On September 28, 2022, the University of Tsukuba held the Fourth Japan-Uzbekistan Rectors’ Conference at the Tsukuba International Congress Center, as part of the Japan-Uzbekistan Academic and Cultural Exchange Forum held jointly with the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Specialized Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Japan. The event was part of a project to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The first Japan-Uzbekistan Rectors’ Conference was held in Japan, and the second and third were held in Uzbekistan. This time, the fourth Rectorts’ Conference was held with the University of Tsukuba serving as the secretariat, and it saw the participation of 24 universities from Japan and 17 universities and institutions from Uzbekistan.

The inaugural session featured opening remarks by President NAGATA and Dr. SAFOEV Sodiq, Rector of the University of World Economy and Diplomacy, Uzbekistan. This was followed by congratulatory addresses by Ms. ITO Takae, Parliamentary Vice-Minister of MEXT; Dr. KARIMOV Komiljon, First Deputy Minister of Higher and Secondary Specialized Education, Republic of Uzbekistan, and Mr. FUJIYAMA Yoshinori, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Uzbekistan.

This was followed by keynote speeches and case studies from representatives of educational institutions in Japan and Uzbekistan under the theme of “Inter-University Dialogue Between Japan and Uzbekistan in the Post-COVID era: Challenges of Society and Mission of Universities.”

An inter-university matching session was also held as part of the plenary session, and participants commented that it was a great opportunity for universities in both Japan and Uzbekistan to discuss future collaborations. The meeting ended on a high note, with the conclusion of an inter-university exchange agreement between Uzbekistan and Japan during the plenary session as an early achievement. This initiative is expected to further promote exchange and cooperation between Uzbek and Japanese universities.

 

More articles about the Japan-Uzbekistan Academic and Cultural Forum can be found here.
The Japan-Uzbekistan Academic and Culture Forum 2022 (official website / Japanese)
The Japan-Uzbekistan Student Forum (September 29, 2022)
Uzbekistan Culture Week (September 28-30, 2022)