During his visit to Uzbekistan, Márton Ugrósdy, Deputy State Secretary in the Office of the Political Director of the Prime Minister of Hungary, noted that cooperation between the two countries is reaching a qualitatively new level. Special attention was given to the development of educational and scientific ties within the framework of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS).

According to Márton Ugrósdy, the key purpose of the visit was to discuss the initiative to create a structure and financing mechanism that would allow students from OTS member states, including Uzbekistan and Hungary, to study at each other’s universities and participate in joint research projects.

“We propose to approve a program within the OTS summit in October that will provide students with the opportunity to undertake short-term internships and research not only in the field of natural sciences but also in the social sciences. This will enable countries to work together on pressing issues – from water resource management to artificial intelligence and climate change”, the diplomat emphasized.

Márton Ugrósdy recalled that the Stipendium Hungaricum program, which enables Uzbekistan students to pursue complete higher education in Hungary, has been successfully operating between Hungary and Uzbekistan. However, according to him, there is a lack of flexible mechanisms for short-term mobility.

“The new initiative is aimed precisely at this. Instead of a full degree program, it focuses on short-term projects that will allow students to immerse themselves in the educational environment of other OTS countries for several weeks or months. We also expect a greater number of Hungarian students in Uzbekistan so that they can study our shared history and work on the pressing challenges of modern times”, he noted.

Speaking about the state of relations between Uzbekistan and Hungary, Márton Ugrósdy described Uzbekistan as “a strategic partner and a reliable friend” of Hungary in the region. He expressed gratitude for the support of Hungary’s initiatives and emphasized the importance of expanding cooperation in the field of higher education and science.

“It is also necessary to resume direct ties between the countries and more actively involve Hungarian companies in projects in Uzbekistan. We see prospects in industrial parks, innovation centers, and joint research”, he added.

Márton Ugrósdy’s visit to Tashkent became an essential step toward strengthening cooperation between Uzbekistan and Hungary. The development of educational and scientific exchange, support for youth, and the joint search for solutions to global challenges within the framework of the Organization of Turkic States are opening up new horizons for partnership between the two countries.

Abduaziz Khidirov, UzA