In 2016, the University of Central Asia (UCA) marked the 10th anniversary of its School of Professional and Continuing Education (SPCE) in 2016. To support UCA’s considerations of how SPCE may continue to contribute to the social and economic development of Central Asia, particularly its mountain societies, UCA selected College of the Rockies to carry out an impact assessment. The College was selected because it has a similar profile to SPCE in terms of its program offerings and its mandate to support communities and learners in mountainous regions. The impact assessment, which was led by the College’s Chair of Applied Research and Academic Innovation, involved the College designing a survey instrument and carrying out semi-structured interviews during extensive field work in remote locations in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. The College’s final report contributed greatly to UCA’s discussions regarding the future directions of its professional and continuing education programming in Central Asia.
