Uzbekistan has secured the 77th position in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2026, climbing two spots compared to the previous year. The ranking, published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), covers 139 countries.

Last year, Uzbekistan was placed 79th. In 2026, the country also improved its innovation performance, moving from 92nd to 78th place. In terms of resources and investments directed towards innovation, Uzbekistan ranked 68th, up from 69th the year before.

Among lower-middle-income countries, Uzbekistan ranked eighth out of 36, and among Central and South Asian nations, it stood fourth out of 11. These figures indicate the country's efforts to strengthen its regional standing.

Uzbekistan achieved its highest positions in specific indicators related to science, entrepreneurship, and labor productivity. Notably, the country ranked second in the world for the number of graduates in science and engineering, third for entrepreneurial policy and culture, fourth for financing startups and scale-up companies, and seventh for labor productivity growth.

Nevertheless, the declared goal is to join the top 60 innovative countries in the world by 2030. Achieving this ambitious target will require further development of innovation potential and sustained progress in international rankings.

Earlier, Uzbekistan climbed 32 positions in the PISA-2025 ranking for natural science literacy, securing 48th place among 91 countries and educational systems. This reflects positive outcomes from ongoing education reforms.

Source: podrobno.uz