This year National Information Day 2024 will be dedicated to 30-year anniversary of cooperation between the EU and Uzbekistan in the field of higher education. Thanks to Tempus (1994-2014) and Erasmus+ (2014-2024) programmes the higher educational institutions of Uzbekistan could greatly enrich their experience of cooperation with universities in the European Union and in the neighboring countries, which had a significant impact on improving their international recognition and ranking, the enhancing of higher education quality.

In line with the priority areas outlined in the Erasmus+ programme for 2021-2027, recently launched Call for Proposals 2025 will continue to support a wide range of projects focusing on promoting social inclusion, the green and digital transitions, and young people's participation in democratic life.

The following directions of the Erasmus+ programme are open for higher educational institutions of Uzbekistan:

International Credit Mobility (ICM) – 19 February 2025

Capacity Building for Higher Education (CBHE) – 6 February 2025

Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJMs)  – 13 February 2025

Erasmus Mundus Design Measures (EMDMs) - 13 February 2025

Jean Monnet actions (JM)  –  12 February 2025

Within “Horizon Europe”, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) provide support to innovative scientific projects of young researchers.

Within Call 2025, all projects in regions 5, 6 (Central Asia), 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 are strongly encouraged to show alignment with Global Gateway priorities in the partner countries concerned.

Priorities for Central Asia (Strand 1 and  Strand 2): Green Deal; Digital transformation; Sustainable growth and jobs. In particular Strand 3 projects must be aligned with Global Gateway priorities.

Organisers: National Erasmus+ Office (NEO), Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovations of Uzbekistan (MHESI),Tashkent State Technical University named after Islam Karimov, National Team of Erasmus+ Higher Education Reform Experts (HEREs), EU Delegation to Uzbekistan.

Participants: Representatives of higher educational institutions (HEIs) from all country regions, Vice-Rectors for International Relations and Innovations, representatives of EU MS Embassies in Tashkent, international and donor organisations active in the field of education,  line ministries, HE stakeholders.

EU in Uzbekistan

Objectives of Information Day

• Providing information on 2025 Erasmus + Call for Proposals  on all key actions (CBHE, ICM, Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters, EM Design Measures, Jean Monnet, Maria-Sklodowska Curie Actions) open for Higher Education Community of Uzbekistan
• Informing about specific examples of the on-going Erasmus+ projects  and discuss best practices
• Providing opportunities for networking and discussions of new project ideas among the participants considering the relevant issues of HE development in a view of the completed and on-going projects.
• Providing practical recommendations on the development of project proposals to universities-newcomers without or less programme experience.

Projects Fair will be running in the morning to give participants an opportunity to familiarise themselves with ongoing Erasmus+ projects.

Erasmus+ projects in higher education:

WHAT IS ON-GOING?

Within the three Calls (2022, 2023, 2024) of the 2nd Erasmus+ programming period information campaign has been focused on diversity of project directions and areas of education, as well as involving newcomer faculties/departments/units of HEIs that have not been previously involved in EU programmes. So far in total 69 HEIs from all country regions have been involved in 58 CBHE projects, including 43 completed and 15 on-going projects.

According to the recent Call-2024 selection results, 5 new CBHE projects, including 2 national and 3 regional projects,  with involvement of 12 HEIs from Uzbekistan  will be funded. Newly selected projects will contribute to enhancing employability,  sustainable agricultural systems, students mobility, ECTS, engineering, inclusive education, innovation in learning, Sustainable Development Goals - Quality Education, environmental sustainability, university -enterprises partnerships.

Within International Credit Mobility (ICM) Erasmus+ offers the opportunity for higher education institutions to send students and staff abroad to study, teach, or train at participating institutions, as well as to participate in a traineeship.

For 2014-2020 Uzbekistan HEIs have benefited from 649 International Credit Mobility Partnerships providing support to mobility of more than 3000 staff, academics and students, which is 31% of the regional budget for Central Asia.

Within 2 last Calls in total 603 ICM partnerships have been established between 93 universities of Uzbekistan and universities of 28 countries out of 33 countries associated to Erasmus+ programme with leading role presented by Turkey (102), Poland (96), Romania (68), Spain (67), Italy (44), Germany (34), Greece (33).

Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJMs) award EU-funded scholarships to Master students worldwide. So far in total 6 EMJMDs have involved the Uzbekistan HEIs as associated partners.  Erasmus Mundus Design Measures (EMDMs), introduced in 2021, are preparatory projects to bring a joint programme to the point where it is ready to operate as an accredited joint degree programme, and apply to EMJM. So far, the Uzbekistan HEIs have not been presented in any EMDM projects.

Within Jean Monnet actions focused on enhancing understanding and knowledge of the EU and its policies there are two Jean Monnet Centres of Excellence at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy and at the Tashkent State University of Economics.

In total 17 Jean Monnet projects have been financed for 7 involved universities in Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara.