The Political and Economic Impact of International University Scholarships in Central Asia (2008)

Undergraduate: Emre Cilem

Faculty Advisor: David Dill & Robert Jenkins
Department: Public Policy

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Central Asia, isolated under the Soviet Union, has since the early 1990’s, seen the implementation of many fellowship and exchange programs to promote global political, social and economic integration. I conducted a comparative study between the wealthiest, Kazakhstan, and the poorest, Tajikistan, nations of the former Soviet republics in Central Asia. I met with fellowship alumni and program administrators (of American and European programs) to better understand the goals and real outcomes of these fellowships. And I found that the fellowships have, to varying degrees, advanced the business and policy interests of their Western host countries in these former Soviet republics. Through educational experiences abroad, fellowship students establish social networks and develop an understanding if not adoption of the social norms and value systems of their Western host countries. When these students return to their home countries they are better able to communicate and facilitate both business and government activities with their counterparts from abroad. This new ease of transaction through the development of new ‘bridging’ social capital holds benefits for those countries, which sponsor the fellowship and exchange programs.