On 1 September 2025, the OSCE Academy welcomed new graduate students of Politics and Security (PS), Economic Governance and Development (EGD), and Human Rights and Sustainability (MAHRS) programmes, marking the beginning of the new academic year. The incoming classes are comprised of 54 students; 44 of them were present while the Academy is waiting for the arrival of ten students from Afghanistan.
Dr. Pal Dunay, Director of the OSCE Academy, opened the ceremony, encouraging new MA students to “take advantage of forming a community across nations and across programmes,” mentioning the 47 BA students currently at the Academy. He referred to the students as “young bright minds” and said that if they “understand that they are so much connected and so little divided, we will all benefit, so will Central Asia and the world.” He then passed the floor to the keynote speaker, H.E. Ambassador Dr. Volker Frobarth, the new Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, who advised students to “remain open-minded towards each other in a respectful way” but also “open for challenging discussions with each other.” In his address, he recognized the generous contributions of the key donors to the OSCE Academy’s 23-year-old history. “We begin this journey together,” said Dr. Frobarth, “me as Head of Mission, you as students,” marking it as a “funny coincidence.”
After Ambassador Frobarth’s address, speeches followed by Dr. Anja Mihr, MAHRS Academic Director, on behalf of the MAHRS Programme; Dr. Bururlcha Sulaimanova, Head of the Research and Training Department, representing the EGD programme; and Dr. Sebastian Mayer, DAAD Associate Professor, speaking on the PS programme.
Towards the end of the opening ceremony, Ambassador Frobarth invited another distinguished guest, H.E. Raphael Naegeli, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the OSCE and UN in Vienna, who expressed his gratitude and highlighted the support of the Swiss chairmanship to the OSCE Academy. Ambassador Naegeli said, “I came here to learn about the OSCE Academy and see it with my own eyes,” adding that “Switzerland does care about Bishkek and what happens to the Academy.” Switzerland is not only an important supporter and major donor of the Academy but is also taking the chair of the OSCE in 2026.
The ceremony finished with a group photo and networking activity.