Research Collaboration/Opportunities
Position Title
Description
Research Assistant - 2025-01
Position Title: Research Assistant - Volunteer
Project: Cooperation between IPPA & URSA
Institutions: University of Central Asia & University of Canada West
Location: Home-based / Online (remote work)
Duration: November 2025 – May 2026
The University of Central Asia (UCA) was founded in 2000 by the governments of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, and His Highness the Aga Khan, ratified by their respective parliaments, and registered with the United Nations. The Institute of Public Policy and Administration (IPPA) at the University of Central Asia conducts rigorous policy research and capacity-building initiatives to address pressing development issues in Central Asia.
The Urban Resilience and Sustainability Alliance (URSA) is an international research initiative, led by Prof. Amir Albadvi at University Canada West in Vancouver, that develops innovative methods for understanding and strengthening socio-economic resilience in cities. The alliance connects academic researchers, policymakers, and practitioners across Canada, Europe, and now Central Asia, providing actionable insights to guide climate adaptation, decarbonisation, and sustainable urban development.
The Institute of Public Policy and Administration (IPPA) of the University of Central Asia (UCA) and the URSA team agreed to expand the URSA partnership in Central Asia by piloting it in several cities and towns across the region, including Almaty, Bishkek, and Naryn. Our team is looking for a Research Assistant for a collaborative project that will be conducted in UCA-IPPA.
The appointed Research Assistant will support the URSA project by collecting and organising data on a selected Central Asian city or town according to URSA - USAH Extended model developed in Mosaic 1 coordinated by Dr. Arifusalam Shaikh at UCW, Vancouver. The aim is to produce robust, structured datasets suitable for resilience and sustainability modelling, which the URSA framework can use to inform decision-making on decarbonization, resilient development, and long-term climate action.
The Research Assistant will operate under the guidance of the IPPA UCA and UCW and receive continuous methodological support, feedback, and coordination throughout the assignment period.
More details on key responsibilities, deliverables, qualifications, benefits and other details can be found here.