HEMUA - Higher Education Modernization to boost Uzebkistan Agricultural system and promote excellence and regional development

The Uzbekistan higher education (HE) system is moving toward an European model based on the Bologna process, however it still presents some shortcomings related to the limited use of English, the little support of the research at University level, teaching programs often not aligned with the rapid job market evolution, the incomplete transfer to credit-modular system. Agriculture is undergoing an intense modernization process that involves economic and environmentally sustainability, new cultivation like vegetables and fruit trees, exports of both fresh and processed products. The objectives of this project are to: 1) Increase attractiveness of the offered courses by improving the complementary teaching; 2) Increase the level of English of the students and professors; 3) introducing a quality assurance system; 4) improve the soft skill of the students to make them suitable to the new job challenges; 5) improve the quality of teaching by improving connection between University and research. These goals will be achieved by a consortium that includes University of Bologna, University of Rostock, 4 Uzbek universities and 1 Uzbek private organization representing a group of companies in the agri-food sector (Agromir). One pilot course for each of the 4 Uzbekistan partners will be selected as follows: sustainable horticulture at Samarkand State University; agroecology at Bukhara State University; food safety and site-adapted cropping system at Urgench State University; precision agriculture, remote sensing and robotics at Karshi Engineering-Economical Institute. The pilot classes will be modified toward a modernization of education in the direction of the Bologna process model, in which students will be taught in English, will be stimulated to spend traineeships in agri-food related companies to gain work experience, and will participate in the quality assurance process. Teachers will participate in training experiences in EU Universities.