I recently returned from an inspiring week in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where I led a team from Cheju Halla University to explore opportunities for an exciting AI education project. As Project Investigator, our mission was to assess the feasibility of establishing an AI Capacity Building program at Tashkent International University.

During our visit, we engaged with key stakeholders across various sectors:

  • Government ministries (Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of the Republic of Uzbekistan, The Ministry of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Labor)
  • KOICA and KOTRA offices
  • Local universities (TIU, Tashkent University of Information Technologies TUIT, PDP University, New Uzbekistan University)
  • Tech companies (East Telecom, BIT Computer Co., Ltd. of U-ENTER Innovation Center)

Our discussions revealed several key insights:

  1. There is a significant demand for practical AI skills among both students and professionals in Uzbekistan.
  2. The government shows strong support for digital transformation initiatives.
  3. Local partners are enthusiastic about collaborating with Korean institutions.

I’m energized by the potential impact this project could have in nurturing Uzbekistan’s next generation of AI talent. As we move forward with developing our proposal, I’m excited about the possibilities for meaningful collaboration and educational innovation.

Many thanks to all who met with us and shared their valuable insights. The future of AI education in Uzbekistan looks incredibly promising!

For more details on our findings and next steps, feel free to reach out or follow our project updates.