IIOE Kyrgyzstan National Centre Formally Established
On November 26, 2025, UNESCO-ICHEI and Kyrgyz National University (KNU) officially signed an agreement to establish the International Institute of Online Education (IIOE) Kyrgyzstan National Centre, marking a significant milestone in their cooperation. The Centre becomes the second IIOE National Centre in Central Asia and the fifteenth worldwide. On the same day, UNESCO-ICHEI and KNU co-organized a national workshop on IIOE, which drew more than 420 teachers and administrators from over 50 universities across Kyrgyzstan. The workshop provided a systematic introduction to the Russian version of the IIOE platform and its Micro-Certification course series, laying a solid foundation for the National Centre to coordinate higher education institutions nationwide and to launch large-scale, localized faculty capacity-building initiatives.
Dedicated Page of IIOE Kyrgyzstan National Centre on IIOE Mr. CAO Zian, Chief of the Global Partnership Programme at UNESCO-ICHEI, highlighted the achievements of bilateral cooperation since 2022, including the deployment of Smart Classrooms, the organization of regional conferences and events, and collaborative research. He noted that the establishment of the National Centre opens new opportunities to jointly enhance the digital and artificial intelligence competencies of higher education professionals in Kyrgyzstan, helping bridge the digital divide and cultivate future-ready talent. Mr. CAO Zian, Chief of Global Partnership Programme at UNESCO-ICHEI（center） Mr. Ulugbek Eresheev, Director of the IIOE Kyrgyzstan National Centre and Head of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Research Center at KNU, introduced the background and objectives of the Centre. He encouraged participating universities to actively engage in the IIOE partnership network and make full use of the Russian version of the IIOE platform—jointly managed by UNESCO-ICHEI and the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education—especially its first series of Micro-Certification courses on the application of Generative Artificial Intelligence in higher education. Mr. Ulugbek Eresheev, Director of the IIOE Kyrgyzstan National Centre & Head of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Research Center at Kyrgyz National University Looking ahead, the IIOE Kyrgyzstan National Centre, with the support of UNESCO-ICHEI, will prioritize: organizing localized teacher training to continually strengthen university faculty competencies; serving as a regional hub for IIOE in Central Asia, consolidating national needs and promoting curriculum optimization and ecosystem development; coordinating local collaboration networks to enhance linkages among universities, teachers, and regional institutions, facilitating the effective integration of IIOE platform resources into local educational practices. About Kyrgyz National University The Kyrgyz National University, founded in 1932, is the oldest and largest higher education institution in Kyrgyzstan, integrating both teaching and learning. As a cultural center, KNU is fully equipped with advanced research and teaching facilities. The University is recognized for its significant contribution to the Kyrgyz Academy of Sciences, providing 80 to 90 percent of its research fellows. Adopting a modern model of higher education, KNU was the first in the country to implement a multi-level system of instruction, deliver technical education in a distributed format, and integrate international education programs with national curricula. The KNU also stands as the nation's largest research hub, particularly distinguished in physics, chemistry, chemical engineering, and mathematics.
