A year later “rufesunik students” are leaving Turkmenistan 28.07.2010
Former students of the American University of Central Asia (AUCA), funded by the Open Society Institute – the Soros Foundation, who became hostages in their home country last summer have been permitted to exit the country to go to St. Petersburg to continue their education at the Smolny Institute of Liberal Arts and Sciences under the St. Petersburg State University.
The students, the Embassy of the Russian Federation and the Soros Foundation had been fighting with the Turkmen authorities for nearly a year to secure the rights of these young boys and girls to depart the country to pursue educational opportunities. While the Embassy and the Foundation had been resolving all bureaucratic procedures the students were provided with an opportunity to resume a distance learning course in the Smolny Institute to save time. Starting from early July the students are now easily leaving Turkmenistan, settling in a student hostel, sitting their exams and getting ready for a new student life.
The majority of students, who were transferred to the American University in Bulgaria (AUB) last year were worried about returning home for the summer holidays. Those who had an opportunity left for the US to join a Work and Travel program, some stayed in Bulgaria or visited their friends and family members in other countries. Some young people did risk returning home - fortunately did not experience any problems upon arrival and the valiant national security officers have not made any enquiries so far. The students hope that they would not be barred from exiting the country, though they had been warned in advance that next time it would be more complicated to arrange their exit from the country.
The fate of the fourth-year students also remains unclear. In order to obtain a diploma in the American University in Bulgaria they have to study for over a year to get the required number of credits, whereas the Embassy sponsored the tuition fees only for one year of studies for the graduates (those who were considered to be fourth–year students in the AUCA during their transfer to AUB) due to the lack of funding. The graduates were ecstatic when it was announced in June that there was no point in worrying as more funds had been allocated from the budget to pay for another semester and moreover, to increase stipends.
Those, who did not want to transfer to Bulgaria, but managed to leave for Bishkek are still waiting for the decision of their sponsors (TASP) with regard to reinstating their status in the AUCA. | 
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