Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- A high-level conference was held in Tashkent to promote dialogue and cooperation between Central Asian countries in the field of higher education. The event was organized by the World Bank in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of Uzbekistan.

The high-level conference in Tashkent was attended in person and by remote connection by ministers and deputy ministers of education and science of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, representatives of other government bodies from these countries, rectors of leading universities in Central Asia, representatives of international organizations, as well as regional and international experts in the field of higher education.

“The Government of Uzbekistan is pleased to act as a co-organizer of this conference. During the event, high-level participants discussed opportunities and further joint efforts aimed at developing regional cooperation in the field of improving the quality of higher education,” said Ibrokhim Abdurakhmonov, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of Uzbekistan.

The countries of Central Asia have a large and vibrant higher education sector that has undergone significant transformation since their independence. Over the past decades, the number of higher education institutions (HEIs) and students has increased significantly. Today, there are more than 430 universities operating in Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, providing educational services to about 1.8 million students.

Despite progress in increasing college enrollment and expanding the number of private universities, higher education systems in Central Asia face challenges. These include relatively low-quality teaching, insufficient funding for local universities, limited access to higher education among students from low-income families, outdated educational programs and infrastructure that do not meet current and future labor market demands.

In addition, Central Asian countries lag behind in global research productivity indicators. They tend to rank lowest in the world for research funding, accounting for just 0.12% of GDP. As a result, the region’s universities are largely excluded from the development of new technologies and innovations.

International experience shows that regional integration of higher education systems is an effective tool for solving these problems. It also opens up opportunities for long-term growth in all other sectors of the economy. Developing cooperation, sharing knowledge and pooling resources between universities in the region could improve the quality of higher education and research in Central Asia.

The high-level conference in Tashkent was attended in person and by remote connection by ministers and deputy ministers of education and science of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, representatives of other government bodies from these countries, rectors of leading universities in Central Asia, representatives of international organizations, as well as regional and international experts in the field of higher education.

During the event, participants were presented with a new World Bank report “Towards Excellence in Higher Education in Central Asia: A Roadmap for Improving the Quality of Education and Research through Regional Integration.”

The document includes a roadmap with recommended measures that could stimulate further cooperation between Central Asian governments in three priority areas. These include recommendations to improve access, quality and relevance to the higher education system for national economies, strengthen the research and innovation potential of the countries of the region, and use advanced solutions to create a common higher education space.

“There are concrete arguments that make the case for closer cooperation among Central Asian countries in higher education,” said Rita Almeida, World Bank Education Leader for Europe and Central Asia. “We have analyzed the benefits of a regional approach to higher education based on international experience and note the enormous potential for cooperation between Central Asian countries to improve the quality of higher education and research.”

Among its various recommendations, the report proposes the adoption of common Central Asian standards for university accreditation, which would ensure the quality of higher education can be compared across the region. It is recommended to regularly forecast the development of the situation in regional labor markets to determine the relevance of the knowledge and skills acquired by students while studying at universities in the region.

The report highlights the importance of developing incentives to conduct and publish quality research to strengthen the innovation capacity of local universities. The need to create a regional fund to support research and cooperation between universities and research institutes in Central Asia is noted.

It is recommended to introduce mechanisms that support the recognition of qualifications, which will facilitate mobility and employment opportunities for citizens of some Central Asian countries in other countries in the region. It is also proposed to implement regional short-term mobility programs for students, researchers and university teachers.

The conference participants discussed the recommendations voiced by the World Bank. Further steps to enhance regional cooperation in the field of higher education were identified.