A wide variety of theoretical and practical aspects of the security, economic and human rights situation in Central Asia through the prism of the OSCE's activities in the region were covered during a one-week module for the students of the OSCE Academy's Masters Programme in Politics and Security, which was held on 11-15 March in Bishkek.
The experts, including OSCE project staff members, delivered lectures and facilitated a discussion by the students of historical and political context of the OSCE's establishment in the post-Cold War world, confidence and security building measures, applied within OSCE's politico-military activities, the "Helsinki effect" and the situation with human rights. Emphasis was made on specific regional issues, including management of scarce resource such as water. Work with case studies constituted the applied part of the course. Much time was devoted to exploring the OSCE's structure, the role of its units and interaction between them.
The OSCE module is a part of the curricula of both Masters programmes of the OSCE Academy - Politics and Security and Economic Governance and Development. This is an intense interactive modular course, delivered by experts from the OSCE's field missions in Central Asia and the Secretariat, and former OSCE employees. The whole context of the course is closely connected with peculiarities of the OSCE's activities in the Central Asian region based on the specific needs and challenges.