From the Seminar Room to Naryn: THI Students Experience the Energy Transition First-Hand in Kyrgyzstan

At the end of July 2026, THI students Jonas, Rebecca and Leon set off for Kyrgyzstan to spend a week at the summer school of the RE.Act project at the Kyrgyz National University.

The summer school is part of the DAAD-funded RE.Act project (more information on the website). Coordinated by the Institute of new Energy Systems (InES), the project deepens academic cooperation in the field of the water-energy nexus with the Kyrgyz National University (KNU) and the TIIAME National Research University (NRU) in Uzbekistan. The students were accompanied by project leader Prof. Tobias Schrag and project coordinator Jessica Forster. In their report, the three students share their experiences and describe the lasting impressions they brought back to THI from Central Asia:

SUNDAY: Arrival in the Capital Bishkek
On 19 July, we arrived in Bishkek, the capital, where it was a summery 42 degrees in the shade. After a short city tour, we continued by bus in the evening. We drove up into the mountains for six hours to reach Naryn, a small town home to a branch campus of the Kyrgyz National University (KNU) and the venue for the summer school. Our first night there had a surprise in store for us, as there was a small earthquake. We didn't get much sleep anyway, as the summer school program started early on Monday morning.

MONDAY: Between Teamwork and Mountain Panoramas
The summer school on the campus of Kyrgyz National University began with opening presentations by the project partners, followed by guest lectures from industry experts. Working alongside students from Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, we collaborated in small groups to develop our own research questions, each of which was directly related to the challenges of energy supply in Central Asia. We started talking to the other students as early as the first coffee break. In the evenings, we went on short hikes and enjoyed the impressive mountain views. The day ended with a group dinner with the project team and students from Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.

TUESDAY: Software Workshops and a Touch of Adventure
On the second day, we continued working on the research questions, and then it was our turn to present: We each introduced an open-source simulation tool from our own field or research, together with a case study that the Kyrgyz and Uzbek participants could try out right away. The response was great! Apart from a few issues with the internet connection, everything went smoothly, with all participants completing small projects of their own.
Afterwards, we explored the local market and immersed ourselves in the culture of the small town. In the evening, our Kyrgyz hosts treated us to pizza and local drinks at a waterfall. Jonas was particularly taken with kumys, fermented mare's milk! The rest of the group was rather more reserved.

WEDNESDAY: Construction Sites, Green Flagship Projects and Kyrgyz Hospitality
Wednesday was our excursion day: First, we visited the large construction site of a new run-of-river hydropower plant, the sheer scale of which truly impressed us. We then drove to the village of Aktal, where we visited the community centre that was built as part of the 'ÖkoFlussPlan' project (more information on the website). This project demonstrates how sustainable energy solutions can be used in cold, high-altitude regions of Central Asia. The mayor gave us a warm welcome and showed us around the village facilities in person. At lunchtime, we were invited to enjoy a traditional meal accompanied by live music — an unforgettable experience. Back in Naryn, we visited large-scale heat pumps, which were undoubtedly the highlight of the week for Prof. Schrag.

THURSDAY: Final Presentations and a Farewell Celebration in the Mountains
On the last day of summer school, each student group presented and discussed the research questions they had worked on during the week. Afterwards, we headed to the University of Central Asia, where we toured the campus energy centre. To celebrate the end of our time in Naryn, we all went to a traditional restaurant in the mountains together, along with all the summer school participants and the RE.Act project team. And, of course, there was plenty of food!

WEEKEND: A Cultural Finale at the Blue Lake
On Friday morning, we took a minibus part of the way back to the capital, stopping at Lake Issyk-Kul. We spent the night there in traditional yurts before travelling on to the airport the following day.
A big thank you goes to the DAAD for giving us this unique opportunity to take part in this exchange. A very special thank you goes to Ermek Baibagyshov and his entire team at Kyrgyz National University. With his generous hospitality, he made our stay an unforgettable experience!