Development of innovative curricula and modules in Circular Economy and Sustainable Development

POLCA - The Political Economy of Legal and Governance Reform in Non-Western Societies: Insights from Central Asia - is an international research project implemented under Horizon Europe - Marie Sk?odowska-Curie Actions (MSCA Staff Exchanges). The project explores legal and governance reform processes and the role of formal and informal institutions and norms in Central Asian societies. The project is coordinated by Lund University, Sweden, with Tajik State University of Commerce participating in the project.

As part of the international staff exchange activities of the POLCA project, Dr. Tuychi Rashidov from Soedertoern University, Sweden, undertook a research secondment at Tajik State University of Commerce from 29 June to 06 August 2026. In accordance with his planned secondment activities, on 30 June 2026 he delivered a workshop for TSUC academic staff entitled "Publishing in Peer-Reviewed Journals: Strategy, Positioning, and Impact in Eurasian Studies."

The seminar addressed key expectations of international peer-reviewed journals, including how to formulate a strong research problem, articulate the scholarly contribution of an article, develop analytical academic arguments, select an appropriate journal, and navigate the peer-review process. Particular attention was given to moving beyond descriptive writing towards analytical and argument-driven academic writing and positioning research findings within broader international scholarly debates.

The seminar concluded with an active discussion among participants. Particular interest was devoted to the use of artificial intelligence in research and academic writing, including the opportunities offered by AI tools, academic integrity, verification of sources, and researchers' responsibility for the accuracy and quality of scholarly work.