ASU Is Determined to Remain an Important Link in International Academic Friendship

The Astrakhan Region Government House hosted the plenary meeting "New Stage of Cooperation: Towards Implementation of Decisions of the First Russian-Uzbek Educational Forum". Representatives of Russian and Uzbek HEIs and of federal and regional authorities shared their vision of academic partnership of our countries and spoke about the projects that are already being implemented.

The event was one of the parts of the Interregional Conference of Rectors of Russian and Uzbek Universities, a milestone event for higher educational institutions of the two countries. It is to be recalled that Astrakhan State University is among the main venues and key participants of the conference.

The meeting programme included reports of Uzbek and Russian experts. ASU Acting Rector Konstantin Markelov dwelled on the experience and prospects of cooperation of Astrakhan State University with Uzbek universities. He said that nine cooperation agreements, signed with a number of leading universities of Uzbekistan, had already kicked start to implementation of many projects, for example academic mobility of students and teaching staff. There are highly promising plans as well: close cooperation with Uzbek HEIs will allow to establish a centre of the Uzbek culture and language at ASU and a respective Russian centre in Uzbekistan. Joint theses defense is also an urgent issue for the parties. Astrakhan State University already has a wealth of experience in this sphere, which can be applied, together with the experience in double-degree diplomas, in the cooperation with Uzbek HEIs. The ASU Rector dwelled on prospects of joint agricultural projects that are of mutual interest for the countries. The Rector also suggested that the Uzbek colleagues join global initiatives that will be held at ASU in near future, in particular the conference "Digital Caspian Region" and a conference of the World Intellectual Property Organization.ъ

The meeting was quite fruitful and allowed the rectors and representatives of public authorities to learn about the projects and plans on the friendship between the countries, as well as to see the prospects and potential for joint development.