TECHNOLOGY, SCIENCE, EDUCATION, AND FOREIGN

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 001603

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN, DEPT FOR SCA/PPD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/11/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TECHNOLOGY, SCIENCE, EDUCATION, AND FOREIGN
ENTANGLEMENTS - A UNESCO EDUCATION CONFERENCE IN
TURKMENISTAN

Classified By: Charge Sylvia Reed Curran, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: From December 1-3, the PD Section
co-sponsored with UNESCO, UNICEF, the Turkmen Academy of
Sciences, and Ministry of Education (MOE) a three-day
conference on education, science, and the use of information
communication technologies (ICT) in these spheres. The
conference was opened by Deputy Chairman Hydyr Saparlyev and
attended by the President of the Academy of Sciences, the
Deputy Minister of Education, Rectors and Deputy Rectors from
each of the 15 universities and institutes in Turkmenistan,
and various researchers and bureaucrats. USAID, the PD
Section, and Fulbright Scholar Melda Yildiz presented various
topics during the conference. As the conference was held in
the still very new Awaza Tourist Zone, participants were
together day and night, offering U.S. participants
unprecedented access to MOE and Academy of Science officials.
END SUMMARY

"WE WANT YOUR HELP!" - UNIVERSITY RECTORS AND ACADEMICS


2. (C) During multiple sideline conversations, Rectors and
Deputy Rectors from various institutions approached the PAO
in hope of developing cooperative programs. They expressed a
desire to collaborate with U.S. scientists and academics,
bring U.S. technology into classrooms, access U.S. academic
journals, and expand U.S. English language programming. The
Deputy Rector of the Institute of Transport and
Communication, the institute responsible for training
computer and engineering technicians, cornered the PAO and
explained "we have this brand new, big, beautiful building,
but we don't know what to do, we need your help." He asked
for U.S. experts to come work with the Institute, and to have
access to U.S. technology companies and journals.


3. (C) The Director of the newly established National
Institute of Education (NIE) expressed a similar hope for
cooperation. The NIE is the newly formed centralized
training and standards center within the GOTX. During a
conversation with the PAO, the Director of the NIE asked if
he could send groups of Turkmen English language teachers to
PD's Information Resource Center to gain "enhanced English
language teaching techniques." He also said that they have a
nice new building but limited internet access and almost no
laboratories for teachers to practice using the new
technology being made available in some schools.

"WE'RE NOT INTERESTED IN STARTING ANYTHING NEW WITH THE U.S."
- THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION


4. (C) In almost direct contrast to the hopes and wishes of
educators and academics, the Director of the International
Department of the MOE, Nury Bayramov, was dismissive of
expanding international cooperation too quickly. (COMMENT:
The Embassy has a long and storied relationship with Mr.
Bayramov. He has been at the center of almost all of the
problems that the Embassy has experienced in the education
sphere over the past many years. END COMMENT.). During a
quiet dinner meeting, Mr. Bayramov told the PAO that "we're
not interested in starting anything new with the United
States." Throughout the public course of the conference, Mr.
Bayramov repeatedly ignored U.S. programs when outlining the
many international programs that the MOE manages.


5. (C) COMMENT: Despite pessimism from Mr. Bayramov, the
interest from MOE and Academy of Sciences leaders and
academics is encouraging. The Academy of Sciences is
independent from the MOE and is working successfully with PD
and USAID in several programs. It could be possible to
continue to leverage the Academy of Sciences to expand
cooperation in the higher education sector or on projects
that could be labelled as "science." END COMMENT.
CURRAN