On April 18-19, an ISTC delegation headed by Deputy Executive Director, Laura Schmidt Williams, visited the remote region of Osh, Kyrgyzstan.

This occasion represented the first visit by a senior ISTC official to Osh, a region with a significant number of experts with whom ISTC is now seeking to engage. Listed among the institutes visited were the Inter-regional Center for Veterinary Diagnostics, the Osh Anti-Plague Center, and the Kygyz-Uzbek University. Ms. Williams met with the Governor of Osh Region, Jantoro Satybaldiev, who expressed his support for ISTC activities and for future cooperation, and also met Academician Japar Tekenov, head of the Southern Department of the National Academy for Science. During the visit, scientists and officials from the Osh Region explained there was substantial interest in engaging with the ISTC. For its part, the ISTC will look to bring the skills of the Osh scientists to the attention of its Funding Parties and Partners. First stages of cooperation include nominating a Senior Project Manager at ISTC to promote the Osh Region and its potential for ISTC projects.