New language study abroad programs expand ASU’s global reach
A new Romanian language study abroad program through the Central European Cultural Collaborative at ASU, as well as a new Uzbek language program in tandem with the American University of Technology in Tashkent — an ASU-powered University — will give students the chance to gain international experiences that can be applied to future career paths. Photo courtesy of Jamie Edmonds
The Melikian Center: Russian, Eurasian and East European Studies at Arizona State University was established to support research, teaching and public programs that expand on the significance of Central and East Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia and Russia.
The center’s Critical Languages Institute helps inform students on public policy, business and international relations. This year, two new additions to the institute's offerings will further expand learning opportunities for students interested in langauge study.
A new Romanian language study abroad program through the Central European Cultural Collaborative, as well as a new Uzbek language program in tandem with the American University of Technology in Tashkent — an ASU-powered University — will give students the chance to gain international experiences that can be applied to future career paths.
“We're just trying to get these two programs off the ground to continue building the Critical Languages Institute's offerings for less commonly taught languages for which there are not a lot of speakers or translators, and that helps bring a tapestry of culture to the ASU community,” said Jamie Edmonds, associate director of the Melikian Center.
The Melikian Center is a Title VI National Resource Center established in 1984 to support student success and global engagement through cross-disciplinary collaboration. It currently provides study-abroad advising, grant and career mentoring, and cultural and professional development events. In 2022, the center received recognition from the U.S. Department of Education as one of 12 national resource centers for Russian, Eurasian and Eastern European studies.
Its Critical Languages Institute was founded 32 years ago as part of a gift from the Melikian family and offers 13 programs that partner with institutions around the world, including Albania, Poland and Turkey. Since then, over 3,000 students have participated, some returning upwards of seven times.
This past summer, the institute provided intensive, immersive foreign language training through both online and study abroad programs for students representing 62 educational institutions across the U.S. Throughout 2025, 116 students participated in its programs and received $450,000 in scholarships.
“Our goal was to expand advanced language training in languages like Romanian, Uzbek, Kazakh and Macedonian to help students get to a more advanced level of critical languages in the U.S.,” said Edmonds. “So expanding with Romanian just makes sense with the Romanian department here at ASU.”
The institute is working alongside Ileana Orlich, a professor of Romanian studies at ASU, to oversee the Romanian program at Dimitrie Cantemir Christian University in Bucharest, Romania. With Uzbek specifically, Edmonds hopes to establish an advanced language program that includes multiple Eurasian languages in one location to create a global language hub in Uzbekistan. A program of this multitude would allow for more accessible education on a global scale.
“We have had an Uzbek program in Tashkent with another university previously, but I went and visited the American University of Technology two years ago and met their founding director,” said Edmonds. “Through this relationship, we've been able to establish this study abroad partnership with AUT that we hope will be a different kind of program, not just for us but also for other universities.”
The center’s impact on those in the ASU community is far-reaching, serving as a connection between Arizona and international communities that advance interdisciplinary studies. Edmonds views the language programs as opportunities for students to apply their knowledge in hands-on situations.
“All of these language programs are connected with much larger initiatives at ASU in a way that isn’t happening in other places,” says Edmonds.
For programs like these to continue, however, Edmonds says donor support is critical to support students and their journeys abroad.
“Donor support is crucial for our students. We particularly try to support every student who is prepared to go through the program because we believe in giving access to these really dynamic, unique and life-changing experiences to anyone who qualifies, and donor support allows us to do that.”
Students can apply to the Critical Language Institute’s study abroad programs through March 15, and online-only programs are accepting applications until May 1.