DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATIONAL SECTOR IN UZBEKISTAN MINISTRY OF HIGHER AND SECONDARY SPECIALIZED EDUCATION REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN DEPARTMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES AND DISTANCE EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATIONAL SECTOR IN UZBEKISTAN EVGENIYA FYODOROVA Team leader

Main points of presentation Country profile - Uzbekistan Education in figures Model of education International Partnership Main problems Objectives and Solutions: measures and instruments Achievements /Results Successful Experience of UK and some recommendations for Uzbekistan

REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN

Country profile Location: Central Asia Territory: 447,000 sq. km Capital: Tashkent (2.5 million) Borders with: Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan Independence: September 1st, 1991 Population: 25 mln. Urban population: 37% Rural population: 63% Annual economic growth (GDP gross) 4.2% (in real term) Income per capita 2790 $ US (PPP)

Crucial Figures: The Structure of Economy (in % to GDP) 2002 year Crucial Info: GDP growth rate 4.2% Contribution of ICT 8% Trans-Asia-Europe fiber-optic communication line (TAE-FOCL): China-Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Turkey and Russian-Germany

Education in figures 99% literacy 45% of population is under age 25 38% of budget expenditures to Educational System or 7% of GDP 63 universities and institutes 1800 colleges and lyceums 500 thousand school graduates annually over 1mln college and lyceum students 160 thousand full-time students in higher education

The Model of educational system

International partnerships From Economic point of view: Foreign Credits /Investments $200mln of Japanese government $150mln of Asian Development Bank $35mln of Korean government $200 mln of American aids for development ICT $30 mln. Indian Government grant

Main Partners: British Council (office in Tashkent) WBI (office in USA), UNDP (office in Tashkent) Open Society Institute (Soros Foundation) office in Tashkent, JICA (Japan) office in Tashkent, University of Maryland (USA), Indian Embassy in Uzbekistan, Government of India (TIEC Programs) Indian Private Company “Computronics LtD.” Russian Business Center (Office in Uzbekistan), MFA of Israel, Mashav Program, Embassy of Israel (Uzbekistan), ADB (office in Tashkent),

Main Problems Crucial GAP in the sphere of Development ICT and Distance Education (E-Learning) Investment to Development of Human Resources inefficiently DUE TO: Huge spending for financing Exchange Programs: For students from “UMID” Foundation, For teachers (tutors) from “USTOZ” Republican Foundation, Low involvement (only 40% of all students coming back from Abroad, “Outflow of national potential”, Financial problems

I Further Development of Infrastructure in Uzbekistan Main Objectives I Further Development of Infrastructure in Uzbekistan Implementation of ICT in Education and development of E-Learning, Increasing of Quality Assurance for Distance Education, Improvement Quality of Education in rural areas ob the base of New IT, including access to Internet, II Improvement Skills Development new curriculum, modern e-books, virtual labs, simulation exhibitions for Higher and Secondary Specialized Education, TOT for more than 500,000 teachers using of IT, Providing vocational training for 1.5mln students in the sphere of ICT, Mutually beneficial international cooperation

LONG TERM OBJECTIVES (2001-2010ss.) Instruments and measures Resolutions of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan LONG TERM OBJECTIVES (2001-2010ss.) OCTOBER 4, 2001 : No 400 “About Measures on Perfection of Preparation of Pedagogical Staff for Secondary Specialized Vocational Education Institutions” With the purposes of: - increase in the level and quality of preparation of pedagogical staff in secondary specialized vocational education institutions - supplying academic lyceums and professional colleges with highly skilled pedagogical and engineering-pedagogical staff, which meets the requirements of the state educational standards and the National program on training of personnel

Resolutions of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan SHORT TERM OBJECTIVES (2001-2005ss.) 23 MAY 2001 No 230 “On measures for organization of elaboration of the program for development of computer and information technologies for 2001 -2005, provision of wide access to international information system Internet” With the purposes of: - for wide implementation of modern computer and information technologies in all spheres of economy, science and education, provision of access to international information systems, including Internet, - increasing the level of experts in programming

DECREE of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan LONG TERM OBJECTIVES (2002-2010ss.) 30 MAY 2002 NO УП - 3080 “About the further development of a computerisation and introduction of informational-communication technologies” With the purposes of: - formation of national system of informatization, - mass introduction and use in all spheres of economy and life of a society of modern information technologies, means of computer technologies and telecommunications, - most complete satisfaction of growing information needs of the citizens, creation of favourable conditions, - for entry in global information community and expansions of access to global information resources

The Governance Structure for Implementation of IT and Distance Education (Uzbekistan)

From technical point of view: 100% Free Access to EBSCO database The Results /Measures From technical point of view: Local Network – 100% (63 universities) PC modernization – 70% is New Model PC Access to Internet – 100% (63 universities) Learning Computer Centre – 9 areas of Uzbekistan (total 14 areas) Membership of National Librarian Association (including resources in e- format /informational educational resources) 100% Free Access to EBSCO database

From other point of view: The Results /Measures From other point of view: Centre of Information Technologies and Distance Education Small and Medium Enterprises for Development E-books, (Multimedia) Virtual Labs ~(more than 20), Videoconference equipment for more than 7 universities, UzREN Uzbekistan’s Research and Educational Network (Digital Development Initiative - DDI) National Educational Platform 3000 units of Textbook in e-format and Multimedia – (63 universities) Republican e-database for universities: textbooks, outlines, books, More than 200 programs and seminars, including Summer School in Uzbekistan (TOT) (14 regions), Participation in the “Students’ Team of World Championship for programming” (Group of North-East of Europe/ Subgroup –Middle Asia) 30 students’ teams from 17 universities (several awards), Weekly videoconference among universities, TV and radio programs with info about activities,

Successful experience of UK and some recommendations for Uzbekistan

Some issues From technical point of view: Develop the program “Information and Learning Technologies” Networks and organizations National Learning Network JISC, JANET NGfl SCRAN others Increasing access to Internet and attract people (Learning Centre) Increase service for supporting and providing skills and knowledge

Online resources www.gov.uz – site of the Government www.umid.uz – site of exchange students www.uzdessert.uz – Uzbek music in MP3, Uzbek cuisine, culture etc. www.uzland.com – site for tourists www.uza.uz – Uzbek Information Agency www.uzreport.com – news and more