On 19-20 November 2020, was held an online regional cluster meeting on the capacity building in higher education project (CBHE) impact in Central Asia. The meeting has involved more than 300 participants from Central Asian higher education institutions and experts from the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) office in Brussel, Belgium.    

The first day of the meeting started with the speech by the head of Sector, Erasmus+ Higher Education – International Capacity Building Prof. Anila Troshani on the impact of CBHE in Central Asia. Thereafter, Prof. Nicholas Taylor Team Leader for Central Asian countries and Mongolia, Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development delivered his presentation on the Regional cooperation in Central Asia, the Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development (DEVCO) perspective. Within the first day of the meeting 5 parallel discussion groups 2015-2017, project coordinators have been arranged.

The first workshop was addressed on the CBHE projects supporting quality, accessibility and internationalization of universities in Central Asia, while the second workshop has been focused on the CBHE projects producing an impact on higher education systems and promoting reforms at the national and/or regional level in Central Asia.

The third workshop has discussed on the CBHE and International Credit Mobility projects supporting modernization, curriculum reform and the Bologna Process at universities in Central Asia while in the fourth workshop participants have discussed on the CBHE projects fostering regional cooperation in Central Asia. Impact of national versus regional projects. In the final workshop participants have changed their ideas on the CBHE projects promoting University & Business cooperation and employability.

The second day of the meeting started with the speech by the Prof. Adrian Veale Desk officer for Central Asia, Directorate-General Education, Youth, Sport and Culture. Prof. Adrian has shared his comments related to the European Union-funded regional cooperation in education. Afterwards, Prof. Troshani delivered her presentation on the challenges and coping strategies in project management and implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic confinement period.

Within the meeting Vice-rector for Science and International Relations of the Tajik State University of Commerce Dr. Kadyrova Z.H. delivered her presentation on the impact and assessment of the Erasmus +CBHE programme for structural purposes based on TuCAHEA experiences.  Furthermore, the office for international relations, project implementation and academic mobility of the university, Mubin Abduvaliev delivered made a speech on the CBHE and international credit mobility projects supporting modernization and curriculum reform at universities in Central Asia within PAWER project.

The meeting ended after a brief session of questions and answers