Executive Training Centre (ETC) in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

Project Leader: Aigul Jarmatova

Project Description:

The Executive Training Centre (ETC) in Bishkek, is a subsidiary of the Geneva Desk for Cooperation (GDCOO), a Swiss registered non-governmental organization. It is designed to help stimulate local economic, cultural, and technical cooperation in rural communities across Central Asia. It does this through the development and on-the-ground implementation of executive study modules and business consulting. The key theories and practice to be transferred via these activities relate to regional cooperation, sustainable development, the environment, and impact investment aiming to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) 2030. The ETC is engaging with partners initially locally in Kyrgyzstan and will develop activities in neighboring Central Asian states. The ETC is also an international cluster point for professionals from the Central Asian region, presenting a structured opportunity to network between themselves, as well as with the project’s roster of experts. Finally, the project is designed to implement a Swiss educational and training experience by employing in the main Swiss experts and trainers, as well as other international consultants as required.

Objectives:

A group of Swiss and international experts, academics, and former civil servants aim to contribute to the development of the overarching goals of the GDCOO. These are, to:

• Assist economic, cultural and technical cooperation through the development and implementation of educational projects.
• Become a platform for discussion and collaboration among entrepreneurs, experts and policy makers to further develop business, governmental and non-governmental ties at the local, regional and international levels.
• Organise study modules in education, health, ecology, sustainability and other areas related to the SDG 2030.
• Develop executive learning programs to support rural areas and local communities in Central Asia.
• Provide consultancy and expertise to national institutions, international organizations, corporations, non-governmental organizations and Central Asian countries.

Outcomes:

• The synergy created from the interaction between the new generation of young professionals who have undergone ETC training and public and private institutions will help in promoting SDGs in the most disadvantaged regions of Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia.
• The ETC consults on migration trends and advises in formulating policies to mitigate them.
• The ETC provides tools to correct regional inequality, diminish the potential for inter-ethnic conflict, and contribute to stability and prosperity in the Central Asian region.

 Thematic Priorities:

• Education, executive-level training.
• Public and Private sector engagement.
• Climate, green economy and sustainability.
• Multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral approach.

Networking:

In order to meet its objectives, the ETC engages in collaboration with policy makers, academic institutions, the business community, international organizations, and NGOs.

The ETC as a local desk for cooperation in Central Asia, promotes multi-stakeholderism as an approach to engage local and international actors working to achieving the UN SDGs 2030.

Geographical Focus:

The ETC focuses on the Central Asian states (Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan). The experience of the ETC could be replicated in other regions across the global south. GDCOO is engaging in similar institution building activities in Western Africa, with a business consulting project currently taking place in Dakar, Senegal.

Audience:

The ETC is designed to inform, train and work with decision-makers, strategic analysts and policy advisors from the government, the private sector, and international organizations. The Centre should maintain close ties with local and international think tanks, foresight practitioners and international consultants. Young professionals and university graduates from various domains related to sustainability, applied sciences, engineering, social sciences and business administration are invited to promote GDCOO ETC’s activities locally and internationally.