One of the objectives of the Hydro4U project is to develop academic programs and courses on hydropower for students from Europe and Central Asia. In this regard, the Kyrgyz State Technical University (KSTU) has been holding a two-week Summer School annually since 2021 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. This 2025, the Summer School was held from August 4 to 17. There were 8 students in total, 6 from Germany and 2 from Kyrgyzstan.

One of the most important components of the project implementation is the development of academic programs and courses on hydropower, as well as the training of highly qualified specialists in the field of SHPPs with deep knowledge of the Central Asian region. The participants visited one of the two demonstration sites of the Hydro4 project in At Bashy, where equipment for small hydropower will be installed and the research base of the project is being formed. The Summer School “Kyrgyzstan – hydropower, ecology and hydromorphology” was developed jointly by KSTU and TUM in 2019 and has been implemented since 2021. The main organisational work at KSTU is carried out by Venera Bachekirova, Head of the International Department of KSTU. At the technical site, she was assisted by Dr. Fomin Nikolay (hydroengineer).

Over the course of two weeks, students from Germany and Kyrgyzstan learned about the incredible potential of hydropower in Kyrgyzstan, the environmental impact and sustainable development related to ecology and hydromorphology. The Summer School program included theoretical knowledge, lectures and seminars at KSTU, as well as field trips to interesting places in Kyrgyzstan related to hydropower and natural river systems. The program was complemented by a cultural program, Russian language courses and sightseeing tours. Students also learned how to conduct an environmental and technical assessment of a demonstration site.

Hydro4U project partners highlighted the topic of small hydropower plant construction in the Summer School concept and presented overview lectures and presentations on the advantages of small hydropower plant technology. Hydro4U partners actively participated in the development of the Summer School program: Project Coordinator Bertalan Alapfy (TUM) introduced the participants to the Hydro4U project and the concepts of sustainable hydropower and river management on the topic “Technologies and demonstration sites: Specification of two technologies and history of the demonstration sites”. Other lectures from Hydro4U were given by Matthias Schneider (SJE); Professor Bakhtiyor Karimov (TIIAME) on the topic: Overview of the EU-funded Hydro4U project: Impact assessment of small hydropower plants in Central Asia on river ecosystems. And on the topic “WEFE – NEXUS related to hydropower” the partners Bunyod Kholmatov (IWMI), Raquel Lopez/Sara Perez/Carlos Bernabe (CARTIF) conducted via video/podcast and participant survey.

Author and picture credits: Venera Baichekirova, KSTU