Nordic International University – a modern and innovative human capital and business development platform for Finland and other Nordic countries established in Tashkent
23 August, 2022
The years 2020-2022 have been very intensive in education sphere cooperation between Finland and Uzbekistan, despite the fact that 2020 was marked with the start of global coronavirus pandemic. On October 30, 2020, in his address to the educational authorities, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan underlined that it is important to use experience of Finland in ongoing large scale education sector reforms in the country, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan and the State Inspectorate for Supervision of Quality in Education under the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan were assigned as leading organizations to move forward and lead this process.
Thanks to immediate response and active support from the side of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, the Finnish National Agency for education and other Finnish education organizations, already in 2021, dozens of online seminars and trainings were organized for education authorities, university and schoolteachers in Uzbekistan by leading Finnish education experts.
The breakthrough moment was when during September-November 2021, during which the Finnartnership launched “SDG Booster on Education for Uzbekistan” with 3 consecutive seminars for education organizations in Uzbekistan in cooperation with the State Inspectorate for Supervision of Quality in Education under the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan, in which more than 100 public and private organizations and companies from Uzbekistan and Finland actively participated.
Thanks to very active follow-up works and enthusiasm from Karelia University of Applied Sciences, which was one of the active participants, after the SDG Booster the following immediate results were achieved:
– December 2021: Karelia University of Applied Sciences and Kokand University of Uzbekistan signed cooperation agreement and MoU;
– January 2022: 5 tuition fee paying students from Kokand University of Uzbekistan started one-year exchange program at Karelia University of Applied Sciences;
– February-April 2022: Karelia University of Applied Sciences signed MoU for cooperation with Samarkand State University, Bukhara State University and Karshi State University of Uzbekistan;
– May 2022: Delegation of Karelia University of Applied Sciences led by President Petri Raivo visited Uzbekistan for one week, during which, visited Kokand University, Samarkand State University and top education authorities of Uzbekistan. State Inspectorate for Supervision of Quality in Education under the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan during the discussions highly appreciated the activities of Karelia University and asked to support Uzbekistan in reforming processes of higher education sector by bringing the best Finnish experience in development of the system of Applied Sciences Universities in Uzbekistan based on their experience. This visit was widely reflected in national media of Uzbekistan.
Nordic International University will be a new, innovative and comprehensive education cluster based on contemporary higher and public education expertise from Finland and other Nordic Countries. The aim of the initiative is to create a modern educational cluster including University and K12 School (kindergarten, primary school, secondary school and high school) in Tashkent, whereas:
– Karelia University of Applied Sciences (Finland) (https://karelia.fi/en/front-page/) is the main strategic partner and provider of educational programs and methodology, know-how, education management system, teacher training and other needed soft components for the university level education;
– NOKIA Corporation (https://www.nokia.com/ ), Finnish Water Forum (https://www.finnishwaterforum.fi/wp/en/ ) and other Finnish companies and organisations will support in organization of interships, master classes, on job training, development of start-ups and future employment of University students in Uzbekistan and abroad in Nordic Countries;
– Helsingin Suomalainen Yhteiskoulu (SYK) (https://syk.fi/syk/koulun-esittely/syk-in-english/ ), an independent coeducational school founded in 1886 in Finland, will support establishment of Finnish model K12 school ((kindergarten, primary school, secondary school and high school ) and organization of mutual visit of pupils of both schools to Uzbekistan and Finland. In October 2022 the first visit of SYK pupils to Uzbekistan is being planned;
– DiDacTec (Finland) and Pedagogical Star Lessons from Finland (Finland) support preparation of world class teachers and teaching staff;
– ISKU will help the Nordic International University to design and establish its modern campus based on best Finnish expertise, design and technologies. The campus will serve as an open air showroom for Uzbekistan and whole Central Asia to see the real Finnish educational buildings design and arrangement of teaching rooms, laboratories and educational furniture and accessories;
– SOLAR FINLAND will help with installation of modern Finnish solar panels to the buildings of Nordic International University to make it the most green University in Uzbekistan and to become a role model for other Universities in the country.
The Nordic International University can be rightfully called as a child of close cooperation of Finnish and Uzbek partners and resulted from comprehensive efforts of Ministries, Organizations, Universities, schools and experts from Uzbekistan and Finland in education sphere and represents first such a type of Finnish educational cluster outside of Finland for the first time. While such clusters exist in Finland (at the moment especially in preparation of teachers), so far Finland was helping other countries only in establishment Finnish schools (in Oman, UAE, Vietnam, etc), but, not educational clusters. So, Uzbekistan will be the first country in the world establishing modern educational cluster based on best Finnish expertise and involvement of best Finnish Universities, Schools and Companies. This will serve for Uzbekistan as a role model, and cornerstone to become a cooperation hub and platform in education, startups and international projects between Uzbekistan, Finland and other Nordic Counties.
The official opening ceremony of Nordic International University is expected to be organized on 7 September 2022 during the visit of the high-level Finish educational delegation to Uzbekistan. Nordic International University cordially invites all type of universities, organizations and companies in Finland and in other Nordic Courtiers for cooperation and together explore new opportunities in Uzbekistan and in wider Central Asia region.
Alisher Juraev, PhD
Honorary Consul of Finland