Nowadays, Uzbekistan and Italy are building successful cooperation in higher education.

According to the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), as of January 1, 2023, the number of Uzbekistan citizens staying in Italy is 1.103. 55-65% of them are students from Uzbekistan studying at the Turin Polytechnic University of Italy, Sapienza and Tor Vergata universities of Rome, universities and conservatories of Milan, Bologna, Siena, Naples, Pisa, and Padua.

UzA Correspondent interviewed Marco Farci, a member of the Council of the Italian-Uzbek Chamber of Commerce who also recently became an Advisor to the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, to get acquainted with the positive processes in education between the two countries. We also asked about his career development and what it is like being an Italian to work as an Advisor to the Ministry of Uzbekistan. 

– When you decided to work for Uzbekistan? How did it all start? 

– I was in Uzbekistan during the Tashkent International Investment Forum, and it was love at first sight. I attended the event at the invitation of the Uzbekistan Ambassador to Italy, H.E Otabek Akbarov, who suggested that I visit Uzbekistan and see its wonders, and he was right. After that visit, I returned to Italy, sharing with many people about New Uzbekistan and how I saw a country in great development and highly welcoming.

From that moment, my passion for Uzbekistan increased, and I started making more and more trips from Italy, bringing projects and initiatives in different fields, especially education and science. During these meetings, I met several representatives of the Uzbekistan Government who always welcomed me with great pleasure and helped me carry out projects with Italy. In particular, with Minister Ibrokhim Abdurakhmonov and the Agency for Development and Innovation, we have several very concrete projects that will significantly benefit engineering education in the country in the coming years.   

– Why did you decide to work in the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of the Republic of Uzbekistan? 

– A large part of my projects are under the management of this ministry, and education is one of the most important sectors of Uzbekistan’s future. It is a field in which, like Italy, we are among the first in the world and can make a serious and continuous contribution. Also meaningful is the exceptional collaborative relationship created with all levels of the Ministry, from the Agencies to the Minister. Together we work very well, and there are no barriers between us, and we all work for the same goal as if we were one big community.

– What are your duties as an Advisor? 

– As an Advisor, I support all activities between Italy and Uzbekistan to constantly increase cooperative activities and provide Uzbekistan students with more and more opportunities for high-level education. However, I help delegate for all those joint initiatives that may arise over time. It is essential to consider areas such as technological innovation, PHDs, and technological, industrial clusters with many possibilities for collaboration. 

– What innovative projects are being implemented in education? 

– The most important project is the Technological Centre, an investment by the Italian Government to create an advanced engineering school in Tashkent for Uzbek students with Italian teachers and machinery. This project we have been working on for several months represents the most significant investment by the Italian Government in Central Asia with great value because it will help train engineers capable of making products in the footwear, textile, and machine tool sectors. The project is already advanced, and the first Uzbek engineers will arrive in Italy in September. However, other agreements are underway with Italian universities, providing for important mobility of teachers and students between Italy and Uzbekistan.

– Do you help to implement projects with other countries or only with Italy? 

– My activity as the Advisor is mainly focused on Italy, where I have direct contacts. However, being in the center of Europe and being able to travel everywhere, I have no problem traveling to meet with other states interested in working with Uzbekistan

– How often do you fly to Uzbekistan? Have you thought about moving there because of work?

– I fly 3-5 times yearly to Uzbekistan and primarily to Tashkent for work. However, I am not considering moving there because one of my primary duties is to help establish cooperation with European partners, which is most convenient while living here in Italy. So no, I haven’t thought about it, but who knows?

– At the moment, there is a branch of Turin University in Uzbekistan. Are there plans to attract other Italian universities to Uzbekistan in the future? 

– First of all, we have to say thanks to the Turin Polytechnic, it was possible to open such an essential chapter in the university sector between Italy and Uzbekistan. Under the guidance of the Rector, Prof. Guido Saracco, the polytechnic has constantly increased its presence in Uzbekistan by offering courses and services to Uzbekistan students. Thanks to the Polytechnic, we have brought Italian university education to Uzbekistan and allowed many Uzbekistan students to access international experiences and qualifications recognized in both countries. After this presence of the Polytechnic, many other Italian universities have collaborated with Uzbekistan, for example, the University of Pisa, which has opened a faculty in Geology and is starting to carry out joint courses. Another university is Sapienza which is evaluating activity in the pharmaceutical sector. According to official international rankings, all these universities are among the best universities in the world. This confirms that the Italian contribution helps increase the training and preparation level in Uzbekistan.

– How do you see the future of cooperation in education?

– I think this is just the beginning. In the future, the number of branches of Italian universities, exchange students, dual degree diplomas, upskilling, and reskilling programs will undoubtedly increase. And I believe this will be a reasonable exchange of experience between the two sides, and the quality of education in Uzbekistan will improve.

Nazokat Rajabova, UzA Correspondent in Italy