The MANECA project is aimed at creating the networking environment for fostering international cooperation between higher education systems of the European Union and all countries of Central Asia through the implementation of the international academic mobility programme in the thematic domain, which integrates the spectrum of disciplines enabling and underpinning the economic reforms in the target countries. The project's specific feature is the precise focus on those areas of higher education of the countries in question, which directly support technological and institutional modernization of national economies - the reforms urgently needed in Central Asia in order to solve most critical societal problems all countries of the region face now. It was this consideration, which mainly defined the selection of the thematic fields of study, notably:Engineering, Technology (06). Business Studies and Management Sciences (04). Education, Teacher Training (05). Additionally, the project activities will build international cooperation capacities of the leading Universities in Central Asia by providing targeted and tailored to the needs of the respective University staff members training measures. The combination of these activities (networking, mobility and capacity building) aimed at the common goals, namely fostering internationalization and mutually beneficial cooperation between European and central Asian Universities, will bring about visible impacts on the whole system of relations between the two regions.