Central Asian technicians strengthen skills in glacier and permafrost monitoring through hands-on training in Switzerland

From 15 to 24 April 2026, a capacity-building workshop for Central Asian technicians was held in Fribourg and Davos, Switzerland, in the framework of the GEF-UNDP-UNESCO Cryosphere Project. The training was conducted by the University of Fribourg with invited experts from SensAlpin GmbH and co-financed by the Swiss Polar Institute.

The workshop aimed to strengthen regional capacities for the operation and maintenance of automatic measurement stations used to monitor permafrost and glacier mass balance. These systems, operated by the University of Fribourg across Central Asia, play a critical role in improving data availability for climate research and risk assessment.

Participants included experts from The State Scientific Institution “Center for Glacier Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan”, Central-Asian Institute for Applied Geosciences (CAIAG) and Central Asian Regional Glaciological Centre (CARGC).

Participants received both theoretical and practical training on the design, functioning, basic programming and installation of monitoring stations. The course also covered key operational aspects, including data collection and management, routine maintenance and troubleshooting.

A central component of the training was a hands-on group project. Working in small teams, participants planned, built, programmed and tested their own measurement stations. This was followed by field installation and commissioning, during which participants applied their knowledge under real-world conditions and addressed technical challenges directly on site. The workshop enabled participants to strengthen the skills required for the long-term operation of monitoring stations in their countries.

Additionally, on 9–10 April 2026, a two-day online workshop, “Mountain Hydrology Central Asia,” for specialists from Central Asia was held by the University of Fribourg as part of the Cryosphere project. The workshop presented in detail field hydrological measurement methodologies and data processing, providing participants with a robust skill set to conduct field hydrological measurements and data processing independently.

These workshops contribute to strengthening technical expertise in Central Asia and support the Cryosphere Project’s broader goal of a more harmonized regional approach to cryosphere monitoring.