American Councils - AUCA Semester Program for Social Entrepreneurship in Bishkek

This fall, American Councils and the American University of Central Asia (AUCA) will launch a groundbreaking semester program for undergraduate and graduate students that blends social entrepreneurship, problem-based learning, and Central Asian studies in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

 

Program participants will:

 

• Join teams of Central Asian students to research local community needs in Bishkek and develop products that address those needs in sustainable and environmentally responsible ways;
• Develop prototypes of the products they design in the AUCA Maker Space, an open-access workshop equipped with 3D printers and other high-tech tools;
• Pitch their new products to a group of investors and community leaders at semester’s end;
• Complete semester coursework in Social Entrepreneurship, Design Thinking, and Central Asia Today;
• Earn 16 semester credits from Bryn Mawr College in economics, sociology, and international studies;
• Gain hands-on skills that are most in demand by today’s employers, including creative problem-solving, leadership, and flexibility; 
• Live with local host families, who provide two meals per day and private, furnished rooms;
• Receive ongoing support, including 24-hour emergency assistance, from a full-time American Councils Resident Director; and
• Be eligible for financial aid from a wide range of American Councils scholarships.

 

Participants may opt to study Russian or Kyrgyz on program, but no prior language study is required to join the program.

 

More information on the program can be found on our website:
https://www.studyabroad.americancouncils.org/socialentrepreneurship

 

Or by writing: Outbound@americancouncils.org