From June 25th to 29th, 2023, the Tian-Shan Policy Center organized a summer environmental camp for students "Sustainable Natural Resource Management and GIS in Chychkan." The objectives of the event were to raise students' awareness about the importance of preserving the Chychkan Gorge ecosystem and conducting research on the use of natural resources in this unique complex.

From June 25th to 29th, 2023, the Tian-Shan Policy Center organized a summer environmental camp for students "Sustainable Natural Resource Management and GIS in Chychkan."
 

Participating in an exchange program offers numerous benefits, such as cultural immersion, personal growth, and academic enrichment. The decision to participate in an exchange semester in Paris was driven by my desire to experience a new culture, enhance my language skills, broaden my perspectives, and develop a global network.

The ever-present topic of Big Data was once again in the spotlight with the talk by Chrys Margaritidis on the ethical implications of Big Data, particularly addressing the geographic information systems (GIS) field.

The ever-present topic of Big Data was once again in the spotlight with the talk by Chrys Margaritidis on the ethical implications of Big Data, particularly addressing the field of geographic information systems (GIS). This public lecture, organized by the OSUN GeoHub project, was held at the American University of Central Asia (AUCA) on June 7 and gathered an audience both in-person and online.
The talk recognized the predominant role of Big Data and metadata in our daily lives. One day we are witnessing the positive impact of Big Data analytics on consumer experience and the management of global crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The next day, we hear about the misuse of personal information by technology giants like Facebook and Cambridge Analytica or the reports about the effect of fake news on the electoral process.
Focusing more on the potential "dark" side of Big Data, the lecture discussed such examples as predictive policing, real-time surveillance, and pre-emptive punishment, showing how otherwise beneficial uses of Big Data can pose significant risks to our society if we don’t develop a comprehensive understanding of their importance and an ethical framework to handle their potential consequences. The last part of the presentation explored the challenges in the GIS field, particularly looking at the ways the geospatial data is gathered, stored, analyzed, and used.
The lecture sparked a lively discussion among both online and in-person participants about the ethical aspects of Big Data and GIS, highlighting the relevance and importance of the issue and encouraging further exploration of this crucial topic.

  GeoHub is  pleased to extend an invitation to all for a thought-provoking public lecture on the topic of "Ethics of Big Data and GIS: The Taming of the Big Brother?" Chrys Margaritidis, an esteemed expert in the field, will deliver the lecture.

  On May 03, AUCA hosted a public lecture by Robert Daly on  ''U.S. - China Relations: Insights for Central Asia.''   The Central Asian Studies Institute (CASI) and the International and Comparative Politics Department (ICP) continue guest lectures by U.

At the end of April, the Anthropology Department of AUCA held a conference, "Central Asia: New Local Forms of Knowledge, Art, and Practice,” attended by scientists, researchers, and public figures from different countries.

On the 28th of April, the Estonian Ambassador Toomas Tirs gave a guest lecture on Estonian foreign policy towards Central Asian countries. This lecture was organized by the AUCA International and Comparative Politics Department
 

On April 11, the AUCA library hosted an evening of poetry, "We Dedicate Poems to Spring.” Students, faculty, and staff gathered in the library's multimedia room to read poems by their favourite authors or share poems of their composition.