The OSCE Academy in Bishkek was established through a partnership between the OSCE and the government of the Kyrgyz Republic. In 2002, the two parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding to create the Academy as a center of higher education in the region as well as a platform for regional security dialogue and research.

The Academy’s flagship program, the Masters program in Political Science with a focus on Central Asia, was launched in 2004. The program was designed to cater to the young intellectuals of the entire region, with efforts made to ensure a balanced representation of each Central Asian state. Since 2008, the Academy has been accepting students from Afghanistan in line with international efforts to assist political transition in the country.