"The project idea is based on the observation that the state of the healthcare system in Kyrgyzstan is suboptimal and education regarding the operation of advanced medical equipment (such as diagnostic devices) is poor. Even the Kyrgyz Ministry of Healthcare admits that expensive medical equipment located at public hospitals cannot be operated because personal (medical doctors and technical staff) lack the required knowledge of operating (to western standards well-established) medical devices. An important objective of the project therefore is to sustainably facilitate the stakeholders for ongoing device usage, beyond the device acquisition. This should be accomplished by developing study programmes (curricula) for healthcare informatics and biomedical engineering which shall be established at the participating Kyrgyz partner universities.Within the framework of the project + “KyrMedu: Advancing Higher Education in Biomedical Engineering and Healthcare Management in Kyrgyzstan”, since 2015, seven universities in Kyrgyzstan were implementing large-scale activities to introduce innovative educational programmes. For this purpose, the project consortium has increased their teaching capacities, equipped the material, technical and educational capacities for practical and distance learning and strengthened the cooperation with medical institutions, economic partners, the Ministry of Education and Science, and the Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic. Also, a modern medical laboratory was created with a value of more than 238,000EUR (the KyrMedu Lab at KSMA and athe Cloud Lab infrastructure connecting the other Kyrgyz KyrMedu universities to the KyrMedu Lab), which is designed to share for all project partner universities as a training base for practice and laboratory classes.The objective of the project is to solve problems in the health sector by developing and implementing interdisciplinary educational programmes. Therefore, the project consortium covers four regional and three Bishkek universities with expertise in technical, medical and health care informatics directions, as well as three European universities with expertise in the implementation of international projects in medical informatics, biomedical engineering and e-learning technologies. The purpose of the project consortium is to create educational programmes where the disciplines of medicine, information technology and management meet. The final conference of the project was hosted at Talas State University (TSU) on April 11 and 12, 2019. In the frame of the project, a joint curriculum was developed and implemented that meets the requirements of the modern labor market and is oriented to practice. During the implementation of the project, all partner universities successfully launched the bachelor programme “Health Informatics and Biomedical Engineering”, where more than 120 students are currently enrolled. osh Stae University implemented the master programme ""Healtch Care Management"". Favorable learning conditions have been created for them, in particular, the tele-teaching infrastructure is equipped with modern equipment, computer equipment and measuring and diagnostic devices for practical and laboratory classes. As well, total 183 teachers completed advanced training courses in Germany, Romania and Croatia. Communication with local medical institutions has been established and cooperation agreements have been signed for practice, internship and employment. The regional universities in Talas, Osh, Naryn and Issyk-Kul have made and are making a huge contribution to the sustainable development of the respective regions in the fields of education and health. Recognizing such an effective impact of the project at the regional level, the final meeting of partners with the participation of project stakeholders was conducted at one of the regional universities, TSU. Results of the project and Dissemination and sustainibility plan on: kyrmedu.org"

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

REASONS: In order to respond to the:- Digital Transformation of Industries (Industry 4.0) which requires DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF EDUCATION with overtaking pace, the consortium will develop Concepts of adapting the educational system to the digital generation considering the specific conditions of each of the Central Asian countries;- EU Requirement to give the opportunity for EVERYBODY to learn at ANY time and at ANY place with the help of ANY lecturer, using ANY device – HiEdTec will create Centres for Innovative Education Technologies (IET Centres).- Digital Competence Framework for Citizens & Digital Education Action Plan– HiEdTec will support university lecturers to adopt effective digital teaching methods, open pedagogies & tools. MAIN PROJECT OUTCOMES AND PRODUCTS:- Sustainable academic network for sharing experience and exchange of good practices in the field of IET and didactic models;- 5 Concepts of adapting the education system to the digital generation in line with the specific conditions of each partner country (PC);- 15 IET Centres;- 45 active learning classrooms; - Virtual classrooms;- Handbook of implementing IET in PC HEIs;- Courses for trainers for the acquisition of digital skills and learning methods – 75 trainers trained;- Courses for lecturers for the acquisition of digital skills and learning methods – 600 lecturers trained;- 75 OERs;- 75 PowerPoint presentations of lectures suitable for delivery on an interactive electronic white board; - 5 Cloud-based Virtual Libraries of the digital educational resources.IMPACT:- The project products will be of benefit to all stakeholders in education: • National and university policy-makers in the field of education; • University academics who are trainers / lecturers / learners;- The project will help to turn the partner HEIs into innovative universities and to improve the quality of the trained specialists needed to perform the Digital Transformation of Industries.

Despite considerable potential to satisfy unmet electricity demand and chart a new way forward in cooperative cross-sectoral management of shared waters, small scale hydropower (SHP) is not extensively exploited in Central Asia (CA). Likewise, vast potential to roll out European SHP approaches in other regions, European technologies have not been widely used due mostly to the lack of adaptation to such contexts; successful test cases are scant as their price point is typically far higher than Asian-manufactured competitors. The Hydro4U project will adapt European technologies to CA, demonstrating viability in a forward-looking cross-border Water/Food/Energy/Climate nexus (WP2) and price-competitiveness through design alterations (WP3) based on a prior analysis of unexploited SHP potential in CA (WP1). Hydro4U will install and assess (WP4) 2 demo plants: 500kW low-head eco-friendly run-of-river plant in KA, 2MW medium-head plant in UZ, both with radically reduced planning and construction costs that do not compromise efficiency. These solutions will be fit-for-purpose based on innovation, modularization, standardisation and radically simplified structural concepts, with longevity, eco-compatibility and socio-political acceptance (WP3). A replication model will be developed to address all SHP potential (WP5). This will demonstrate EU quality standards and create entry points in developing markets for the entire European SHP industry (WP6). Hydro4U brings together a multidisciplinary team (13 partners, 8 countries (DE, AT, CH, LK, ES, BE, CA: UZ, KG, [subsidiary in KZ]) world-renown experts in design of European SHP from industry (GHE, MUHR, HSOL, ILF) to science (TUM, BOKU, KSTU, EV-INBO, SJE, CARTIF), replication (SEZ, CARTIF), exploitation and D&C experts (SEZ), ‘boots-on-the-ground’ R4D institutes (IWMI, TIIAME) with a legacy of achieving practical impact in the water sector in CA, contributing experience from similar projects in CA and worldwide.

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