Online Meeting of Regional Agricultural Universities Held (ADB)
20.03.2025
On March 19, 2025, a significant online meeting of Regional Agricultural Universities was held in cooperation with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Wageningen University. The event brought together representatives from leading agricultural universities in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Pakistan.
Key Highlights of the Meeting:
- Opening of the Meeting
The event was opened by Hyun Joo Youn, Senior Social Development Specialist at ADB, and Zulfia Karimova, Principal Regional Cooperation Specialist at ADB. They emphasized the importance of international cooperation in developing agricultural education. The meeting was moderated by Liliia Kachkinbaeva, ADB Consultant.
- Introduction of Meeting Objectives and WUR Team
Monika Sopov, Senior Advisor on Sustainable Food Systems at Wageningen University, presented the key objectives of the meeting and ongoing collaborations with universities.
- Presentation on the "Agricultural Universities Accelerator Program"
ADB Consultant Liliia Kachkinbaeva delivered a presentation on the "Agricultural Universities Accelerator Program." The program aims to enhance innovation, international collaboration, and education quality in universities. A Q&A session was organized for participants.
Discussion on Self-Assessment Results
Participants exchanged views on the self-assessment results conducted within their universities, discussing both achievements and areas for improvement. The discussion included active participation from:
- Azerbaijan Technical University
- Georgian Technical University
- Kazakh National Agrarian Research University
- Kyrgyz National Agrarian University
- Mongolian University of Life Sciences
- Faisalabad University of Agriculture, Pakistan
- Tajik Agrarian University
- Turkmen Agricultural University named after S.A. Niyazov
- Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers - National Research University
During the event, Sherzod Rahmonov, Head of the International Cooperation Department at the Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers National Research University, provided information about the university. Additionally, Shokirov Shuxrat Sobirovich, the Vice-Rector for Scientific Research and Innovation, answered questions related to the self-assessment questionnaire and shared his insights.
- Next Steps and Closing of the Meeting
At the closing session, Hyun Joo Youn and Zulfia Karimova outlined the next steps for finalizing the self-assessment process and addressing the identified challenges.
Meeting Outcomes:
This regional agricultural university meeting, held on March 19, 2025, marked an important step toward strengthening scientific and educational cooperation, fostering innovation, and improving the quality of education. Participants had the opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences.
Future collaboration among universities is expected to grow further, with new initiatives to be introduced.
