The Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic has announced the start of the second phase of the grant program of the Academic Innovation Fund (AIF). This initiative is being implemented within the framework of the extensive project "Quality and Innovations in Higher Education" (KIWO), which is supported by the World Bank. Deputy Minister Durus Kozuev and project leader Rasul Abazbek uulu shared details about the competition at a press conference held at the "Kabar" agency.
The fund aims to modernize the scientific potential of Kyrgyz universities and establish a constructive dialogue between the academic community and the economic sector. Both public and private universities in the country can be invited to participate. Priority will be given to projects led by women, as well as initiatives that involve female students and representatives of socially vulnerable groups.
Competition participants can receive grants of up to 200,000 US dollars, and the implementation period for approved programs should not exceed 36 months. It is important to note that grant funds cannot be used for capital construction, salary payments to teachers, scholarships, or the purchase of vehicles. All expenses must be targeted.
Applications will be accepted in two stages:
Preliminary short applications are accepted until April 8, 2026. Candidates who pass the first selection must submit full project proposals by July 30, 2026.
A series of explanatory events is planned for interested participants. Online consultations will be held in Google Meet in mid-March (on the 12th, 16th, and 19th), and hybrid seminars will take place on March 25, April 3, and April 7. Registration for the seminars is open until March 22 at the email address aifgrant2025@gmail.com.
The program has already generated significant interest: in the first round, which started in the summer of 2025, 38 universities submitted nearly 200 applications. Currently, experts are completing the analysis of the most promising projects, planning to support up to eight of them.
The KIWO project, with a total budget of 25 million dollars, is financed through the International Development Association. The agreement offers the republic favorable conditions: an interest-free loan for 50 years with a 10-year grace period. In addition to grant assistance, funds will be used to create modern innovation centers and improve the accreditation system for higher education in Kyrgyzstan.
