Central Asia Business and Economics
Education Project (EdNet)
Client: United States Agency for
International Development
Website: www.EdnetCA.org
CARANA implemented a USAID sponsored project to improve higher
business and economics education in the five Central Asian countries
of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan.
The project was designed to address a number of cross-cutting issues,
including corruption, conflict mitigation, and gender. CARANA established
the Education Network (EdNet) in Almaty, Kazakhstan to serve as a
reservoir of educational resources and to facilitate linkages
among scholars and higher education institutions throughout Central
Asia. EdNet functions included:
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Education reform to improve governance, mitigate
corruption, improve flexibility and responsiveness to market
needs, and encourage
mobility of students through standardized testing, accreditation,
promulgating student rights, public education and conversion
to an internationally-recognized credit system; |
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Capacity building of human resources, including graduate-level
business and economic courses offered to faculty through EdNet
Academies; quarterly seminars on teaching methodologies for faculty
and administrators; video conferences linking stakeholders to
share ideas, programs and insights; scholarships for faculty;
and specialized training on current issues including distance
education and use of technology in teaching; |
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Direct assistance to universities, including visiting professors,
teaching materials (e.g., CD-ROM and web-based Russian language
materials—including cases, syllabi, course materials), Internet
connectivity, and grants for books and research projects; |
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Networking activities, including conferences on current topics
in business and economics, as well as on special issues such
as corruption, conflict mitigation and gender; |
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Establishment of a regional EdNet Association to provide
services and faculty development; and |
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Helped launch an association, KAZRena, which now provides
high-speed, low-cost Internet access for education and research
institutions in Kazakhstan. |
Some key results from EdNet include the following:
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Since 2001, EdNet has conducted activities
that have benefited over 5,000 professors, who in turn teach
about 200,000 students. |
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312 higher education institution members. |
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175 faculty to complete intensive MA or MBA equivalent. |
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12 faculty completing advanced degrees in Russia. |
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Registration of EdNet Academies in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic,
Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to provide faculty retraining on an
ongoing basis, while offering a resource center with libraries
and events to support faculty professional development. |
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$337,000 in grants and donations raised to support EdNet
related activities. |
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Fellowships and scholarships have covered expenses for 22
professors and rectors. |
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Agreement by three countries to implement credit hour systems. |
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Creation of EdNet Association, where members can access EdNet’s
Country Resource Centers, business and economic faculty training,
participation in events, free teaching materials, and the ability
to participate in scholarship and grant programs. Membership
includes over 300 Central Asian higher education institutions
and NGOs; 1,000 rectors and deans of business and economic departments;
nearly 12,000 faculty members; and almost 200,000 students. |
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Registration of the EdNet Association, election of country
Boards of Advisors and a regional Board of Directors, which provide
ongoing governance. |
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Approval and implementation of a fee structure for courses
and services. |
In 2004, CARANA was awarded the
follow-on contract for the Economics and Business Education Project
in Central Asia known as EdNet. The focus of Phase II, currently
underway, is to enhance the ability and flexibility of business and
economics education
to
respond to the evolving needs of business and a competitive labor
market. The project will have three major components: continued professional
development of faculty of business and economics; competitive grants
and pilot projects that close the gap between academia and business;
and continued support for policy reforms that allow for greater flexibility,
quality and harmonization of standards in higher education. Most
of the work will be channeled through indigenous EdNet Academies
and the EdNet Association, as well as other local and regional counterparts.
There is a significant GDA component in collaboration with businesses
and foundations. The contract has a 20 month base period with a 12
month option.
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