On July 10, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed a presentation of proposals aimed at introducing secondary specialized, vocational, and higher education programs based on international standards in Uzbekistan, as well as expanding academic cooperation with prestigious foreign universities.
The presentation discussed the construction of an International University City in Tashkent, where leading foreign and local higher education institutions are planned to be located. The development of the project is proposed to draw on the experience of Education City in Qatar, Dubai International Academic City in the UAE, and Incheon Global Campus in South Korea.
The president instructed the preparation of proposals to attract branches of prestigious foreign universities, build educational campuses and student dormitories, simplify licensing requirements, allocate grants and scholarships, and provide tax and customs benefits. Additionally, proposals for partial compensation of royalty payments are to be developed.
The main goal of the project is to transform Uzbekistan into a leading educational center in the region with widespread adoption of international educational programs and standards. The presentation noted that over the past eight years, higher education coverage in the country has increased from 9% to 44%, and the number of students has grown from 270,000 to 1.7 million.
In 2026, vocational education programs from Germany, the UK, Switzerland, China, South Korea, and other countries are being introduced in 100 out of 643 technical schools. Education City is an educational and scientific complex covering about 12 square kilometers, created by the Qatar Foundation. It houses branches of leading foreign universities such as Carnegie Mellon, Georgetown, Northwestern, Virginia Commonwealth, and Weill Cornell Medicine, as well as the local Hamad bin Khalifa University and research centers.
Dubai International Academic City is a specialized university zone in Dubai that hosts local and foreign higher education institutions, educational buildings, laboratories, and student infrastructure. The project was developed as a regional higher education center, attracting students and teachers from various countries.
Incheon Global Campus is a shared campus for branches of foreign universities, established by the national government and the Incheon city authorities. It hosts divisions of the State University of New York, George Mason University, Ghent University, and the University of Utah, with students receiving diplomas from the parent institutions.
Source: www.gazeta.uz