as well as exemption from mandatory contributions to state funds for foreign branch campuses. Furthermore, branch campuses do not have to pay the single social payment and income tax on foreign individuals working at the HEI. After this, the number of foreign branch campuses grew dramatically.
In Tajikistan today there are just three Russian branch campuses: Moscow State University, the National University of Science and Technology MISIS (Moscow Institute of Steel and Alloys), and the National Research University MEU (Moscow Power Engineering).
The Ministry of Education and Science has not indicated whether there are plans to open additional branch campuses of Western or Asian universities. The government did agree that a campus of the Malaysian Limkokwing University of Creative Technology could open in Bokhtar in 2013, but that project has yet to come to fruition.
"There are particular difficulties," explains Ilhom Kamolzoda, "largely due to the fact that Western branch campuses teach in English. Applicants are required to confirm their language proficiency by passing an IELTS exam. This would require a lot of preparation of facilities, teachers, completion of the transition of the education system to meet international standards, and much more."
"For these reasons, I believe that it's too early to open Western branch campuses here. But we are moving in that direction. At the moment, high school graduates have the opportunity to study abroad and over 35,000 of our citizens are studying in 40 countries."
Competition shouldn't be alarming
"The opening of well-known Western and Asian branch campuses will help increase the level of education and the image of Tajikistan, which at the same time will turn into an international education centre for the region. This could attract international students and researchers and overall, enhance the opportunities for international investment in Tajikistan," believes Makhmadsalim Abdukarimov, Acting Deputy Director of Moscow State University in Dushanbe.
"As is known, we already have experience of opening such branch campuses," said Abdukarimov. "For example, our campus in Dushanbe has been operating successfully for nearly 10 years, and it attracts experienced global authorities in research and teaching. Our students have the opportunity to do placements at the main university in Moscow."
"Moscow State University graduates have a good education toolkit and are able to continue their studies or find work even in developed countries. For example, our graduate Farangis Umedzoda was accepted to study for a Master's degree at Oxford University."
According to Abdukarimov, there are many educational establishments in the country that teach in English. Graduates of these schools can be potential students of Western branch campuses in Tajikistan.
"Moreover, there will be competition between our HEIs and the foreign branch campuses, and this shouldn't alarm local teachers. On the contrary, it's all for the good of our education system. Another advantage of opening foreign branch campuses is that they are more affordable. For example, at the Moscow State branch in Dushanbe, the annual fees are $1,400."
"Now try to imagine how much money a Tajik student would need if he or she studies in Moscow – for fees, living costs, food and much more. Using the educational experience of leading world universities and their potential is a sign of the times. And the sooner we start this process, the faster we will make progress in our education system."
Почему в Таджикистане не открываются зарубежные вузы?
Автор: Хайдар Шодиев
Таджикские высшие учебные заведения не входят в рейтинг лучших университетов не только мира, но и стран СНГ. А филиалов известных зарубежных вузов в стране, по сути, только один – МГУ.
С чем это связано и почему в республике не спешат увеличить количество престижных иностранных вузов – в материале «АП».
Мимо рейтинга
Недавно известный британский журнал Times Higher Education (THE) опубликовал очередной ежегодный рейтинг университетов мира THE World University Rankings-2019.
Первая тройка университетов-лидеров в мире не изменилась. Первое место в рейтинге уже третий год подряд занимает Оксфордский университет, имеющий также самые лучшие показатели исследовательской деятельности (объем исследований, поступления от исследовательской деятельности и репутация). На втором и третьем местах по-прежнему остаются Кембриджский университет и Стэнфордский университет США соответственно.
Среди стран СНГ больше всего представлены вузы России – 35. В Центральной Азии лидирует Казахстан – 10 вузов страны входят в международный образовательный рейтинг QS. Вузы Таджикистана в международные рейтинги не попали.
В чём же причины подобного положения дел?
– Если говорить о критериях, которые учитываются при составлении мировых рейтингов, то это в первую очередь, научные труды и качество преподавания, – говорит начальник управления международных связей Министерства образования и науки Таджикистана Илхом Камолзода.
– Уровень научных исследований, в свою очередь, измеряется количеством и качеством научных статей, которые были опубликованы в ведущих научных журналах мира, включенных в международную реферативную базу данных Scopus.
Следующие параметры – это соотношение количества преподавателей по отношению к студентам, число иностранных студентов и преподавателей и т.д.
Камолзода отметил, что Таджикистан в настоящее время находится в периоде перехода на Болонскую систему образования.
– Кроме того, для признания вузов страны в мировом рейтинге, нужно провести международную аккредитацию специальностей наших вузов. Ну и, конечно же, как я уже указал, нужно проводить больше качественных научных исследований, готовить высококвалифицированные кадры мирового уровня. Работа в этом направлении ведётся, – говорит он.
«Старая школа распалась, новая ещё не сформировалась»
Эксперт в области образования Бахтиёр Аслиддинов считает, что причину нынешнего положения дел с отечественным высшим образованием нужно искать глубже.
– После распада СССР разрушилась единая система образования, были утрачены связи между вузами бывших советских республик, – говорит он.
– Усугубили ситуацию события 90-х, из-за которых Таджикистан покинули тысячи научных работников, ученых, преподавателей вузов. Такие известные в Союзе и за её пределами вузы республики как ТГУ им. Ленина, Политехнический и Медицинский институты лишились многих своих лучших кадров. Старая школа распалась, а новая еще не сформировалась.
Падение качества образования Бахтиёр Аслиддинов объясняет еще и тем, что в погоне за количеством руководство Минобрнауки не смогло обеспечить качественное образование во многих вузах.
– Раньше в республике было около десяти высших учебных заведений. Сейчас их более тридцати. На каждом курсе раньше было по три группы, сейчас их до десяти и более. Где найти квалифицированные кадры для всех этих вузов с огромным количеством студентов? Насколько востребованы все эти специальности, смогут ли обеспечить работой всех выпускников? Эти вопросы ещё долго не найдут ответа, – говорит специалист.
По его словам, помимо всего вышесказанного, невозможно получить качественное высшее образование, если среднее оставляет желать лучшего.
– Чтобы наши университеты котировались в мире, а выпускники были желанными работниками, нужно решать образовательную проблему в комплексе, – отметил он.
Зарубежные вузы: быть или не быть?
Открытие филиалов известных зарубежных вузов в стране – часто применяемая практика в сфере образования в мире.
В последние годы в этом направлении активно работают и наши соседи. Так, число филиалов зарубежных вузов начало расти в Казахстане, Кыргызстане, а в Узбекистане их число увеличилось за последние два года в три раза, и сейчас их там – 21!
Ситуация изменилась в конце 2017 года, когда правительство Узбекистана решило коренным образом улучшить систему образования в стране, и объявило о пятилетнем освобождении иностранных вузов от уплаты всех видов налогов и обязательных отчислений в государственные фонды. Им также разрешили не платить единый социальный платеж, и налог на доходы физлиц, в части оплаты труда иностранных работников. После этого число зарубежных филиалов резко возросло.
В Таджикистане на сегодня действуют филиалы лишь трех российских вузов – филиалы Московского государственного университета имени М.В. Ломоносова и Национального исследовательского технологического университета «МИСиС» (Московский институт стали и сплавов), а также Национального исследовательского университета «МЭИ» (Московский энергетический институт).
Об открытии в Таджикистане престижных вузов западных или азиатских стран, пока сообщений со стороны Минобрнауки не было, если не считать решения правительства страны об открытии Малайзиского университета креативных технологий Лимкоквинг в Бохтаре в 2013 году. Но этот проект так и остался невыполненным.
– Есть определенные трудности, – поясняет Илхом Камолзода. – Во многом это связано с тем, что обучение в филиалах вузов западных стран ведется на английском языке. Абитуриенты обязаны подтвердить уровень владения языком, сдав международный экзамен IELTS. Нужно подготовить базу, кадры, завершить переход системы образования на международные стандарты и многое другое.
По этим причинам, на мой взгляд, сейчас рано открывать вузы западных стран у нас. Но мы идем к этому. Пока же у выпускников школ республики есть возможность обучения в зарубежных вузах, выезжая из страны. Так, на сегодня свыше 35 тысяч наших граждан учатся за рубежом в 40 странах.
Конкуренция не должна тревожить
– Открытие филиалов известных вузов Запада и Азии будет способствовать повышению уровня образования и имиджа Таджикистана, который таким образом превратится в образовательный международный центр региона, сможет привлечь зарубежных студентов, иностранных специалистов, и в целом, будет способствовать привлечению иностранных инвестиций в РТ, – считает заместитель исполнительного директора Филиала МГУ им.Ломоносова в Душанбе Махмадсалим Абдукаримов.
– У нас, как известно, уже есть опыт открытия подобных филиалов, – говорит специалист. – Например, наш вуз вот уже 10 лет успешно ведет свою деятельность в Душанбе, к нам приезжают опытные, авторитетные в мире науки и образования преподаватели, наши студенты имеют возможность практиковаться в головном вузе в Москве.
Выпускники филиала МГУ имеют достаточный багаж образования, чтобы продолжить учебу или работать даже в развитых странах мира. Так, например, выпускница нашего вуза Фарангис Умедзода поступила в магистратуру Оксфордского университета.
По словам Абдукаримова, в республике много образовательных учреждений, где обучение проводится на английском языке. Выпускники этих школ могут стать потенциальными студентами западных вузов в республике.
– Кроме того, будет конкуренция между нашими вузами и филиалами зарубежных вузов, и она не должна тревожить местных преподавателей. Наоборот, это только на пользу нашей образовательной системе. Другое преимущество открытия филиалов зарубежных вузов – более доступная цена. Например, в филиале МГУ в Душанбе годовая оплата за обучение – $1400.
А теперь представьте, сколько денег нужно таджикскому студенту, чтобы он прошел обучение в Москве – за учебу, общежитие, питание и многое другое. Использование образовательного опыта ведущих университетов мира, их потенциал – требование времени. И чем раньше мы наладим этот процесс, тем быстрее достигнем прогресса в образовательной системе.
Tajikistan-China education cooperation
News agency Avesta has published possibly the most boring story I've read about the prospects for higher education cooperation between Tajikistan and China. Seriously, this post could easily have been called 'Diplomacy wins, or: How to make a story from nothing'.
Bear in mind I read a lot of news stories about education in Central Asia (I know, I know, it's a selfless task) and I come across my fair share of government-issued press releases or uncritical adulation of whatever new policy the Eternal Leader of the Spotless Country has come up with.
But this one was so vague and, well, diplomatic that I am translating it in full so that English language readers can share my pain (Russian language readers, you can check out the original here):
Education cooperation between universities in Tajikistan and China discussed in Beijing
Avesta.tj, 3 December 2019
The Ambassador of Tajikistan to China Parviz Davlatzoda visited Beijing City University, the press service of the Republic of Tajikistan in the Chinese People's Republic reports.
During the Ambassador's meeting with Liu Song, the Rector of Beijing university, the parties exchanged views on the prospects for cooperation in the areas of science, education and culture.
Parviz Davlatzoda noted that Tajikistan attaches great importance on educational cooperation, particularly in relation to professional training of highly qualified personnel
The Rector of the university and heads of departments acquainted the Tajik diplomat with the University's phases of development. The main directions of the university's activities in research and teaching were presented.
The parties also discussed possibilities to cooperation in the field of international education, research and industrial activity.
The parties noted the importance of establishing and developing cooperation between universities in both countries through organizing joint events and participating in each others' conferences and seminars.
The immportance of actively engaging in academic mobility programmes for students and faculty was also underlined.
Still awake? Well done you, and congratulations Avesta for producing this yawnfest.
New article: Negotiating international research collaborations in Tajikistan
Hot off the online press!
International research collaborations – whether these are informal groupings of researchers working together on a scientific problem of common interest or more formal arrangements (often with a budget and fixed timelines) – have increased so rapidly in number that one expert has called this growth "one of the most dramatic social changes of the twenty-first century".
On the one hand, this suggests tremendous possibilities for researchers in countries with open borders and technological connectivity to not only be part of knowledge generation but also to enhance the quality of knowledge through interconnectedness. Yet on the other, while global science may have shifted the ways in which knowledge is produced (just look, for example, at the dramatic growth in co-authored publications and the rise of scientific producers such as China), it has not flattened or as yet significantly altered existing knowledge hierarchies.
In my new article, published online today, I get under the skin of these international research collaborations from the perspectives of Tajikistani researchers. Such collaborations in Tajikistan are more likely to be formal and initiated by outside funders, who are commonly development agencies rather than other universities or scientifically minded alliances. Not only having to deal with the trade-offs involved in so-called partnerships where the agenda is set from the outside, Tajikistani researchers face constraints on their academic freedom from the domestic political environment.
Based on a small-scale study in which I interviewed nine Tajikistani researchers in depth about their experiences of engaging in international research collaborations, the article aims to move beyond the more usual conceptualization of the dynamics of international research collaborations from a (Global) North/ (Global) South perspective and instead bring forward voices and ideas that have not to date been sufficiently heard or heeded.
The article forms part of a special issue I have co-edited that explicitly takes up this idea of moving beyond North and South. The eight papers examine an array of ways in which we could examine international research collaborations and think about power and science differently. I'll add a post when the entire special issue is out.
You can find the article at https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1028315319889345 – please contact me if you don't have access to the journal.
To close, I would like to repeat the dedication in my paper, a very small token of affection to mark the passing of a very wonderful person:
This paper is dedicated to my dear friend Ulrika Punjabi, whose untimely passing as this study was being completed in 2019 came as an enormous and unwelcome shock. This paper's investigation of the possibilities for a better global future presents an apt way to commemorate Ulrika, who dedicated her life to making the world a more equitable place, striving for justice, and bringing joy to many.


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