UCA Welcomes the New Class at First Bell Ringing Ceremonies in Naryn and Khorog

The University of Central Asia’s (UCA) School of Arts and Sciences (SAS) welcomed its newest students at First Bell ceremonies on the Naryn and Khorog campuses, marking the beginning of the 2026–27 academic year and the start of a new chapter for the Class of 2030-2031.

Bringing together students, families, faculty, staff, university leadership and representatives of local authorities, the ceremonies marked a shared moment of transition as a new generation of students began their university journey.

This year, 78 students (44 female) joined UCA’s undergraduate programmes. The new class includes students from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan and Russia, coming from both urban centres and rural and mountain communities. They are studying Computer Science, Communications and Media, Global Economics, and Earth and Environmental Sciences across the two campuses.

Welcoming the new students, UCA Rector Professor  Christopher J Gerry described the First Bell as one of his favourite moments of the university year.

“There is something wonderfully simple about it: one sound marks a new beginning,” he said.

For the incoming students, he noted, this beginning brings both opportunities and uncertainties. Over the coming years, they will gain knowledge and skills, but he encouraged them to expect something more from their university experience: to discover new interests, have their assumptions challenged, make friends with people whose experiences differ from their own, and learn from both successes and failures.

For many, the move to UCA also means joining a university community that crosses national, cultural and geographical boundaries.

Soheil Ashrafi, Interim Dean of UCA SAS, similarly encouraged students to look beyond education as simply the accumulation of knowledge through classes, assignments and examinations. He described university as an opportunity for students to develop a deeper understanding of themselves, their communities and the wider world.

“Education and our commitment to learning help us elevate our day-to-day perspective, forming a deeper understanding of our connectedness to a shared world,” he said.

The First Bell marks the beginning of a university education, but speakers at both campuses encouraged students to think beyond classrooms, examinations and academic credentials.

In Naryn, Jyldyz Mambetova, Deputy Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic in Naryn Region, described UCA as an important part of the region’s educational, intellectual and social landscape. She encouraged students to see Naryn not only as a place to receive a quality higher education, but also as a space where they can apply their knowledge to real challenges facing the region: “Your knowledge is needed in Naryn. Your active participation is needed in our community. Your ideas are needed in Central Asia and the world,” she told the new students.

For the new class, the First Bell marked more than the beginning of a new academic year. It marked the moment when UCA became their university - and a new set of possibilities opened before them.

Welcome to UCA, Class of 2030 - 2031.