At a recent press conference at the "Kabar" agency, the director of the ORP KIVO, Rasul Abazbek uulu, reported significant interest from universities in the grants of the Academic Innovation Fund (AIF). In the first round of the competition, which took place in the summer of 2025, 38 universities, both public and private, participated. The selection procedure was conducted in two stages: out of 196 submitted concepts, 59 best applications from 20 universities were chosen for final evaluation.
The applications were divided into seven key areas:
10 projects related to energy and engineering technology systems;
11 - biomedical and biotechnological sciences;
8 - biology and ecological-medical sciences;
10 - agronomy and food sciences;
6 - education and inclusion;
5 - socio-economic innovations;
9 - information and communication technologies and cybersecurity.
“We are launching the second round of the competition based on the successful experience of the first. We have strengthened support for applicants, clarified procedures, and conducted additional informational sessions. Our goal is to ensure transparency and competitiveness in the process, as well as to improve the quality of the projects submitted. We will actively engage with the academic community of each university,” added Rasul Abazbek uulu.
According to the head of ORP KIVO, this competition aims to support innovative academic and research initiatives, develop the scientific potential of universities, and strengthen ties between universities and the economy. The priorities of the competition include modernization of educational programs, implementation of interdisciplinary approaches, improvement of educational and laboratory infrastructure, as well as integration of digital technologies into the educational process.
The maximum grant amount is 200,000 US dollars, and the project implementation period can reach 36 months. The total funding volume of the AIF is 4 million US dollars.
At the same time, it is worth noting that funding does not allow for expenses related to construction, salaries for teachers, scholarships for students, or the purchase of vehicles. Expenses unrelated to the implementation of the subproject are strictly prohibited.
The KIVO project is being implemented with the support of the government of Kyrgyzstan and is financed by the World Bank.
