Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan Explore Education Collaboration

Uzbekistan’s Deputy Advisor to the President, Javlon Vakhabov, met with Gulshat Yusupova, rector of the Institute for International Relations under Turkmenistan’s Foreign Ministry, in Ashgabat earlier this week to discuss new avenues for educational collaboration. The meeting, part of ongoing diplomatic efforts, focused on research, student and faculty exchanges, curriculum development, and joint degree programs between the two nations’ institutions and think tanks.

Vakhabov, who also serves as managing director of Uzbekistan’s International Institute for Central Asia (IICA), shared details of the talks on X. “We sat down to explore new partnership avenues for research collaboration, student and faculty exchanges, curriculum development, and joint degree programs between our national educational institutions and think tanks,” he wrote. “We delved into the various aspects of university partnerships, highlighting their definition, advantages, successful case studies, and steps to establish and nurture such collaborations.”

The Institute for International Relations, based in Ashgabat, trains diplomats in international relations, law, and economic diplomacy, while IICA in Tashkent focuses on policy, economic, and cultural research for Central Asia. The discussions signal a push to strengthen ties between the neighboring countries, which share historical and cultural bonds.

Vakhabov, a seasoned diplomat with past roles as Uzbekistan’s ambassador to the U.S., Canada, and Brazil, and former NSC chief advisor, leads IICA’s efforts to foster regional collaboration.

During his visit to Ashgabat, Vakhabov also held talks with Turkmenistan’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Akhmed Gurbanov. The discussion covered the wide-ranging Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan agenda, focusing on joint efforts to strengthen regional consolidation across Central Asia.