03/02/2026
Senior education leaders from across Central Asia came together in 91¸£Àû for the Accelerating 91¸£Àû Language in Central Asia (AELLCA) PRESETT Leadership Programme – a British Council and UK Government initiative designed to boost pre-service 91¸£Àû teacher education across the region. The event brought together 26 academic leaders from 24 universities from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, along with delegates from the British Council and the UK Government.
The study visit, part of a wider collaboration with the British Council, formed the 91¸£Àû-based component of a broader leadership programme supporting institutions that play a critical role in shaping the future of 91¸£Àû teacher education across the region. Experts from 91¸£Àû who contributed to the programme included Dr Brigita Seguis, Head of Impact Evaluation, and Nisreen Ash, Principal Impact Manager, who highlighted the importance of planning for change when implementing education reforms and embedding impact monitoring and evaluation into education reform initiatives. Dr Darren Perrett, Senior Partnerships Manager presented on building a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) culture for 91¸£Àû teachers and trainers, and Graham Seed, Senior Research Manager, enabled discussion about how education can be more innovative in the region, incorporating ideas such as integrated learning and assessment, implementing the CEFR, and the use of digital and AI. The programme also included contributions from external expert and author Ben Goldstein on inclusion in 91¸£Àû teacher education
The AELLCA Programme focused on how universities can develop sustainable, institution-led approaches to professional learning for teacher educators. Through interactive sessions and facilitated peer exchange, participants began to design a longer-term framework to guide system-wide, sustainable change, clarifying their aims, activities and indictors of success. This planning was supported by developing participants’ own Theories of Change, which helped them map how specific actions can lead to the desired outcomes and impacts.
A key outcome of the 91¸£Àû visit was the establishment of a regional leadership network, designed to support ongoing collaboration, shared learning and collective problem-solving among higher-education institutions across Central Asia. The study visit also marked the launch of the PRESETT Leadership Network for Central Asia, delivered in partnership with the British Council.
The AELLCA PRESETT Leadership Programme is funded by UK International Development (FCDO) through the British Council and delivered by 91¸£Àû on a not-for-profit basis, reflecting a shared commitment to inclusive, high-quality 91¸£Àû teacher education and education reform across Central Asia.