A significant workshop of DEFA project focusing on university financial autonomy was recently held at the Naryn State University named after S. Naamatov from 10-12 June, 2025, in Naryn Region, bringing together representatives from three European universities and ten leading universities of Kyrgyzstan. The event provided a vital platform for sharing best practices, discussing project implementation, and fostering cooperation between European and Kyrgyz higher education institutions.
Representatives from European partner universities – Otto von Guericke University of Magdeburg (Germany), the University of Florence (Italy), and the European Center for Research and Initiatives (Italy) – presented their expertise on the development of financial autonomy models, strategies for managing European Union-funded projects, and methods for building trust and transparency in international partnerships.
Representatives of the International Higher School of Medicine (IHSM), Ainazik M. Omurzakova, Ph.D. (Law), Vice-Rector for International Affairs, and Kanykei K. Zhunushova, Senior Specialist of the International Affairs Department, participated in the workshop, where the Vice-Rector of IHSM delivered a detailed report on the implementation of the project’s Quality Assurance System (Work Package 4). In addition, Kyrgyz university participants shared financial reports detailing their expenditures and co-financing contributions within the project framework.
The workshop was part of a broader initiative aimed at developing a flexible and efficient model for the financial autonomy of Kyrgyz universities, thereby enhancing institutional sustainability and academic independence.
The event reaffirmed the importance of cross-border academic cooperation in enhancing the quality and autonomy of higher education institutions in Kyrgyzstan.
Representatives from European partner universities – Otto von Guericke University of Magdeburg (Germany), the University of Florence (Italy), and the European Center for Research and Initiatives (Italy) – presented their expertise on the development of financial autonomy models, strategies for managing European Union-funded projects, and methods for building trust and transparency in international partnerships.
Representatives of the International Higher School of Medicine (IHSM), Ainazik M. Omurzakova, Ph.D. (Law), Vice-Rector for International Affairs, and Kanykei K. Zhunushova, Senior Specialist of the International Affairs Department, participated in the workshop, where the Vice-Rector of IHSM delivered a detailed report on the implementation of the project’s Quality Assurance System (Work Package 4). In addition, Kyrgyz university participants shared financial reports detailing their expenditures and co-financing contributions within the project framework.
The workshop was part of a broader initiative aimed at developing a flexible and efficient model for the financial autonomy of Kyrgyz universities, thereby enhancing institutional sustainability and academic independence.
The event reaffirmed the importance of cross-border academic cooperation in enhancing the quality and autonomy of higher education institutions in Kyrgyzstan.