A sustainable development course for environmental engineers in Kyrgyzstan

Courses on sustainable development (SD) are taught in several institutes of Kyrgyzstan. However, courses for the specialties “eco‐technology”, and “ecological exploitation of natural resources” are only offered by two institutes. There are two alternative courses: for students; and (two months) for decision makers. The theoretical‐cognitive base of the courses includes Rio 92 documents, Club of Rome Reports, Brundlandt Report, Vernadsky biosphere‐nooshere theory, and the Kyrgyzstani Comprehensive Development Framework 2001‐2010. Three problems are also included: administrative apparatus reform; economy restoration (mining, water‐soil‐energy); and poverty alleviation. Philosophy, recent nature concept, regional and global problems are also included in the courses. A focus point in the courses is to restore balances between nature conservation and nature‐using activities, especially in the energy field (oil, gas, coal, and alternative energy from sun and wind). Sun, including collectors for water, building heating and processes for drying crops and vegetables by sunlight, are also included in the course. Small hydroelectric power stations (1‐22KW) might be used in the country's mountain range. The courses also deal with Central Asian ethnic problems (sharp divisions by ethnicity such as Turkish, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Uzbek, Iranian, Tadjik). There is also a course in emotional form, using poetry and (sometimes religious) verses. The courses have been taught since 1998. Thus far 400 students and 92 administrators passed the course. In this paper, the specific approach of the course, investigating SD at a conceptual as well as an emotional level, will be evaluated. Reflects on the question of how successful this approach might be for developing countries in general.