Between July 17 and 18, Maka Chitanava, the Deputy Head of the EEPRC, attended the 3rd Central Asian Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Think Tanks Development Forum in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Representatives from university think tanks, governments, and business circles came from every CAREC member country. Discussions were held over future prospects for cooperation, the development of a regional knowledge-sharing network, as well as key political issues facing the region. Determining the main institutional problems of think tanks was also an integral part of the debates.

The titular thematic focus of the 3rd CAREC Think Tanks Development Forum was ‘Building Knowledge Corridors along the Silk Road’. A ‘knowledge corridor’ has become a very important concept in the 21st century; this innovation pertains to the connectivity of ideas and knowledge between partners. The aim of the CAREC Think Tanks Development Forum was to create effective mechanisms for promoting regional knowledge integration, strengthen connectivity in the CAREC region, and ensure its overall sustainability.

Over the two days of the event, approximately 100 senior officials from universities, think tanks, governments, the business sector, and partner institutions discussed the key policy issues of the region, shared best practices and lessons on sub-themes/topics, and identified the major institutional challenges to be tackled by think tanks and how to approach finding solutions.

The ISET Policy Institute is proud to be part of this initiative, and be on the front lines of the changes in the region.