Knowledge – a key for partnership and sustainable development in Central Asia

Iskandar Abdullaev

February 16, 2015

Short Communications

Abstract

Knowledge is a key for sustaining current and enhancing future development of societies. Currently, development is based on knowledge and resilience, and is measured by knowledge adaptation capacities of the communities. Central Asian states have a great potential to become knowledge–based societies. High literacy levels, large number of knowledge-based sectors, strong traditions of knowledge production make countries of the region attractive from the point of knowledge development. Since Independence Central Asian states are reforming their education and scientific spheres. Transformation of these sectors has changed landscape of knowledge management in the region. Moreover, last two decades countries of the region delinked from the common information and knowledge platforms of soviet times. Common scientific journals and academic networks for facilitation of knowledge exchange and scientific cooperation are rarely available. Moreover, language barriers seriously limit Central Asian scientists’ access to the international knowledge platforms as well. Therefore, countries of Central Asia are not only land-locked they are becoming also double “knowledge locked”.