DUSHANBE, June 2, Asia-Plus — Ninety graduates of the School of Professional and Continuing Education (SPCE), University of Central Asia (UCA) were honored at a ceremony attended by representatives of government, international organizations, proud families and friends. The ceremony was held in Khorog last Saturday.
According to Ms. Sitora Shokamolova of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) Tajikistan, forty-eight students received the Certificate in Accounting Technology (CAT) credential. The CAT program offers a professional qualification that prepares graduates for positions as lead accountants in small enterprises or NGOs, and bookkeepers/accountants in larger enterprises and organizations. The students received 540 hours of direct classroom instruction from 27 March 2007 – 28 December 2007. CAT is valued at 30 credits of European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) and consists of 4 modules: Basics of Accounting, IT Accounting Software, Managerial Accounting, and Business Law, Taxation and Customs Regulations. It is based on International Accounting Standards and is the first program of its kind in Central Asia. CAT also prepares students for the forthcoming program leading to the Certified Accounting Practitioner (CAP) qualification.
Twenty-one students received a Certificate of Achievement, having completed the requirements of Levels 2 & 3 of the English for Business Program. The program is based on the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) syllabus and SPCE Khorog is a registered LCCI centre. English for Business has 5 levels: Preliminary and 4 higher levels. The graduates of the program can now proceed to the advanced levels and obtain the internationally recognized LCCI credentials that testify to advanced proficiency in English and its application in business practice.
Twenty-one students received a Certificate of Achievement in Training of Guides. The program prepares guides among the local community members. The program consists of two modules: the natural, cultural and historical heritage of the region; and guides training itself. Graduates of the Training of Guides will be able to continue their studies in tourism by enrolling in the Mountain Tour Operator (MTO) Certificate program that was launched at the end of last year. The MTO program provides a professional qualification that provides knowledge and practical skills for tour operators in mountain regions.
The University of Central Asia was founded in 2000 by the governments of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan, and His Highness the Aga Khan. The International Treaty and Charter establishing this secular and private University was signed by His Highness the Aga Khan and the Presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan, ratified by the respective parliaments and registered with the United Nations. Established in 2006, the School of Professional and Continuing Education is the University’s first operational academic program. The School is Central Asia’s first provider of formal, university-based, non-degree educational programs. It emphasizes tertiary short-cycle education (TSCE), which gives students intense training, usually in one year or less, that results in a widely accepted qualification to perform industry-specific tasks.
