TUC goes all out for cooperation with countries in the Eurasia-zone and is one of the higher education institutions who received the most support from the sso-called Eurasia-program funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This picture is from Kyrgyzstan, one of the countries where TUC cooperates (Photo: Arvid Odland).

- TUC is one of the Norwegian universities who has received the largest amount in support from the Norwegian state-funded Eurasia-program. The program is important for the development of the civil society in the Eurasia region, and at the same time these projects give a new perspective to our own education programs and research activities, says TUC’s new Vice Rector for Research,and external relations, Dr. Pål Augestad.

Sustainable Tourism
TUC’s Department of Environmental Studies has received NOK 5,1 mill. for their project on ”Education in the field of innovation and sustainable tourism in Kyrgyzstan, Georgia and Norway”.

The project will contribute towards establising education programs in sustainable tourism in the two countries, and includes the making of curriculum, teaching methods, teaching materials and quality assurance in the educational programs. The cooperation will relate to studies at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels.

TUC’s project partners are Bishkek Academy of Finance and Economics, Issykul State University, The Kyrgyz-Turkish University and Kyrgyz Economic University, all in Kyrgyzstan, in addition to Shota Rustaveli State University in Georgia.

Sustainable Energy Development
The Faculty of Technology cooperates with the National Technical University of Ukraine (KPI) on a project to modernize and internationalize higher education in Energy and Environmental Technology. This project received NOK 2,1 mill. from the Eurasia-program in 2010 (2010 – 2014).

The KPI-project has allready started and in October there will be a seminar on TUC’s Porsgrunn campus where academic staff from both partners will meet to make plans for the implementation of the project.

As regards the educational side of the project, this will primarily relate to the master’s and doctoral levels, but the project will also facilitate ccoperatin in research.

Folk Music
Campus Rauland has for many years collaborated with international partners in Europe within education in folk art. Academic staff from Rauland have been involved as resource persons in the developing and establishing education programs in folk musid in several European countries.

Based on these experiences and contacts they have made through this collaboration, new contacts have been established both in Belarus and Ukraine. Students from these countries have also studied for a Master’s degree in Traditional Arts in Rauland.

Scholarships for students
One of the main objectives in the Eurasia-program is to give students from the cooperating countries an opportunity to study in Norway and learn more about the Norwegian educational system and the Norwegian society. Thus the Eurasia-program also includes a scholarship program for students.

TUC has been informed that we will receive NOK 1,1 mill. towards scholarships for Eurasian students for the periode 2012 – 2014.

Want students and staff to go abroad
TUC encourages both students and staff to get ingaged in international collaboration, and today we are part of a large network of international partners both in Europe and in the rest of the world.

- We work continously to improve and facilitate student exchange. We also encourage staff exchange, and several of our academic groups are involved in international networks and projects, says Trine Ellefsen, head of TUC’s International Office.