At a ceremonial event marking March 8 — International Women's Day, attended by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, it was announced that Uzbekistan will double the state grant quota for women starting from the new academic year, bringing it to 4,000. This measure aims to enhance educational opportunities for women from economically disadvantaged families.

The event also revealed that contract tuition fees for female students pursuing master's degrees through joint education programs with universities ranked in the Top 300 will be covered by the state. This initiative is designed to alleviate financial burdens for women seeking education at prestigious international institutions.

As part of new government efforts, annual startup competitions will be held in at least 10 fields to support innovative ideas from women. Winners in each category will receive grants of up to 500 million Uzbek soums from the Innovation Fund, intended to foster female entrepreneurship.

Vocational training for girls who enroll in state technical colleges after completing the 11th grade will now be fully funded through state grants. This policy seeks to remove financial obstacles to professional education for young women.

During the ceremony, it was highlighted that the number of female students in higher education institutions has surpassed 904,000, accounting for 54% of all students. Last year, 60 women gained admission to the world's most prestigious universities, indicating progress in women's educational attainment.

Among research interns and doctoral candidates, 8,500 individuals, or 61%, are women. These statistics reflect the growing involvement of women in scientific research and underscore their expanding role in society.

Source: www.gazeta.uz