On 16-17 October the OSCE Academy Alumni Network organized the Alumni Conference on "Digital Transformations in Central Asia: Current State and New Perspectives". The participants of the conference, more than 30 alumni, were welcomed by Dr. Alexander Wolters, Director of the OSCE Academy, and Ambassador Alexey Rogov, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek.
The event was opened by honorable guests from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) Dr. Vladimir Morozov, Vice-Rector for Human Resources, Associate Professor, and Prof. Elina Sidorenko, Director of the Center for Digital Economy and Financial Innovation. Dr. Morozov spoke on international cooperation in higher education, MGIMO experience, and outlined the plans for collaboration between the OSCE Academy and MGIMO. Porf. Sidorenko delivered a Keynote speech on ”Development of Law in the Context of Digital Transformation.”
The conference continued with three panels covering digitalization in the state, in the economy and human rights and values. Moderators of the panels are experts in this field in Kyrgyzstan: Dr. Nuria Kutnaeva, Director and Founder of the Public Foundation "DigitalTechnology Foundation", Dr. Zhyldyz Tegizbekova, Associate Professor, AlaToo International University, Kyrgyzstan; Teaching Professor, KAZGUU University, Kazakhstan, and Talant Sultanov, Chair and Co-Founder, Kyrgyz Internet Society, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
On 17 October participants spent at eco-resort in the mountains together with Cross-Cultural Communication expert Julia Johannsen, learning the basics of cross-cultural communication and discuss different concepts of culture. The conference was concluded with teambuilding and network activities.
The presentations and discussion of the conference will be summarized in the “Academy Paper” report.