Uzbekistan is expanding cooperation with UNESCO to accelerate reforms in education, science, culture, and innovation, officials said. The country joined UNESCO in 1993 and opened a UNESCO office in Tashkent in 1996, establishing a national commission to coordinate joint projects.
Tashkent is now moving toward accession to UNESCO’s Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education, a step aimed at easing diploma recognition, expanding academic mobility, and improving graduate employability. Uzbekistan has already ratified the 1960 Convention against Discrimination in Education and acceded to the 1989 Convention on Technical and Vocational Education.
Nine UNESCO Chairs operate across Uzbek universities under the UNITWIN program, advancing research collaboration and sustainable development. Cooperation also includes a six-year, €9.6 mln EU-funded project (2020–2026) to modernize rural vocational education, introduce new occupational standards, and equip pilot colleges and training centers in regions including Qorovulbozor, Qo‘shko‘pir, G‘ijduvon, and Qizirik.
The 2024 «InnoWeek.Uz» featured a UNESCO-backed forum, «Science & Innovation for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future,» spotlighting youth-driven research and global scientific ties. Officials say the initiatives underscore Uzbekistan’s strategy to build human capital and foster sustainable development through knowledge and international cooperation.
