UM, Tajikistan maintain popular exchange program

For the past five years, University of Montana leaders have traveled to the Republic of Tajikistan, interacting and working with Tajik scholars to organize an exchange program for students and faculty.
UM’s academic program focused on Central Asia includes Tajikistan. The university has agreements with several universities in Central Asia, allowing UM students and faculty to visit foreign universities while Central Asian students spend time at UM.

For the past five years, University of Montana leaders have traveled to the Republic of Tajikistan, interacting and working with Tajik scholars to organize an exchange program for students and faculty.
UM’s academic program focused on Central Asia includes Tajikistan. The university has agreements with several universities in Central Asia, allowing UM students and faculty to visit foreign universities while Central Asian students spend time at UM.
President George Dennison, Provost Royce Engstrom, Associate Provost for International Education Mehrdad Kia and Associate Director of the Central and Southwest Asia Program Dr. Ardi Kia spent Sept. 2 through Sept. 11 in Tajikistan discussing how UM can help further the development of their education system and various research projects, including excavating and analyzing archaeological sites, Dennison wrote in an e-mail.
“The sky is the limit, basically, in terms of Tajikistan,” Mehrdad said.
All the Central Asian countries are revising their curriculum so it is up to par with the European and United States curriculums, Ardi and Mehrdad said.
While in Tajikistan earlier this month, the Tajik Ministry of Education asked for assistance in revising their curriculum and education system, Dennison wrote via e-mail.
“We have worked on similar projects in other countries,” he wrote. “In doing so, we learn a great deal about problems we face in this country and make a valuable contribution to the solution of world problems.”
On Engstrom’s first visit to Tajikistan in September, he said he realized how remarkable the country is and how bringing its history and culture to UM will contribute to both students and professors, he said.
“For us to learn more about Tajikistan and other Central Asian countries is key to our understanding of world events,” Engstrom said. “It presents a real opportunity for us.”
There are currently 35 to 40 Tajik students enrolled at UM. The number has increased rapidly and “we think the number will (continue to) increase,” Mehrdad said.
During their last visit to Tajikistan, Tajik leaders told Mehrdad that UM is the first American university on the list of colleges to choose from and there is a waiting list of students who want to enroll at UM, he said.
The English Language Institute at UM helps the Tajik students learn English quickly in a warm and supportive environment, he said.
“(Tajik students) realize the university treats them as a member of the university,” Mehrdad said. 
When the students return to Tajikistan they share their experiences with others and word spreads that UM respects Tajikistan, he said.
By sending students to Tajikistan for an extended period of time, Ardi said he hopes they will be able to learn the country’s language and read, translate and analyze medieval transcripts found at the Academy of Manuscripts in Tajikistan.
The students can then share the information found with UM and the rest of the world, Ardi said.
“Many more bridges will be built” as UM continues to work with Tajik scholars on research and other projects, Mehrdad said.
amy.faxon@umontana.edu