UCA at the Global Encounters festival in Dubai, UAE: Celebrating 25 years of impact.

Beneath the shimmering skyline of Dubai, where cultures from every corner of the world converge, the University of Central Asia (UCA) marked a milestone of its own: 25 Years of Impact in the mountain regions of Central Asia. At the Global Encounters Festival – a flagship international gathering of arts, culture, sports, and knowledge exchange that brought together thousands of young people, artists, and institutions from across the globe. As part of its presence, UCA showcased a special exhibition celebrating its 25th anniversary – the Silver Jubilee – and hosted a Friends of UCA reception, offering a window into the University’s journey and its vision for the future.

The photo exhibition highlighted the transformative impact UCA has had on the mountain communities of Central Asia over the past 25 years. It presented the University’s key milestones, diverse areas of activity, distinctive campus architecture, pioneering research, and contributions to the development of campus towns. Through graduate success stories, the exhibition also illustrated how UCA’s undergraduate programmes prepare top-tier professionals, while its Continuing Education programmes equip individuals with market-relevant skills.

Visitors were invited to go beyond the photo panels and step into UCA’s world and the wider Central Asian region through interactive experiences. Through virtual reality headsets, guests could explore UCA’s campus facilities in Naryn, Kyrgyzstan, and Khorog, Tajikistan. A cultural corner enabled them to try on traditional Central Asian headwear, play musical instruments such as the Rubab and Komuz, and listen to recordings of traditional music, bringing the region’s cultural heritage vividly to life. In addition, visitors could explore a selection of books on the culture of Central Asia, produced by UCA’s Cultural Heritage and Humanities Unit (CHHU), offering further insights into the region’s rich history and traditions.

On average, the exhibition attracted 700–800 visitors daily, reflecting the strong interest it generated among festival participants.  

Alongside the exhibition, another highlight of UCA’s presence at the festival was the Friends of UCA reception, which brought together almost 100 participants, including students and alumni, current and former staff, TKN volunteers, and donors from around the world. The University was honoured to host this special gathering, which featured keynote addresses by Dr Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, Chair of the Board of Trustees; Professor Christopher Gerry, Rector; and Mr Muzaffar Jorubov, Chief Operating Officer.

The programme also included inspiring contributions from UCA community members. Fotima Mirzoeva, a graduate of SPCE’s Academic Achievement Programme, shared reflections on how SPCE shaped her academic and professional journey, Mushtari Saidikova, a CAFDP Fellow currently pursuing her PhD at the University of Cambridge, presented her research on air pollution and human health, and Salina Kassam, TKN photographer, shared her reflections on her volunteering assignment with UCA and encounters with UCA’s beneficiaries.