Toronto, Oct. 19, 2016 – Canada’s Seneca College congratulates the University of Central Asia (UCA) on the inauguration of its first undergraduate campus in Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic.
“We are delighted to offer our congratulations on this important occasion to the University of Central Asia. We are proud that Seneca was selected, among other institutions around the world, to help develop curriculum for the university’s preparatory year. We look forward to our continued work together to provide world class education and foster a global perspective in students.” Seneca President David Agnew said.
The Kyrgyz Prime Minister Sooronbay Jeenbekov and His Highness the Aga Khan inaugurated the Naryn campus on Wednesday, October 19.
The campus opened its doors to the first cohort of undergraduates this September. The 71 undergraduates include talented students from the University’s founding countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
In 2015, the Toronto-based Seneca signed a memorandum of understanding with UCA to develop the English, mathematics and science curriculum for UCA’s Preparatory Program.
Under the agreement, Seneca developed an enrichment program to ensure that UCA students attain internationally competitive levels in English, math and science and develop key study and research skills necessary to succeed at the university level. The curriculum was modelled after Seneca's Liberal Arts university transfer programs.
Seneca also designed and delivered a professional development program for UCA faculty, including training held in Central Asia and Canada, and will provide in-class assessments, longer-term online resources and video conferencing support.
The partnership between UCA and Seneca is made possible by the financial support of Global Affairs Canada and the Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC).
Seneca is currently working with the Aga Khan Development Network on a skills-development project in Egypt and recently completed a Youth Employability and Leadership project in Pakistan. Seneca also recently hosted Together: An Exhibition on Global Development, an innovative, interactive and multi-sensory experience with photography, film and audio designed to spark conversations about the role Canadians can play in reducing global poverty.