UCA Joins Eurasia-Pacific Uninet Meeting to Advance Academic Partnerships
The University of Central Asia (UCA) participated in the 2026 Eurasia-Pacific Uninet (EPU) Plenary Meeting and Erasmus+ Cooperation Seminar at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University in Almaty.
The event brought together representatives from Austria, China, India, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to discuss shared priorities in higher education and research, and explore opportunities for international collaboration.
UCA is a member of EPU, an Austrian academic network connecting universities and research institutions across Europe and Asia. At this year's meeting, UCA Rector Professor Christopher J. Gerry delivered a keynote address titled “Universities Without Borders? Academic Connectivity in an Age of Fragmentation”. He emphasised the importance of purposeful and equitable partnerships in addressing common challenges, particularly in an increasingly fragmented world. “Let us stop counting partnerships, and start making them count,” he said, calling for stronger cooperation among Central Asian universities alongside their engagement with European and other international partners.
From dialogue to academic cooperation
A key focus was how universities can use Erasmus+ programmes to develop joint projects, strengthen institutional cooperation and expand opportunities for student and staff exchanges.
A dedicated networking marketplace connected participants with representatives from more than ten Austrian higher education institutions, providing opportunities to explore potential partnerships under Erasmus+ and beyond
For UCA, the meeting also provided an opportunity to engage with universities from Mongolia, China and Austria to discuss potential cooperation in academic programmes, research and mobility, and explore possibilities for future joint initiatives.
