Migration Regimes of Youth and the Role of Diaspora Networks in Kyrgyzstan
Welcome to the Research Summer School 2023!
This site provides you with information about the Research Summer School on Youth Migration. It takes place at the Kyrgyz National University (KNU) named after J. Balasagyn in Bishkek from August 14th to August 31st 2023.
It is funded by DAAD in the “Go East” Summer School Programme.
Find details regarding topics such as the programme, application process and funding below.
Concept
The Research Summer School: Migration Regimes of Youth and the Role of Diaspora Networks in Kyrgyzstan aims to introduce various patterns of youth migration both on a national as well as an international level. Thus, considering and questioning influential factors as social media or diaspora networks.
The strong emphasis on research encourages the participants to implement a small research project from the scratch within the thematic context of the summer school. Besides strengthening crucial skills for future researchers (e. g. research questions and conception, methodological approaches, presentation skills), it provides participants with experience of working in international research teams with all its opportunities and challenges. Equipping them with fruitful insights and basic skills for their future scientific work (e. g. their scientific thesis) in the context of migration and diaspora
studies.
In terms of the scientific content, the Summer School aims to identify factors influencing migration, challenges and risks to communities arising from the rapid emigration of youth and the role of diaspora in migration processes. Additionally, the projects accomplished by the participants will contribute to strengthen research capacities on this relevant issue in Kyrgyzstan.
The Research Summer School aims for the participants to acquire the following competences:
- Knowledge about basic theories and concepts in migration and diaspora research
- Knowledge about various migration regimes in Kyrgyzstan
- Competence in relevant research methods, practical application of at least one method
- Developing and conducting an own research project in small teams in accordance with international standards of good scientific practice, including:
- Setting up a reasonable and relevant research design and research question
- Independently working on a research question and engaging with research method(s)
- Acquiring skills for data collection in fieldwork contexts, reflecting on power relations in research contexts
- Strengthening scientific presentation skills as well as skills to conceptualise scientific posters
- Generating relevant scientific output and contributing to scientific discourse
- Competence to work in an international research environment and small international research teams
- Strengthening the competence of self-management in scientific working processes, including realistic time-planning
- Gathering a basic regional competence for Central Asia and impressions of everyday livelihoods in Kyrgyzstan
- Generating an interest in the region and ideas for future research in the thematical context of the Summer School
Successful participation in the Research Summer School will be awarded with an official certificate of KNU and a review of the achieved results.
Participants seeking to be awarded ECTS for attending should inform about their respective home university requirements and get in touch with the organization team to discuss possible options.
Programme
Find the current Programme of the Research Summer School available for download below.
Application & Deadlines
Who can apply for the Research Summer School?
- Students enrolled at a university with strong interest in practicing research-related skills;
- advanced Bachelor or Master students with specialisation or strong interest in migration-related fields (e. g. geography, social sciences or political sciences);
- Participants are required to have a fluent command in English (proof must be provided on demand);
- Participants have to bring their own computers with MS Word, Excel and Power Point installed;
- During the excursion period participants agree to accommodation in tents, only basic infrastructure might be provided;
Applicants submit the following documents in English:
- CV
- Motivation Essay (about 2 pages) discussing the relevance and benefits of the Research Summer School to the applicant’s professional or research work.
Further, information about experiences with qualitative and quantitative research methods should be described.
The application documents are to be handed in via email (to migrasummerschool@uni-jena.de) as a single PDF document and indicate ‘Summer School Application’.
The application deadline is May 1st 2023. Candidates who have passed the initial selection process will be notified by June 19th 2023.
Relevant selection criteria:
- Quality of the application
- Professional specialisation of the applicant
- Strength of intersections of the summer school programme with study contents (the summer school programme is a reasonable extension of existing knowledge)
- General interest in scientific work
- Demonstration of a comprehensible and sustainable interest in migration and diaspora research
- Explanation and estimated extent of benefits for the individual professional or academic careers with the participation in the summer school
- Comprehensible interest in competence building of regional
knowledge in Central Asia and, in best case, perspectives for the future utilization of these competences;
Important dates:
- May 1st 2023: Deadline for applications
- May 8th 2023: Notification of initial selection candidates
- June 19th 2023: Notification of successful applicants
- August 14th – August 31st 2023: Research Summer School in Kyrgyzstan
Costs & Funding
Costs:
Participation fee: 650€
Costs for accommodation and food (for the dates of the summer school programme): 350€-400€ (the costs will be specified as soon as the final number of participants is clear)
Funding:
Students from Germany have the opportunity to apply for a stipend provided by DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) covering the participation fee, travel expenses allowance and a partial scholarship. Find further information here: https://www.daad.de/de/im-ausland-studieren-forschen-lehren/praktika-im-ausland/goeast/sommer-und-winterschulen/ausschreibung-go-east-winterschulen-2020/
Students from other countries are eligible to apply for a reduced participation fee. In this case, please attach an informal letter of request to your application documents.
Travel & Visa Issues
Travel: Individual traveling issues (e. g. booking flights) are not included in the Summer School organization. Every participant is in charge for her/his own travels to Bishkek.
Visa Issues: Participants need to independently inform about visa requirements on the respective websites of their home country embassies.
For participants from Germany: Stays up to 60 days are visa free (information without warranty). Current requirements can be found under:
Contact
Get in touch with the organization team:
migrasummerschool@uni-jena.de
Partners of the Research Summer School
About Us:
Kurmanbek Narynbek uulu (PhD, professor) – I work as the head of the Department of Tourism and Recreational Geography, in the Faculty of Geography, Ecology and Tourism, at Kyrgyz National University named after J. Balasagyn. I participated in the Erasmus+ teacher mobility program between Romania and the Kyrgyz Republic.
Barbara Meier (M. A.) – I am a doctoral student in social geography at the University of Jena, Germany. For my PhD I conducted seven month of fieldwork in Kyrgyzstan. The exchange during this time with my colleagues at KNU was very fruitful and gave the incentive for the Research Summer School.
Research Summer School 