Westminster has jointly hosted the third annual Uzbekistan-UK Education Forum with London South Bank University (LSBU) to strengthen academic ties between Uzbekistan and the UK.
Westminster has jointly hosted the third annual Uzbekistan-UK Education Forum with London South Bank University (LSBU) to strengthen academic ties between Uzbekistan and the UK.
Westminster welcomed guests on 16 May for the second day of the two-day forum, following the first day’s activities at LSBU. The event brought together representatives of Uzbekistan’s public institutions, university leaders, researchers, education policy experts, as well as academics and stakeholders from UK universities and professional organisations to discuss the countries’ academic ties.
Organised through a joint initiative of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the British Council in Uzbekistan, the University of Westminster, London South Bank University, Westminster International University in Tashkent (WIUT) and TEAM University in Tashkent, the annual forum has now become a prominent event in the landscape of international education cooperation.
The forum serves as a platform for identifying new areas of cooperation in higher education and research, developing joint academic initiatives, strengthening institutional ties between universities in both countries, sharing good practice and supporting Uzbekistan’s higher education reforms by drawing on international expertise.
Following the first day’s discussions at LSBU on university-industry partnerships and graduate employability and sustainability in Higher Education (HE), the second day at Westminster started with a welcome address from key event organisers. This included University of Westminster colleagues Professor Peter Bonfield, Vice-Chancellor and President, and Professor Dibyesh Anand, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Employability and Global Engagement, alongside Ravshan Usmanov, Uzbekistan Ambassador to the UK, Otabek Makhkamov, Uzbekistan’s Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, and Denise Waddingham, Director of the British Council Uzbekistan.
Welcome address
Discussions then began with a session on ensuring excellence in university governance and quality assurance. This was organised by Alison Johns, CEO of Advance HE, Komiljon Karimov, Rector of WIUT, and Jamilya Gulyamova, Deputy Director of the British Council Uzbekistan.
The second session, organised by Professor Anand and Jamilya Gulyamova, focused on the landscape of inclusive higher education in Uzbekistan. There were updates on recent developments including the work of the Inclusive University Working Group under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of the Republic of Uzbekistan (MHESI), as well as the work of the Accelerating English Language Learning in Central Asia (AELLCA) UK Government-funded programme, delivered by the British Council. They also discussed two new Uzbekistan-UK Disability Inclusion Partnership projects led by the University of Westminster and the University of East London.
The final panel session, chaired by Komiljon Karimov and Stephen Wallis, Westminster’s Director of Transnational Education (TNE), shared examples of good practice in TNE including from Westminster’s 23-year partnership with WIUT in Tashkent. The partnership provides internationally recognised degree programmes to thousands of students and offers opportunities for student and colleague mobility as well as research and knowledge exchange opportunities through the founding of the Forum for Uzbek and Silk Road Studies.
Komiljon Karimov (left) and Stephen Wallis (right)
The forum concluded by signing a Memoranda of Understanding between universities and discussing avenues for future partnership between the two countries. Guests were then welcomed on a tour of Westminster’s historic Regent Campus.
About the forum Professor Bonfield said: “We are delighted to be jointly hosting the third Uzbek-British Education Forum, the first to be held here in the UK. This milestone event celebrates our shared commitment to academic collaboration and also builds on a proud 23-year relationship with Uzbekistan, and with Westminster International University in Tashkent in particular. Over the past two decades, we have worked closely to advance educational opportunities, cultural exchange and mutual understanding —this forum marks an exciting new chapter in that journey.”
Adham Khudaykulov, Director of the Uzbekistan National Agency for Quality Assurance in Education, added: “Uzbek–UK ties are strong and firmly rooted in mutual respect and shared aspirations. UK education is a conscious and wholehearted choice for many Uzbeks, reflecting a deep trust in its quality and recognition of the many doors it opens. This partnership is a journey of change that shapes a future where knowledge knows no borders and ambition has no limits.”
Denise Waddingham, British Council Country Director for Uzbekistan, said: “We are delighted to be hosting the third edition of our Uzbekistan-UK Education Forum in London, in recognition of the growing interest in Central Asia from the UK sector. It is also a fantastic opportunity to bring leading Uzbekistani institutions and higher education leaders to the United Kingdom to explore and share best practice in higher education and to build even stronger partnerships.”
The forum and Westminster’s partnership with WIUT directly contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4: Quality Education and 17: Partnerships for the Goals. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Find out more about the University of Westminster’s Transnational Education partner institutions.
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