On 25 June 2025, the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan hosted a meeting between Minister Jumamyrat Gurbangeldiyev and the Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Turkmenistan, Ravshanbek Alimov.
The discussions focused on the current state and future prospects of bilateral cooperation in education and science.
Minister Gurbangeldiyev emphasized that the long-standing good-neighborly relations between Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are gaining renewed momentum through the implementation of joint educational initiatives.
One example of practical cooperation highlighted during the meeting was the visit of a delegation from the Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers. For ten days, Uzbek specialists will undergo hands-on training at facilities within Turkmenistan’s agro-industrial sector.
In return, a delegation from the S.A. Niyazov Turkmen Agricultural University is scheduled to undertake a similar internship in Uzbekistan this July. These reciprocal visits are expected to strengthen inter-university ties and lay the groundwork for sustained academic collaboration.
The Turkmen side presented an overview of national advancements in education, including the integration of digital and innovative technologies, modernization of educational infrastructure, enhancement of international academic reputation, and the incorporation of artificial intelligence in the learning process.
The parties explored priority areas for deepened cooperation—expanding the legal framework between higher education institutions, promoting academic mobility of students and faculty, and launching joint educational programs.
Special emphasis was placed on organizing rectors’ forums and youth scientific conferences, fostering startup incubators, and hosting hackathons for students and young professionals. The importance of engaging schoolchildren and students in Olympiads was also underscored.
The Uzbek delegation expressed a keen interest in studying Turkmenistan’s experience in educational process management and digital governance. They also proposed expanding cooperation between public and private universities, including holding university fairs in Turkmenistan featuring higher education institutions from Uzbekistan.
Concluding the meeting, the Turkmen side extended an invitation to Uzbekistan’s educational and scientific community to participate in the International Exhibition and Scientific Conference “Healthcare, Education and Sports in the Renaissance of a New Era of a Powerful State,” scheduled for October 2025 in Ashgabat in a hybrid format.