The International Science and Technology Center (ISTC), in collaboration with the Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, inaugurated its new Resource Center in Dushanbe.

OPENING OF NEW INTERNATIONAL RESOURCE CENTER TO ENHANCE BUSINESS SKILLS OF TAJIK SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY

9 April, 2008 - The International Science and Technology Center (ISTC), in collaboration with the Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, inaugurated its new Resource Center in Dushanbe. The Center will offer Tajik scientists distance-learning programs, on-site training, access to computers and the Internet and other technical equipment to improve their business skills.

Laura Schmidt Williams, the ISTC US Deputy Executive Director, stated "ISTC is pleased to work closely with the Tajik Academy of Sciences to bring the scientific and business collaboration between ISTC and Tajik scientists to the next level. The new Resource Center will provide valuable support to the Tajik scientific community in identifying investors for peaceful research and innovation, and supporting the long-term sustainability of Tajik scientists."

By providing equipment and infrastructure, the ISTC will increase the opportunity to hundreds of Tajik scientists to follow courses especially designed to fit their needs such as Intellectual Property, Business Plan Development, Business Administration, Introduction to Commercialization, Negotiation for Success, Business Communication and Presentation Skills. 

The Tajik Resource Center is the 7th of its kind - the others being located in Moscow (Russia), Yekaterinburg (Russia), Dimitrovgrad (Russia), Bishkek (Kyrgyz Republic), Yerevan (Republic of Armenia) and Almaty (Kazakhstan). 

To date, over 4,000 ISTC Beneficiary scientists have participated in events and training organized by the ISTC Resource Centers, improving their capacity to create and run private enterprises. ISTC’s various training courses helped over 2,200 scientists to prepare business plans, from which 550 subsequently received funding from investors. 

The quality of the distance-learning program was underlined by different international prizes such as gold diplomas (First Place) at the International exhibition Hi Tech 2005 and the E-Learning 2006 international conference.