On December 20 this year, a meeting with representatives of Edtech Finland was held at the State Inspectorate for Supervision of the Quality of Education. The meeting, organized with the support of Nordic International University, was attended by the head of the Inspectorate for Education, Ulugbek Tashkenbaev, heads of relevant departments and departments, as well as the founder of EdTech, education expert Mervi Palander and expert of the advanced training system of the HY + training centre Hanne Koli. At the beginning of the discussions, the head of the Education Inspectorate informed the foreign guests about the ongoing work to improve the quality and efficiency of education in Uzbekistan and its activities. At the same time, he dwelled on the main areas of cooperation that are carried out with EdTech. “The State Inspectorate for Quality Supervision in Education was established on the head of state’s initiative. Today, it is one of the leading organizations for assessing quality and efficiency indicators in the field. In those years when our cooperation with Finland began, it was limited only to negotiations at the government level. To date, joint projects are also being implemented on the scale of individual areas and regions. It is noteworthy that these processes cover even the private sector. Over the past period, we have carried out several works on introducing digital technologies in educational processes and teaching students based on real-life skills. In particular, almost 100% of schools in our country are provided with fast Internet. Also, based on the experience of Finland and other advanced countries, educational literature and textbooks are being developed. In this case, the most critical task is ensuring that children have all the skills they need in the educational process. I think it will be even easier for us to achieve the expected result with the help of the proposed programs. We are also always happy to raise the reforms carried out in this direction to a new level together with our Finnish partners,” Ulugbek Tashenbayev said. In turn, Mrs Mervi Palander thanked the representatives of the Education Inspectorate for the warm welcome and shared information about the main activities of Edtech Finland. “In part, I am familiar with the reforms in the field of education carried out in Uzbekistan. But the work done in recent years is worthy of recognition. It should also be noted that in the modern world, information technology, as in other areas, is widely introduced into education. In particular, now children learn new knowledge not only by the traditional method but also with the help of gadgets. From this point of view, a GraphoGame platform is an essential tool for increasing the inclusiveness of education. Thanks to this program, children can receive an education without leaving home. Ninety doctoral studies were conducted in developing this program, and 9 of them, translated into 14 languages, can be downloaded directly from open Internet platforms,” said the founder of EdTech. During the negotiations, the parties also exchanged views on the possibility of introducing GraphoGame, a Claned learning solution e-learning platform in educational institutions of Uzbekistan. In particular, Hanne Koli, an expert on the advanced training system of the HY+ training centre, shared the results of the experimental work carried out among students in the Navoi region to introduce this program into the educational system of our country. “Developing information technologies increase the demand and needs of children for education. Regarding skill management and assessment, we should also dwell on the importance of using ICT machines effectively. The GraphoGame platform is not only pedagogical but also neurological research. To apply the results of this study to Uzbekistan, we conducted a small trial among 40 primary school children in the Navoi region. We have witnessed that their English vocabulary and pronunciation within three months have become more perfect than that of students in the 11th grade of the school. Parents also noted that their children began to study with an extraordinary passion. And they also began to use this program. From this, we can conclude that the inclusiveness of the GraphoGame platform provides an opportunity for everyone to receive an equal education. This will be one of the solutions that Uzbekistan wants, that is, to help improve the quality of education at the earliest opportunity,” said Ms Hanne Koli. At the end of the meeting, an agreement was reached to continue the dialogue on the issues raised consistently. For reference, the GraphoGame platform helps kindergarten and elementary school students learn letters, rhymes, and sounds through various fun 3D levels. This program has been developed in collaboration with the University of Cambridge Center for Neuroscience in Education and is intended primarily for school and home use. And the Claned learning solution platform collects information about the interaction of students with the learning space and aggregates it. This information indicates student activity, learning orientation, and characteristics that can later be used as teacher judgments. This information allows educators to apply student-based approaches.

On December 14 of this year, an information day was organised in the Tashkent Financial Institute dedicated to the Erasmus + project competition. The event was attended by the delegation of the European Union in Uzbekistan, the embassies of 11 EU member states in Tashkent, representatives of the State Inspectorate for Supervision of the Quality in Education, the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Specialized Education, the Research Center for the Development of Higher Education and the Introduction of Advanced Technologies under the Ministry, industry ministries, departments of international relations of higher educational institutions, Erasmus + projects, members of the National Group of Experts on Higher Education, professors and teachers of the institute, scientific researchers. During the event, the Deputy Head of the Inspectorate for Education, Odil Kuysinov, put forward the following proposals for further improving the higher education system in our country and raising cooperation relations with the European Union, in particular under the Erasmus + program, to a new level: By supporting the participation of state bodies in projects, solving urgent problems for the country's education system in a strategic direction, wide implementing the results of cooperation; ensuring the organisation, in cooperation with prestigious educational institutions in Europe, of seminars, training and joint events aimed at improving the qualifications of teachers in Uzbekistan, in particular with Finnish academic departments and institutions; support for the improvement and examination of the National Curriculum of the System of Continuous Education with the involvement of reputable European experts and professors; to help local specialists gain experience and skills in prestigious educational institutions of the European Union; attract international experts in targeted strategic areas, including pedagogical universities, and create conditions for organizing seminars and training with their participation. It should be noted that the Erasmus + program, recognized as the most successful and long-term program of the European Union, is aimed at supporting projects, cooperation, activities in various fields and mobility in the areas of education, training, sports and youth support. To participate in the 2023 competition, higher educational institutions of Uzbekistan can submit projects in the following areas of the Erasmus + program: International Credit Mobility (ICM) Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM) Erasmus Mundus Design Measures (EMDM) Jean Monnet Actions (JMA) For reference, in 2015-2020, within the framework of 6 competitions, 43 projects were funded aimed at increasing the potential of higher education, including 12 national projects with the participation of universities in Europe and Uzbekistan, 11 interregional and 20 regional projects and in cooperation with organizations in other countries Central Asia. The total budget of 43 projects with the participation of Uzbekistan is 36.6 million euros, including 11.5 million euros (31.4%) for universities in Uzbekistan. Currently, 19 projects are being implemented in Uzbekistan with the participation of 33 higher educational institutions of the republic and 68 universities from 24 countries in Europe and five countries in Central Asia. Within the framework of 649 cooperation projects with European universities on international credit mobility, more than 2,000 short-term exchange mobility projects were implemented with a budget of more than 2.5 million euros. Within the framework of the Jean Monnet program, a centre aimed at increasing knowledge about European integration processes is successfully operating at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy, and a program called “Using financial instruments to facilitate trade with European countries” has been developed at the Tashkent State Economic University as part of the project. The current information campaign will be aimed at expanding the topics and new areas of cooperation, as well as attracting universities that do not have Tempus and Erasmus + experience, taking into account the increase in the number of universities in the country from 77 in 2017 to 186 in 2022.

As we reported before, on December 7-9, 2022, representatives of the Education Inspectorate visited Singapore as part of the delegation of Uzbekistan. During the visit, negotiations were held with several ministries and departments to study the educational experience of Singapore and its application in our country. In particular, on December 9, the Inspectorate for Education and Ministry of Higher and Secondary Specialized Education representatives visited the Singapore National Institute of Education. On this day, representatives of the Education Inspectorate met with the Dean for Academic and Strategic Development, Professor Chu Hang Chang and the General Manager for International Cooperation and Consulting Services, Dr Chor Bun Goh. During the meeting, representatives of the Education Inspectorate proposed to cooperate between the parties in the following three areas: – Improvement of educational programs and teaching methods of pedagogical universities in Uzbekistan; – Advanced training of leading personnel in the field of education within the framework of the Institute's SALT program; – Establishing academic mobility and joint scientific research among students and teachers. As a result of the negotiations, the parties reached the following agreements: – Preparation and signing of a draft Memorandum of Cooperation with the National Institute of Education for the training and advanced training of teachers and management personnel in the field of education; – Promoting the mobility of students and teachers between the National Institute of Education of Singapore and pedagogical universities in Uzbekistan; – Improvement of educational programs and teaching methods of higher pedagogical educational institutions of Uzbekistan; – Improving the qualifications of leading personnel in the field of education; – Implementation of joint research projects in the field of education; – Training of national trainers (trainers of trainers) who will improve the qualifications of teachers and, with their help, improve the capabilities of teachers according to the cascade method. It should be noted that the National Institute of Education is part of the Nanyang Technological University and is the only government agency authorized to train and retrain teachers in Singapore. The institute was founded in 1950 as a pedagogical college. The institute's main activities are training teachers for bachelor's, master's and doctoral studies, retraining and advanced training of school teachers, advanced training of management personnel in the field of education, conducting scientific research and providing consulting services in the field of education.

As we reported before, on December 7-9, this year, representatives of the Inspectorate for Education visited Singapore as part of the delegation of Uzbekistan. During the visit, negotiations are underway with several ministries and departments to study the educational experience of Singapore and its application in our country. In particular, on the first day of the visit, representatives of the Education Inspectorate visited the Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS). They held talks with University President Eric Kuan and Secretary General of the Board of Directors Sharif Jafar on further expanding cooperation. At the meeting, the First Deputy Head of the Inspectorate for Education, Khatamjon Ketmonov, gave detailed information about the latest changes in the labour market in Uzbekistan and the professions and specialities in demand. It was also noted that the role of higher education institutions in society is growing; their mission is changing not only to one-time training of personnel for the labour market but also to the creation of additional jobs and constant support of trained personnel throughout their activities. In this regard, Sharif Jafar said that he was ready to implement the experience of Singapore, in particular the Singapore Institute for Management Development, in the field of adult education and training specialists in this field. As a result of the negotiations, the following agreements were reached: Creation of a branch of the Service Quality Center of the Management Development Institute of Singapore, which has a high reputation in Singapore and specializes in improving the skills of managerial and middle personnel in the service sector; Organization of training centers for short-term English language training for tourism and hotel industry specialists in the territories of the republic; Organization of the Center for retraining and advanced training of jewellers and designers in the field of jewellery. This professional development centre allows professionals to develop professionally throughout their lives and is focused on developing human resources in the jewellery industry. Professionals who have obtained sufficient micro-qualifications during their professional development are also allowed to get a bachelor's degree in jewellery in the UK. The parties agreed to continue negotiations and prepare a draft Memorandum on these agreements quickly. For reference: The Singapore Service Quality Center (SQC) was founded in 1990 and is the centre for continuing professional development and training of the Singapore Personnel Development Agency and provides short-term intensive (Bootcamp training) training services for employees of various industries based on government and industry orders.