Osh State University (OshSU) has become the site for the opening of an inter-institutional research center dedicated to studying air pollution, named IRCAPS. The ceremony, held on November 19, gathered numerous participants, including a delegation led by Nobutoshi Nawa, a professor at the Tokyo Institute of Technology and a renowned scientist, as well as Nishigato Kotaro, a representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Kyrgyzstan. The university rector, Kudaiberdy Kozhobekov, along with faculty and students, also attended the event.
Kozhobekov emphasized that the establishment of this center opens new horizons for scientific, educational, and international cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and Japan. He added that the project holds significant strategic importance aimed at addressing one of the most pressing issues of our time.
The main focus of the center's work will be on researching the impact of polluted air on human health. Plans also include the installation of measuring devices both inside and outside buildings to monitor air quality in cities such as Osh and Bishkek, as well as in other regions of the country.
The creation of the center was made possible within the framework of a project called "Development of an Air Pollution Assessment System Based on Satellite Data and Modeling of Regional Transport of Chemical Substances." This project is being implemented by Osh State University in collaboration with the Tokyo Institute of Technology, and three university staff members have undergone specialized training in Japan to work in this area.
The project will be implemented over five years, starting in 2025. Funding is provided with the support of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), with an investment volume of $5 million. All necessary equipment for the operation of the research center has already been acquired.
