INDIAN MEDICAL STUDENTS IN CENTRAL ASIA: A WAY OF COOPERATION BETWEEN TWO REGIONS

Abstract

The emergence of new international actors put an end to the previous monopoly of national educational systems in Central Asia, which retained significant elements from the old Soviet, as a result the region has seen a rapid growth in the number of students attending Medical education since the end of the Soviet period. Three central Asian countries: Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have attracted several thousand students from India for several reasons including low fees, cheaper standard of living and nearness. India’s state governments are active partners in growing cooperation with the region, while there is an active partnership with them in education and high-altitude research. In Kyrgyzstan alone, there are more than 15 000 Indian students pursuing medical education. However, while Central Asia is becoming a hotbed for the Indian students, there a number of challenges which need to be overcome by the region. Amongst the underlying challenges some are as follows: Language sufficiency of academic staff, mobility of staff between two countries, medical practicing of foreign students, cultural adaptation, cultural exchange, medical and educational investments in Kyrgyzstan. This article will shed light on the mobility of Indian students to Central Asia for studying medical science. Points such as how this mobility can contribute to strengthening the relations between two regions, challenges - as mentioned above - will be discussed at length.