On 2 November, a conference on “EU-Turkmenistan cooperation in education” was held in Ashgabat co-organized by the EU Delegation, ministries of foreign affairs and education of Turkmenistan.
The forum was aimed at raising awareness of the academic circles of Turkmenistan about the existing opportunities for cooperation with European universities. For this purpose, the event brought together representatives of 27 Turkmen universities and secondary vocational educational institutions.
“Since 1996, Turkmenistan and the European Union have implemented several successful projects in the field of education. This is, for example, a joint project with the Academy of Civil Servants and a joint project with the Ministry of Education. We have introduced innovative teaching methods, conducted advanced training courses for teachers and management, and also opened the first master’s course. These are examples of fruitful cooperation. Together, we have invested millions of euros, which are aimed at creating conditions for training, capacity development and exchange of experience between the European Union and Turkmenistan,” EU Ambassador to Turkmenistan Diego Ruiz Alonso said in his welcoming remarks.
“As a result of the close interaction of our universities with advanced European educational institutions, there are currently 36 bilateral cooperation agreements in which institutions cooperate in the educational, methodological, scientific and practical spheres,” deputy minister for education Azat Atayev said, highly appreciating the outcomes of three projects completed this year under the Erasmus+ in Turkmenistan.
Along with this, Turkmenistan also hopes for the success in the implementation of the first regional professional education project DARYA, and the current project – “New courses in non-spatial engineering for adaptation of ecosystems to climate change”.
Atayev pointed out several highly promising areas in the field of educational cooperation between the EU and Turkmenistan. This includes the exchange of experience in the field of innovative management of the educational system; development of programs for advanced training and retraining of teaching staff; digitalization of education; joint scientific research; joint Double Diploma programs in such areas as artificial intelligence, big data, biotechnology, genetic engineering, chemical technology, medicine; cooperation in the field of CDIO initiative (Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate); models of entrepreneurial universities; and much more.
National and European experts took part in the forum as speakers, including Rector of the University of Ruse (Bulgaria) Hristo Beloev, Dr. Angel Smrikarov, Head of the Center for Innovative Educational Technologies of the same university, representative of the European Training Foundation Franca Crestani, coordinator of the national office of the Erasmus+ program Ayna Choreklieva, representative of the International University of humanities science and development.
Romanian Ambassador Ion Naval, German Ambassador Michael U. Bierhoff, Roman Gouvernay, Director of the French Institute at the French Embassy, imparted key information on higher education for foreign citizens and Turkmen students in their countries.
The conference participants agreed that such a practice of communication and open discussion of actual potential for expanding cooperation links between Turkmenistan and the EU in the sector of education should be continued in the future.///nCa, 3 November 2022 (photo source – @eu4turkmenistan)