WIUT Rector Bakhrom Mirkasimov and TALENT project team members took part in the reporting and discussion of project internal control outcomes. WIUT has been commended for the project outcomes delivered by university team. The visit also helps to establish international cooperation of WIUT. The MoU was signed with Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, Sofiya.
TALENT project team had a chance to meet Mayor of Nessebar Mr. Nikolay Dimitrov and Rector of Burgas Fre University, Professor Milen Baltov..   

On March 14^th and 15^th, WIUT hosted a visit by TALENT project partners from Bulgaria and Kyrgyzstan. Dr. Rumiana Jeleva and Dr. Albena Ieleva from Institute of Philosophy and Sociology (IPS, Sofia, Bulgaria) conducted internal quality audit for the MA in HRM and Talent Development Master’s Degree programme designed by the Erasmus + TALENT project and validated by the University of Westminster (London, UK). 

There were a round of interviews and focus group discussions with the WIUT Rector, Dean of SOBE School and Department Heads of Business Management and Marketing, Admission, Career Center, and Learning Resource Center.

The TALENT project partners also interviewed the Master’s Degree programme’s academic staff and students on their feedback and progress in the course. The results of the internal quality audit shall be sent to the European Union (EU) commission on the project implementation status at WIUT. The partners have had positive impressions on the WIUT teaching and learning environment. They commented that WIUT Master’s Degree programme meets the TALENT project goals and objectives.

As a reminder, Master’s Degree programme in HRM and Talent Development has been first launched in September 2020 and designed with both Central Asian and European University project Partners.   

Online host at Kyrgyz Economic University (KEU), Bishkek

From 17^th of May to 19^th of May, 2021, TALENT Project held its seventh general meeting. The project duration due to the pandemic and delay of results in some universities have 12 months extension. The project will be completed in October 2022.

The EU coaches and CA coordinators discussed planning and delivery of the master programmes in Central Asia. Upon the completion of the first year, it is necessary to make programme evaluation. Project coordinator will launch survey for students in all CA universities to provide feedback on their studies in HRM programme. The teachers who are involved in the delivery of courses will also have opportunity to reflect on the curriculum and materials, teaching, learning and assessment. The survey results and the teacher reflection will be discussed in the next meeting in September. 

Online host at American University of Central Asia (AUCA), Bishkek

The Sixth General TALENT Project Meeting was conducted from 18 January to 20 January 2021. The local coordinators provided factual information on the experience of the first semester teaching of the master programme. Central Asian universities presented their HRM and Talent Development master programmes, and discussed students’ recruitment campaigns and experience so far.

WIUT validated MA in HRM and Talent Development in 2019-2020. WIUT TALENT team and Marketing department have developed a promotion strategy to recruit students for the master programme. There was an active use of social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram) pages and advertisements, University website (http://www.wiut.uz/ma-hrmatd), news channels, open days and presentations.

WIUT reported that the first semester started with an online induction program that lasted one week from September 21 to 25^th 2020. MA HRM and Talent Development students were welcomed by university management and the course team presented the course, rules and regulations, research and assessment at WIUT in more details. Year 2020-2021 course programme was structured as below:

Semester 1 2020

Managing Talent and HRM Practice – Module Leader Olesya Smagina

Organisational Behaviour and Leadership - Module Leader Yulduz Yakubova

Strategic Aspects of HRM - Module Leader Sitora Inoyatova

Employee Relations and Employment Law - Module Leader Shakhnoza Kazimova

Moreover, project participants discussed the governance of local master programmes, role of EU coaches, summer schools with the possible prolongation of the project for one year.  In addition to the year 3 scenario, Central Asian universities are to prepare the Business Plans and Research Policy for each university and finalise it by May 2021.

On the third day of the meeting there was a practical workshop to discuss online teaching challenges and HRM practices in Kyrgyzstan.

Next official meeting will take place in May 2021 with online host of Kyrgyz Economic University (KEU).

TALENT project participants met at Nazarbayev University in Nur-Sultan to discuss and finalize the syllabus and curriculum for MA HRM and Talent Development. Participants were welcomed by Erasmus plus national office coordinator, Nazarbayev University top management and TALENT coordinators. Website, communication/learning platform (draft version) for the project was presented by Ann Scholl and Venkat Subramanian.

Central Asian coordinators demonstrated TALENT master programme to launch in September 2020 as well as national and institutional accreditation procedures in terms of timing internal and external evaluation and the authorities involved in the process. Four team leaders of the workgroups discussed the syllabus of the courses an in particular learning outcomes and indicative syllabus.

Carlos Machado conducted project evaluation to reflect on what was done so far and what to proceed with, quality assurance mechanisms and constructive alignment of the outcomes, teaching and assessment. Nazarbayev University initiated seminar devoted to HR Practices and Challenges in Central Asia. The seminar involved presentations of the speakers from Kazakhstan (David Mashuri, Strategic Advisor, Oksana Bondarenko, HR Director, KZ Systems LLP, Dennis De Tray), Kyrgyzstan (Saikal Esenamanova, M.Ryskulbekov KEU), Uzbekistan (Olesya Smagina, Westminster International University in Tashkent, Abror Juraev, Vice-rector for International Cooperation, BSU).  

Practical final arrangements for the February-March 2020 mobilities of the CA teachers to the EU partner institutions were discussed by Jan and Jacques. Mobility is organized in accordance with workgroups and host EU institution and the aim is to refine the course readers, observe classes of the relevant courses, conduct training on the subject matters of the workgroups. As a next step in the project, four workgroups are moving from syllabus to course reader design.