On October 27, a working meeting was held at the office of the Krac Institute of Technological Diplomacy at Purdue University in Washington between a delegation from the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan, led by Deputy Minister Azat Ataev, and the leadership and experts of the institute. The Krach Institute was represented by Janice deGarmo (Chief Operating Officer), Lee Rubenstein (Chief Learning Officer), Dimitrios Peroulis (First Vice President for Online, joined remotely), and Nikki Hinshaw (Senior Partner for Strategic Partnerships).
The parties discussed practical formats of cooperation in artificial intelligence, energy, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, and digital learning, including short upskilling programs for managers and faculty.
During the discussion, the institute presented its approach to advancing “trusted technologies” and to training talent at the nexus of science, business, and public policy, as well as the capabilities of Purdue’s online arm. The Turkmen side emphasized the priority of systematically aligning “economic planning — labor market — education” and of using analytics and dashboards to promptly adjust curricula and improve training quality, taking into account the demographic window of opportunity.
Following the meeting, the parties agreed to jointly develop pilot online programs (AI/ML, data analytics, cybersecurity, and engineering tracks) for phased rollout at Turkmen universities. They also highlighted the need to create a unified data architecture linking labor-market demand with education statistics, enabling evidence-based management decisions and regular updates to course syllabi. The parties agreed to hold thematic expert sessions and exchanges, and to prepare a consolidated package of proposals with performance indicators (reach, completion, skills gain, integration into curricula).
Leaders and representatives of Turkmen higher education institutions and relevant Purdue University units also took part in the meeting.
The Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue specializes in advancing “trusted technologies,” bringing together expertise in science, innovation, and engineering with policy and international cooperation; its Tech Diplomacy Academy offers short programs for public- and private-sector organizations, including international partnerships.
