RESEARCH ACTIVITIES Research activities are a vital part of the American University in Kyrgyzstan's mission. As a result of these research activities, the University may continuously develop innovative teaching methodologies that are actively applied to the educational process. International programs and organizations in Kyrgyzstan and abroad directly support scientific research conducted by the University scientists and staff. Research activities are also directed at improving the local business environment and educational system. THE FOLLOWING DEPARTMENTS AT AUK CONDUCT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH: BUREAU OF STUDY COUNSEL
(Education Laboratory) The Bureau of Study Counsel is a research laboratory, which studies the most important issues in higher education of today as well as ethical and intellectual development of AUK students, their cognitive abilities and styles. The name has borrowed from the similar unit at Harvard University that was directed by Professor William Perry. In Kyrgyzstan, there are no efficient structures, which provide counseling of students by utilizing various psychological methods and techniques such as the personal interview (a student is interviewed by one of the members of the lab in the way specifically designed for this purpose), an essay, and testing their multiple intelligences (system of tests suggested by various researchers is used to fully identify an all-round picture of each student's personality and his diverse cognitive abilities). All these help to follow the process of the student's development. If there is no progress it is necessary to find out the reasons. We consider them as efficient methods of identifying factors, which significantly effect a student's current ethical and intellectual development, their individual self-assessment as a cognitive personality. The Laboratory members analyze ethical and intellectual development of AUK students on the basis of the scheme elaborated by the deceased, Director of the Bureau of Study Counsel, Professor of Harvard University William Perry. He defined nine positions
in which a student can find himself at certain stages of studying in the University. Much attention is paid to students' future self-realization and decision-making abilities, because these may become signposts of change in the continuing growth of AUK as a completely innovative institution of higher learning. This important information includes a lot of examples of levels, areas and methods for furthering various activities that have proved useful for the development of cognitive psychology as well as higher education theory and practice in the country. It can, therefore, provide guidance for other Kyrgyzstani educational institutions. The other task of the Lab is to continuously get AUK faculty acquainted with the results of the research for them to: 1) be aware of students' ethical and intellectual level as well as of their psychological and cognitive abilities; 2) apply this knowledge to improve their teaching methods. One of the most important directions of the lab's activity is the organization of the Orientation Week for freshmen in August, at the beginning of each academic year. During this week freshmen will acquire vitally important skills that will be necessary to adapt themselves to the University life. The course "University 101", conducted by the lab members within the framework of the Orientation Week, will help the students to adapt to the University life, to provide a foundation of vital skills that are essential for students and graduates in today's world, such as healthy way of life, planning their budget, time management, finding information sources, assessing their cognitive abilities, and so on. The most important, the course creates the basic building blocks for developing critical thinking skills, which is the fundamental tool for learning, and for developing a personal system of values. This team-taught course was worked up by the Bureau members together with students, juniors and sophomores of AUK. Under this course the following classes are conducted: "Goal Setting", "Your Cognitive Abilities", "Time Management", "Reading in the Cognitive Process", "Note Taking and Writing", "Memory and Listening", etc. During this week freshmen learn how to study and get acquainted with the university life, undergo the required psychological adaptation.
The main goal of the Laboratory and the University is to give every student an opportunity to aware her or his real aptitudes and to develop their social activity. That is why we decided to launch the other project that is the Service-learning course, which has a vivid sociological aspect and intends to give students another opportunity to grow up as a personality and mature citizen of a democratic country. In Kyrgyzstan, as well as in other countries of the former Soviet Union, we are loosing what we have gained in the past that is traditional ways of upbringing. So we need to fill the gap and find appropriate methods and tools of "helping our students to learn more about their own society o another society by being actively engaged in service to the most needy people in the society. The society benefits from the students' care-giving and the students benefit from thinking deeply about their responsibilities in the society and their own values." (Prof. Martha Merrill). We also agree with Prof. Martha Merrill's opinion that "service-learning differs from an internship or praktika in that the aim of the latter is for the student to gain professional skills which will help the student himself or herself, whereas the purpose of service-learning is for the student to develop ethically and intellectually while being of service to the society. It is well known that service-learning is a widely used in US universities and, increasingly, in other parts of the world." It was announced by the AUK President that forty hours of service be a requirement for graduation. But we think that service should be combined with learning. Service -learning course gives students necessary skills of reflection and analysis that will help them learn from experience throughout their lives and study. It may bring a person to a stage in which commitments evolve and could meet the requirements in terms of the ultimate product of the university -- its graduate who is expected to change our lives drastically. Thus the Lab is a leader and unique structure among traditional higher educational research institutions in Kyrgyzstan, which deals mainly with methods of teaching instead of methods of learning. Being an independent unit, the Lab prepares high skilled experts who are able to conduct comprehensive research on education realm and become leaders in different fields of national education. CRITICAL THINKING LABORATORY The purpose of the Critical Thinking Lab is to assist in bringing up and educating a new, modern generation of people capable of flexible, independent, and creative thinking. Student participation in the lab's activities help ensure that they become capable of assuming the responsibility for their education and are ready to start building Kyrgyzstan after the graduation. The questions
the lab studies and reflects upon are: how to teach and study in today's changing world, how can students be best prepared for everyday life, and what knowledge is valuable today? As Kyrgyzstan's only entity devoted to critical thinking activities, the lab takes on the tasks of disseminating specific philosophical approaches and methods of teaching. The lab achieves these tasks through three approaches. First, the lab provides yearlong instruction to professors in teaching methodology classes. Secondly, consultations are provided for individual faculty or students who wish to pursue critical thinking strategies. Third, the lab creates teaching aids, video lessons, and a data bank of literature and resources to help faculty and students convert to a more analytical approach to thinking and learning. It also offers courses to students. A library fund, an introductory course, and a dictionary of terms are being created to support the spread of ideas about critical thinking. The lab's staff also seeks feedback to monitor the quality of students'critical thinking development and the quality of the labs instruction questionnaires for the evaluation of processes. The Lab acquired a status of a republic-wide laboratory in 2000. BUSINESS SEMINAR The Business-Seminar coordinates and supports research activities aimed at identifying contemporary political and economic trends in Kyrgyzstan. This group also focuses on the problems and trends associated with educational development in Kyrgyzstan and the USA. The Business-Seminar publishes its Business Seminar Herald on a quarterly basis. SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCH GROUP This group works with students, professors, public and private organizations, and international organizations in order to provide the progress in the quality of service. The recommendations presented by the Group have attracted much attention and interest from local businesses. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE The Business Development Institute was established in February of 2001 to implement the programs of supplementary education in the sphere of business, computer technologies and the English language. The Institute organizes seminars to teach local entrepreneurs how to conduct business and financial planning. The Institute provides opportunities to conduct research on the issues of leadership, water resources, public phenomena, entrepreneurship and other subjects related to the development of the local business environment. | 
