On May 5, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed proposals on the targeted training of promising personnel and the support of specialist education abroad.

In Uzbekistan, particular attention is given to human resource development in every sector. The state actively supports the education of young people and the advancement of professional qualifications.

Through the “El-Yurt Umidi” Foundation, 2,225 scholarship recipients have been sent to 45 countries, with 1.5 trillion UZS allocated from the state budget. More than 1,400 graduates have returned to Uzbekistan and are now employed in the economy, education, science, healthcare, and public administration sectors. Currently, 748 scholarship recipients are studying at prestigious universities ranked among the top 300 in the world.

To expand the scope of this initiative, it is planned to reorganize the current Foundation and the Academy of Public Administration into the “El-Yurt Umidi” Foundation for Training of Promising Personnel under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Academy of Public Policy and Administration under the President. Together with the Agency for Civil Service Development, they will be integrated into a unified human resource development cluster.

In addition to bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs, civil servants will be sent on targeted internships lasting up to six months. Priority will be given to key sectors such as energy, urban development, transport, architecture, geodesy, land relations, technical and engineering sciences, public administration, and other socially relevant fields.

Scholarships from the “El-Yurt Umidi” Foundation will be awarded without additional examinations to candidates admitted on a grant basis to universities ranked in the top 100 of international rankings. Students admitted on a grant to universities within the top 300 will have their global travel and living expenses reimbursed without the need for additional exams. Graduates of Presidential Schools who gain admission to undergraduate programs at top-20 universities with a 50% scholarship will also receive Foundation scholarships without competition.

To maintain ongoing contact with Uzbekistan citizens studying abroad, identify their needs, and support their academic progress, a Council of Parents of “El-Yurt Umidi” Foundation Scholars will be established. Uzbekistan’s embassies and consulates will be tasked with providing legal and organizational assistance to these students.

The Academy of Public Policy and Administration will also play a key role in training specialists who meet the demands of the time. The Academy already offers advanced educational programs such as the “School of Hokims”, the “School of Women Leaders”, and the “Leaders of the Future” initiative. In the past academic year alone, over 13,000 participants completed professional development courses at the Academy.

Under the new system, three areas of training will be introduced for civil servants: professional development, retraining, and master’s degree programs. All medium- and long-term courses will be organized through joint educational programs with international partners and will be aligned with the core recommendations of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The master’s program will offer in-depth instruction in fields such as “Public Administration”, “Public Policy”, “Integrated Regional Development”, “Human Resource Development”, and “Public Financial Management”, with a duration of up to 18 months. In addition to grant-based admission, a contract-based form of study will also be available.

To enhance the quality of academic programs and research, an International Academic Advisory Council will be established at the Academy, along with the creation of four new centers. In particular, the Center for Applied Research in Public Administration will develop recommendations to improve civil service efficiency and introduce best practices from the private sector into public governance.

The President approved these proposals and instructed the implementation of the system based on new approaches, the upgrading of qualifications of the Foundation and Academy staff, continuous identification and support of talented youth with access to quality education, and greater engagement of qualified professionals in the reform process.

UzA