The interregional online conference of the university rectors in Russia and Uzbekistan was organized by the Russian Union of Rectors and the Republican Council of Higher Education (Uzbekistan) under the patronage of the administrations of the Presidents of the two countries.

Abdujabar Abduvakhitov, Advisor to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Vladimir Chernov, Head of the Department for Interregional and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries of the Presidential Administration, Valery Falkov, Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, Inomjon Mazhidov, Minister of Higher and Secondary Special Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Viktor Sadovnichy, President of the Russian Union rectors, rector of Moscow State University, as well as heads of leading universities in Russia and Uzbekistan, including the rector of PSU Alexander Guliakov took part in the online-conference.

The Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Valery Falkov welcomed the participants and organizers of the conference.

The head of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science expressed gratitude to the president of the Russian Union of Rectors, the rector of Moscow State University Viktor Sadovnichy and Chairman of the Republican Council of Higher Education of Uzbekistan, rector of the Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers Uktam Umurzakov for organizing the event in difficult conditions connected with the spread of a new coronavirus infection.

“Such a representative membership at the meeting confirms the mutual confidence in the need to solve the common problems facing the higher education of the two countries,” said Valery Falkov.

The minister noted that the proposals of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science on joint activities to develop a network of branches of Russian universities in the Republic were actively supported by the Uzbek side. The intergovernmental agreement on the establishment and operation of branches of Russian universities in Uzbekistan, signed in October 2018 in Tashkent, ensures the formation of the material and technical base of the branches. A natural continuation of this work was the signing of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the mutual recognition of education and qualifications, academic degrees in May 2019 in Urgench.

“I am convinced that the regulatory framework created by us helps to remove administrative barriers and provides access to continuing education and professional activities for citizens of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Uzbekistan, compatriots living in our countries,” the minister emphasized.

After the plenary session, the participants continued to work in the framework of the sessional block. The session moderated by Dmitry Afanasyev, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, concerned the practical issues of opening and functioning of branches of Russian universities in Uzbekistan. He informed the participants about the work being carried out by the Russian Ministry of Education and Science together with Uzbek partners to optimize the process of creating branches, taking into account the particularities of the legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

At the end of the Conference, the participants approved the draft final resolution, which will determine work aspects of the universities of two countries in the near future.

Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation