Dear freshmen and all the students of the Department of International Relations! First of all, I extend you a heartwarming welcome to our department. I also congratulate you for the excellent choice which you have made; you are now a member of ‘Department of IR’ family that strives for excellence in education. I believe that you will find not only an intellectual surrounding and a qualified education but also a friendly, caring, and courteous family atmosphere at the department. We believe in the notion which states that ‘if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem’. You are expected, as active members of the department, to make individual or group contributions to the further improvement of your department by your innovative ideas and activities. At any time, feel free to contact with your class advisors or the head of the department to talk about not only your questions and problems, but your opinions, suggestions and projects as well. We prefer a student-based and interactive education to a lecturer-based teaching. We want you to graduate from the department as qualified intellectuals having qualities such as creative-innovative and critical thinking, self-confidence and respect for others, sense of responsibility, empathy, communicativeness, purposefulness, strong will, cooperative and team effort, etc. By having such and the other high values and qualities, I strongly believe that you will contribute to your department/university, to your family, to Kyrgyzstan, and to all humanity. Your small steps at your university education might lead you to a great future. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. While the world is a world of opportunities and progression for the others, why would it be a world of downfall and regression for only you? Don’t give up on the fight! It is within your might! Your future is bright!

Assist.Prof., PhD Mavliuda Guseinova