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Specific characteristics of international standards in the
higher education system of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Ulugbek YULDASHEV
1
University of Business and Science
ARTICLE INFO
ABSTRACT
Article history:
Received February 2025
Received in revised form
28 February 2025
Accepted 20 March 2025
Available online
15 April 2025
In recent years, the government of Uzbekistan has been
focusing on a new approach at all stages of the education
system. The higher education system has undergone several
reforms in terms of training qualified personnel for all fields
using international experience. This article focuses on the
reforms implemented in the higher education system of
Uzbekistan regarding the introduction of international
standards. In addition, the specific features of the
implementation of these standards are also taken into account.
The main content of the article is the differences between the
higher education system in Uzbekistan and the world. During
the study of this topic, official documents of the government of
Uzbekistan were analyzed. Additionally, international studies
about this topic were also reviewed for making a comparison
with the reforms in the higher education system of Uzbekistan.
2181-
1415/©
2025 in Science LLC.
https://doi.org/10.47689/2181-1415-vol6-iss3/S-pp
This is an open access article under the Attribution 4.0 International
(CC BY 4.0) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.ru)
Keywords:
higher education,
international standards,
credit module,
ISCED,
ECTS,
Bachelor’s,
Master’s,
assessment,
part-time education,
students’ qualifications,
doctoral programs,
international rankings.
O‘zbekiston Respublikasi oliy ta’lim
tizimida xalqaro
standartlarning o‘ziga xos xususiyatlari
ANNOTATSIYA
Kalit so‘zlar
:
Oliy ta’lim,
xalqaro standartlar,
kredit-modul,
ISCED,
ECTS,
bakalavriat,
magistratura,
baholash,
sirtqi ta’lim,
So‘nggi yillarda O‘zbekiston hukumati ta’lim tizimining
barcha bosqichlarida yangicha yondashuvga alohida e’tibor
qaratmoqda. Oliy ta’lim tizimida xalqaro tajribalardan
foydalangan holda barcha yo‘nalishlar uchun malakali kadrlar
tayyorlash borasida bir qator islohotlar amalga oshirildi. Ushbu
maqolada asosiy e’tibor O‘zbekiston oliy ta’lim tizimida xalqaro
standartlarni joriy etish borasida olib borilayotgan islohotlarga
qaratilgan. Bundan tashqari, ushbu standartlarni joriy etishning
1
Teacher, University of Business and Science. Namangan, Uzbekistan. E-mail: ulugbekiuldashev08@gmail.com
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talabalar malakasi,
doktorantura dasturlari,
xalqaro reytinglar.
o‘ziga xos xususiyatl
ari ham hisobga olinadi. Maqolaning asosiy
mazmuni
–
O‘zbekistondagi va dunyodagi oliy ta’lim tizimi
o‘rtasidagi farqlar. Ushbu mavzuni o‘rganish jarayonida
O‘zbekiston hukumatining rasmiy hujjatlari tahlil qilindi.
Bundan tashqari, O‘zbekiston oliy ta’lim
tizimidagi islohotlar
bilan taqqoslash uchun ushbu mavzu bo‘yicha xalqaro
tadqiqotlar ko‘rib chiqildi.
Особенности международных стандартов в системе
высшего образования Республики Узбекистан
АННОТАЦИЯ
Ключевые слова:
Высшее образование,
международные
стандарты,
кредит
-
модуль,
ISCED,
ECTS,
бакалавриат,
магистратура,
оценка,
заочное обучение,
квалификация студентов,
программы докторантуры,
международные рейтинги
.
В последние годы правительство Узбекистана уделяет
особое внимание внедрению новых подходов на всех
этапах системы образования. В сфере высшего образования
реализован ряд реформ, направленных на подготовку
квалифицированных кадров с учётом международного
опыта. Данная статья посвящена анализу реформ,
проводимых в системе высшего образования Узбекистана,
с акцентом на внедрение международных стандартов.
Рассматриваются
особенности
их
реализации
в
национальном контексте, а также выявляются различия
между системой высшего образования Узбекистана и
образовательными системами других стран. В рамках
исследования были проанализированы официальные
нормативно
-
правовые акты правительства Узбекистана, а
также
изучены
международные
исследования,
позволяющие сопоставить национальные реформы с
общемировыми тенденциями в высшем образовании.
INTRODUCTION
The importance of international standards in the higher education system
These days, as higher education is developing at an international level, the issues
of cooperation, exchange of students, and mutual recognition of diplomas among the
countries of the world in this field are also expanding. These issues demand the task of
introducing unified international standards in the higher education system. This is
because when recognizing diplomas issued by other countries or in the process of
transferring students’ studies, there should be strict requirements for the quality of
education and the learning outcomes of students. Although there are standards adopted
by UNESCO or other international organizations, a single set of them that must be strictly
followed by all countries has not been developed yet. This set of international quality
standards might contribute to the development of international higher education.
It would have strengthened cooperation and trust among higher educational institutions
of different countries of the world. International or supra-national bodies, such as the
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the World
Bank, or the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), could
spearhead such an effort. Organizations specializing in quality assurance, such as the
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International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education or the Council
for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) International Quality Group, might lead this
work (CHEA, 2014).
There are some valid standards in higher education, which are reflected in the
activities of the leading universities of the world. Additionally, some documents
developed by international educational organizations can serve as a basis for standards.
For example, the Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning
Higher Education, adopted by UNESCO in 2019 can be international standards for the
higher education of the world. On Paragraph 1 of Article 5 of this convention, it is stated
that qualifications should be recognized unless there is a significant difference between
the requirements set by each country in higher education (UNESCO, 2019). Furthermore,
several other aspects of qualifications related to higher education were explained in the
convention. However, this document has not determined specific standards for quality of
higher education.
The importance of implementing international standards to the higher
education system of Uzbekistan
In the Republic of Uzbekistan, the education system has always been considered
one of the most important issues of the government. It should be recognized that a great
deal of work has been done in this regard since the independence of Uzbekistan. Many
reforms in the field of higher education, which is considered a part of continuous
education, are part of the work carried out in order to prepare professional specialists for
the future of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
The field of higher education performs the task of training personnel with up-to-
date knowledge and skills that can serve the development of the Republic. Therefore,
reforms in this area are of utmost importance at a governmental level. In this regard, the
introduction of international standards has a great part in the integration of the higher
education system with the world's leading universities.
Despite several scientific articles having been published on some aspects of the
reforms implemented in Uzbekistan's higher education system in recent years, little
attention has been paid to the ‘historical approach’ to the issue. This aspect of the
issue
was also approached in this scientific work.
LITERATURE REVIEW
The history of the introduction of international standards in the higher education
system of the Republic of Uzbekistan can be found in the books of Djurayev, N. &
Khalikova, R. who covered the history of the period of independence of Uzbekistan
(Djurayev, 2013; Khalikova, 2021). However, in their scientific work, this topic has been
given little attention.
A group of researchers led by Abdurakhmanov, K. (Abdurakhmanov et al., 2019)
scientifically approached the role of the higher education system in the sustainable
development of Uzbekistan. These authors focused more on the socio-economic aspects
of the subject.
Shamanova, Z. (2022) explained the importance of providing financial
independ
ence to Uzbekistan’s higher education institutions in her scientific article.
A group of researchers from South America and South Africa (Vieira do
Nascimento et al., 2022) analyzed the coverage of higher education by region. In their
research, relevant information can be obtained for Central Asian region.
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Igor Tsigelny from University of California also contributed to studying
international standards in higher education system. In his research, he highlighted the
different features of credit transfer in the higher education system in the USA, the
European Union and the United Kingdom (Tsigelny, 2015).
The research of Vebina Resuli, Lecturer of Mediterranean University of Albania,
has also been important in explaining the content of international standards in higher
education (Resuli, 2019).
In the study of the processes related to the introduction of international standards
in the field of higher education in the Republic of Uzbekistan, official documents,
including presidential decrees and decisions of the Cabinet of Ministers, orders of the
Higher and Secondary Special Ministry served as the basis (Ministry of Higher and
Secondary Special Education, 2021; Cabinet of Ministers, 2020; The President of the
Republic of Uzbekistan, 2019). International documents related to the education system
were also reviewed (UNESCO, 2012; UNESCO, 2014; UNESCO, 2019).
METHODS
In the study of this topic, first of all, official documents belonging to the
government of Uzbekistan and the President of the Republic were reviewed in detail. The
tasks set in these documents and the extent to which they were fulfilled were studied
thoroughly.
In addition, in order to analyze the compatibility of the innovations introduced in
the higher education system of Uzbekistan with international standards, the
International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) developed by UNESCO was
used. The documents adopted by the organizations responsible for the education system
in other countries were also studied (e.g. Australian Government, 2014). Consequently,
the comparison and analysis of these procedures were performed.
Based on the articles of other authors on the topic published in magazines, their
scientific views were scrutinized. An analysis of the evidence on the subject in
newspapers and journals was carried out.
Much stress was placed on the issue of working with tables as this is important in
comparing international standards in higher education with the existing system in
Uzbekistan.
RESULTS
The international standards which are used by higher education institutions
of developed countries
Although there is confusion about the international standards that guarantee
quality in higher education around the world, there are minimum quality standards
followed by educational institutions in the US and Europe in order to achieve high
rankings in global indexes (Resuli, 2019). It is fact that, the universities of the USA are
among the highest in the world. For instance, according to the QS World rankings,
4 universities from the USA entered top 10 universities of the world (Quacquarelli
Symonds, 2024). Despite the fact that American universities are recognized as the
strongest in the world, international standards have been adopted in order to ensure the
quality of student education. These international standards are introduced through the
accreditation of university education. This process has improved student outcomes at
US universities and colleges. It also reduced student complaints by 23% (Resuli, 2019).
It can be seen that international standards can contribute to the improvement of the
quality of education.
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International standards also require transparency in the financial activities of
universities. Prior to the introduction of financial accountability, financial
mismanagement was common at US universities (Resuli, 2019). These standards served
to regulate the financial activities of universities. A number of measures are also being
taken to ensure transparency in the financial activities of higher education institutions in
the Republic of Uzbekistan. The decision of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan
dated December 24, 2021 No. 61 ‘On measures to provide financial independence to state
higher education institutions’ became important at this point (Shamanova, 2022
). In this
decision, financial independence was approved for 40 state higher educational
institutions for many purposes, such as, ensuring the financial stability for state higher
educational institutions in the higher education system, independently solving financial
problems related to their technical base, expanding the possibility of attracting funds for
scientific and research activities, the development of the environment for the
competition among higher educational institutions (the President of the Republic of
Uzbekistan, 2021). It was one of essential steps towards implementing modern reforms
in higher education system. This is because educational institutions with financial
independence can achieve academic freedom and might have the opportunity to use their
funds for purposes that serve the development of the scientific potential of universities.
American and Australian universities have a great deal of reputation for the
application of international standards in higher education and experience in this regard.
Academic standards mainly refer to the practice related to the assessment of student
knowledge. The assessment of students’ knowledge, abilities, achievements, participation
and skills is one of the main aspects in setting academic standards. Therefore, nowadays,
attention is paid to the evaluation of student knowledge based on transparency and in a
standardized manner in the international higher education system. Any steps to ensure
transparency in student learning outcomes, while supporting and improving the credit
transfer system and student recognition process, allow students to learn at their own
pace and flexibly (Azeem et al., 2009). The absence of standards leads to a lack of
purpose. Students can also be unmotivated without clear goals. In addition, university
diplomas and students’ qualifications are recognized at an international level, where
evaluation based on international standards. Therefore, an important step was taken
towards the introduction of international standards in the higher education system of
Uzbekistan by switching into the credit module system.
In the Australian higher education system, attention is also paid to international
standards. The Higher Education Standards developed by the Australian Government set
out requirements for student engagement, learning environment, teaching, research,
management and quality control. For example, it was established that foreign students
must undergo special orientation programs for successful admission to courses to live
and study in Australia (Australian Government, 2014). However, it was noted that the
type of education and the country of study are also important in the recognition of
students’ previous education in the process of admission to the university. It follows that
diplomas from universities of countries with an education system based on international
standards are recognized for admission to courses in Australian universities.
In Europe, focus is placed on the issue of quality control in higher education
institutions, and special standards and guidelines have been developed in this regard.
Among the goals set for this document, it was mentioned that it would improve the
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quality of education for students studying in the European Higher Education Area,
help higher education institutions to manage and improve the quality of their education
system (European Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education, 2009). In this
document, the standards of internal and external inspections of the quality of education
in European universities were determined. It can be considered that it might be one of
the most important tasks in recognizing academic credits and ensuring student mobility.
The steps towards international standards in higher education made by
Uzbekistan
Since the first years of independence, rich foreign experience has been studied for
the higher education system of Uzbekistan. The purpose of this was to prepare
competent specialists who meet the requirements of the time and serve for the
development of the country. In particular, based on the rigorous examination of the
system of universities in the USA, Turkey, India and Germany, a new model of admission
to higher educational institutions was created. That is, enrollment to higher educational
institutions was introduced through the multiple choice tests in the state entrance exams.
In addition, the transition to a two-level system in higher education, i.e. bachelor's and
master's degrees, is one of the important steps, which clearly proves how international
experience played an integral role in this field. In 1993, 4 commissions were established
in the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Special Education to develop Regulations and
Programs for such a new system in the conditions of Uzbekistan (Djurayev, 2013).
It is important to note that a new era of reforms to introduce international
standards in higher education began in 2017. Thanks to the initiative of the President of
the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, many changes were made in the field of
higher education. The rise of the number of higher education institutions, the increase of
the branches of foreign higher education institutions, the improvement in undergraduate
entrance tests, switching to credit-module system in higher education, the introduction
of part-time education can be included among these reforms. Furthermore, joint training
and dual-degree programs were introduced in some fields of higher education.
As for Khalikova (2021), in particular, as of 2021, in 16 higher education institutions,
in cooperation with leading universities of 10 foreign countries, specialists are being
trained on the basis of joint training programs in 33 majors and 14 specialties
(Khalikova, 2021).
Undoubtedly, one of the important reforms regarding the introduction of
international standards in the field of higher education was issued by the Ministry of
Higher and Secondary Special Education on October 19, 2021 on the approval of the state
standard of the Republic of Uzbekistan ‘State standard of higher education. Basic rules’
(Ministry of Higher and Secondary Special Education, 2021). In its introduction, it is
noted that this state standard was developed in accordance with the Law of the Republic
of Uzbekistan “On Education” and other legal documents, as well as International
Standard Classification of Education (ISCED 2011) and ISCED Fields of Education and
Training 2013 (ISCED-F 2013) introduced by UNESCO (UNESCO, 2012; UNESCO, 2014).
Therefore, attention is focused on compliance with the new standards of higher
education, not only with national legislation, but also with internationally recognized
classifications. According to ISCED 2011, the bachelor’s degree in higher educa
tion,
which is a part of continuous education in Uzbekistan, belongs to qualification level 6,
and master’s degree belongs to qualification level 7. In the classification of Table 13 given
in ISCED 2011, it can be seen that many figures correspond to the modern system of
higher education in Uzbekistan (Look at Table 1).
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Table 1.
Classification codes for education programs at ISCED level 6 (ISCED-P)
Category
(orientation)
Subcategory
(duration/
position)
Description
64
Bachelor’s or
equivalent ,
academic
641
Insufficient for level completion
645
First degree (3-4 years)
646
Long first degree (more than 4 years)
647
Second or further degree, following
successful completion of a
Bachelor’s or equivalent programme
65
Bachelor’s or equivalent
degree, professional
651
Insufficient for level completion
655
First degree (3-4 years)
656
Long first degree (more than 4 years)
657
Second or further degree, following
successful completion of a
Bachelor’s or
equivalent programme
66
Bachelor’s or equivalent
degree, orientation
ununspecified
1
661
Insufficient for level completion
665
First degree (3-4 years)
666
Long first degree (more than 4 years)
667
Second or further degree, following
successful completion of a
Bachelor’s or equivalent programme
1
To be used at ISCED level 6 in the absence of internationally-agreed definitions for academic and
professional orientations at the tertiary level.
Source: UNESCO. (2012).
International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED 2011)
. Montreal:
UNESCO Institute of statistics.
In particular, the first 3-4-
year bachelor’s education listed under the figure
645 corresponds to the education system of 3-year and 4-
year bachelor’s programs in
Uzbekistan. Figure 647 means the bachelor’s degree in the ‘second specialty’, which is
also available in the higher education system of Uzbekistan. It can be noted that the
figures given in Table 15 of this classification correspond to the master’s level of the
higher education of the Republic of Uzbekistan in many ways (Look at Table 2).
Table 2.
Classification codes for education programs at ISCED level 7 (ISCED-P)
Category
(orientation)
Subcategory
(duration/
position)
Description
74
Master’s or
equivalent
level, academic
741
Insufficient for level completion
746
Long first degree (at least 5 years)
747
Second or further degree (following
successful
completion of a Bachelor’s
or equivalent programme)
748
Second or further degree (following
successful completion of a Master’s
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or equivalent programme)
75
Master’s or
equivalent
level,
professional
751
Insufficient for level completion
756
Long first degree (at least 5 years)
757
Second or further degree (following
successful completion of a Bachelor’s
or equivalent programme)
758
Second or further degree (following
successful completion of a Master’s
or equivalent programme)
76
Master’s or
equivalent
level,
orientation
unspecified
1
761
Insufficient for level completion
766
Long first degree (at least 5 years)
767
Second or further degree (following
successful completion of a Bachelor’s
or equivalent programme)
768
Second or further degree (following
successful completion of a Master’s
or equivalent programme)
1
To be used at ISCED level 7 in the absence of internationally-agreed definitions for academic and
professional orientations at the tertiary level.
Source: UNESCO. (2012). International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED 2011).
Montreal: UNESCO Institute of statistics.
In the description of the figure 746 given in it, obtaining the master’s degree
requires the completion of at least 5 years of study. In Uzbekistan, it usually takes 4 years
of study at bachelor’s program and 2 years of study at master’s program for the
completion of the Master’s. However, its wrong not to mention that 3
-
year bachelor’s and
1-
year master’s degree exist in certain fiel
ds, such as BA program at music and
MA program at Law respectively. Seeing the abovementioned statements, it is clear that it
might also take 5 years of study to get a Master’s in Uzbekistan. The educational system
that corresponds to these classifications and its foundation with normative legal
documents shows the work related to the application of international experience in the
field of higher education in Uzbekistan.
The credit transfer system in the higher education system of developed
countries
Although the ECTS system of the European Union was established for the purpose
of accumulating credits, it mainly plays an essential role in the mobility of students,
particularly, in the recognition of knowledge and skills. In this system, students are
required to submit Course Catalogue, Learning Agreement, Transcript of Records, and
Traineeship Certificate for credit recognition during the transfer process (European
Union, 2015). These documents reflect the student’s learning outcomes and
qualifications and are recognized when the student moves to another higher education
institution. This system strengthened the cooperation between European universities,
ensured the free movement of students and served to boost the integration of education
in Europe.
In North America, there is a quite different system in terms of academic credits.
Many higher education institutions in North America base their credit systems on the
Carnegie Unit, which was developed in the early 1900s. The ‘Carnegie unit’ represents
3 credits in each undergraduate course for a 14- to 16-week semester. The value of credit
is assessed based on three hours of student learning per week: one classroom contact
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hour and two hours of homework or independent study (McQuarrie, 2016). This system
is used in many higher education institutions in the Canadian province of British
Columbia. A similar system exists in the USA, where one credit unit includes 1 hour of
classroom training and 2 hours of independent study. In the UK, there also exists
a system by which study credits for self-preparation are added to each academic hour of
auditorium (or contact) study. 1 credit unit consists of 10 notional hours of study.
Completinga 3-
year Bachelor’s degree in England requires 360 credit units (120 credit
units per year). Furthermore, depending on the level of education in the Kingdom, the
levels of credit units differ. 360 credit units in the UK are equal to 180 ECTS credits. More
precisely, 1 credit unit in the European education system is equivalent to 2 credit units in
the United Kingdom (Tsigelny, 2011). It can be seen that the academic credit policy in
higher education institutions of North America, the United Kingdom, and the European
Union has different characteristics, and these characteristics should be taken into
account in mutual student exchange. Uzbekistan adopted the European credit-module
system as a basis for the higher education system.
Differences in credit acceptance between European and US higher education
institutions can be seen in the credit transfer regulations adopted by the Central
European University. In addition to the unique aspects of credit transfer, the regulation
also reflects differences in the amount and valuation of credit units in the USA and
Europe. One of the requirements for admission to all degrees is that credits must be from
regionally accredited US educational institutions or the ECTS system. If there is no
application for these credit systems, it is required that the educational institution’s
reference explaining its credit system be attached. Additionally, it is also noted that the
student must have received at least a B grade according to the US assessment system or a
C or D grade according to the ECTS system. The differences between the European and
US grading systems are highlighted in Table 3. The difference in the amount of credit
units can also be seen in the minimum requirements specified in the regulations. In
particular, it is explained that bachelor students can transfer a maximum of 15 credits
under the US system and 30 credits under the ECTS system (Central European University,
2021). It follows from this that 1 credit in the US higher education system is equivalent to
2 credits in the ECTS system.
Attention is also paid to the accreditation of educational institutions in the higher
education system in the USA. Several regional accreditation organizations have been
established for this purpose. One such organization is the New England Commission on
Higher Education, which, through its assessment activities, conducts quality of education
audits of degree-granting institutions seeking accreditation. The standards developed by
this commission also touched upon the issue of credit transfer. It states that when
accepting undergraduate credit transfers from other institutions, the institution applies
processes that ensure appropriate levels of academic quality for student teaching.
Moreover, it is said that educational institutions should not create artificial obstacles in
the recognition of academic credits (New England Commission of Higher Education,
2021). Although this is a document of an institution, it represents the accreditation
processes that exist throughout the US higher education system.
The process of implementing the credit-module system in Uzbekistan
The introduction of the credit-module system in the higher education institutions
of the Republic of Uzbekistan was one of the most important processes on the way to the
implementation of international standards. This is because the rating system of
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evaluation that existed before the introduction of the credit-module system did not
correspond very well to the evaluation criteria in international higher education. It was
determined that the credit-module would be introduced into the educational system in
the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers called ‘On measures to improve the system
related to the organization of the educational process in higher education institutions’
which was based on presidential decrees PF-5847 dated October 8, 2019 of the President
of the Republic of Uzbekistan ‘Concerning the approval of the concept the development of
the higher education system of the Republic of Uzbekistan until 2030’ and PF
-5953 dated
March 2, 2020 ‘Strategy of Actions on the five priority directions o
f the development of
the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2017-
2021 ‘on the implementation of the state program in
the year of the development of science, enlightenment and digital economy’ (Cabinet of
Ministers, 2020). According to this decision, the credit-module system was gradually
introduced in higher education institutions of the Republic of Uzbekistan starting from
the 2020/2021 academic year. Also, a regulation was adopted for the introduction of this
system. In this way, the legal basis for introducing the credit-module system, which is a
part of international standards in higher education, was defined. According to the
Regulation attached to this document, it was determined that the credit-module system
implemented in Uzbekistan is based on the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation
System (ECTS). The ECTS system was developed to ensure the transparency of
educational processes in the field of higher education. This system helps students in the
process of transferring their higher education to other countries. In the ECTS system, an
average student is supposed to gain 60 credits in one academic year.
For the completion of a bachelor’s degree, 180 or 240 credits are required to
obtain (European Commission, 2015).
In the higher education system of Uzbekis
tan, to obtain a bachelor’s degree, the
same number of credits is required, i.e., 3 or 4 years of study. On October 19, 2021, the
Ministry of Higher and Secondary Special Education issued the ‘State educational
standard of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Basic rules also contain a table for the
distribution of credits by semesters. Based on the international principles of the credit
system; to systematize and optimize the catalog of subjects, it is recommended to
determine the distribution of credits by courses and semesters in the curriculum as
follows (Ministry of Higher and Secondary Special Education, 2021):
–
if the academic subject is taught only in the 1
st
semester, 4 or 6 credits are
allocated to it, where the academic subject is 120 and 180 hours, respectively;
–
the subjects taught during two semesters differ depending on the total hours of
the subject.
–
4 credits per two semesters for a subject with 240 hours of workload, 4 credits
for the 1
st
semester and 6 credits for the 2
nd
semester for a subject with 300 hours of
sessions, 6 credits for each two semesters for a subject with 360 hours of sessions.
These data also mean that the credit-module system implemented in the higher
education system of Uzbekistan corresponds to the mechanism of collecting and
distributing credits in accordance with international standards.
Previously, the transition from the rating system to the grade scale for evaluating
student knowledge is defined in the statute order which is No. 3069 of the Ministry of
Higher and Secondary Special Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated September
26, 2018 ‘On approval of the regulation on the control and evaluation system of students’
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knowledge in higher education institutions’. The table attached to this regulation shows
the extent to which the newly implemented assessment system complies with
international standards (Look at Table 3).
Table 3.
Comparative analysis of student learning assessment systems in higher education
Proposed
system of
evaluation
in
Uzbekistan
Russian
system
(MDU)*
ECTS
–
European Credit
Transfer System
American
system
(A- F)
British
system
(%)
Japanese
system
(%)
Korean
system
(%)
Previous
system in
Uzbekistan
(%)
“5”
“5”
“A”
“A+”
70
–
100
80
–
100
90
–
100
90
–
100
“A”
“A
-
”
65
–
69
“4”
“4”
“B”
“B+”
60
–
64
70
–
79
80
–
89
70
–
89,9
“C”
“B”
50
–
59
“B
-
”
“3”
“3”
“D”
“C+”
45
–
49
60
–
69
70
–
79
60
–
69,9
“E”
“C”
40
–
44
“C
-
”
“D+”
60
–
69
“D”
“D
-
”
“2”
“2”
“FX”
“F”
0
–
39
0
–
59
0
–
59
0
–
59,9
“F”
It can be seen from this table that the new system introduced in Uzbekistan is not
only compatible with ECTS system of Europe, but also the evaluation criteria of the
educational systems of Russia, the USA, the UK, Japan and Korea, which are the leading
systems in the field of higher education in the world.
Other reforms in the higher education system of Uzbekistan
Another reform implemented in Uzbekistan’s higher education system, based on
international experience, is the consideration of society’s needs in the
training of
specialists. In “The concept of the development of the higher education system of the
Republic of Uzbekistan until 2030’, it was planned that each university would co
-operate
with some industrial sectors and be recognized by the leading international rating
agencies in each sector by 2021. It was determined that the basic higher educational
institutions should independently develop their curricula and programs based on the
requirements of employers. ‘Student’s competence’ was taken as the main i
ndicator
when evaluating the work of professors and teachers (Abdurakhmanov et al., 2019).
These changes can also be an example of steps towards the introduction of foreign
experience in higher education.
Furthermore, the introduction of part-time education is one of the examples of
reforms, which are based on foreign experience. This form of education in the higher
education system of Uzbekistan existed even during the Soviet era. However, during that
period, instead of encouraging students to receive high-quality education, part-time
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education made them study for only a diploma. (Eshov et al., 2015). In the early years of
Uzbekistan’s independence, this form of education was suspended. According to the
decision adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan on November
21, 2017, the form of part-time education was introduced in higher education
institutions. In the regulation attached to this decision, part-time education is determined
to last for at least 5 years at the bachelor’s level
(Cabinet of Ministers, 2017). It has
created a convenient opportunity for those who want to work and study in higher
education at the same time. In the world, a similar form of education can be seen in the
educational experience of some countries. For example, there is a part-time form of
education in the United Kingdom. According to the 2022 report prepared by the House of
Commons of the Parliament, the number of part-time undergraduate students was
270,000 in the 2019/20 academic year (House of Commons, 2022). Although this figure
decreased significantly compared to that of in the previous years, the number of part-
time students at the master’s level, on the other hand, has slightly increased.
It should also be noted that introducing part-time education in Uzbekistan has
created an opportunity for working people, even older ones, to get higher education.
Older students make up the majority of part-time students in many countries. For
example, in 2010, 79% of part-time students were over 25 years old in Great Britain
(UK Commission for Employment and Skills, 2011), while the proportion of students who
were 23 years and older was 92% in Ireland in 2012 (Higher Education Authority, 2012).
These figures also show that the form of part-time education provides an opportunity for
higher education to the older population. Based on this experience, the form of part-time
education was implemented in Uzbekistan, and reforms are being continued to meet
current requirements.
Raising the international ranking of higher educational institutions has been one of
the most important priorities of the Republic of Uzbekistan. According to the decree of
the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated October 8, 2019 ‘On approval of the
concept of the development of the higher education system of the Republic of Uzbekistan
until 2030’, at least 10 higher education universities and institutes in the country is
expected to be among the first top 1000 world universities that are internationally
recognized by world-famous organizations such as (Quacquarelli Symonds World
University Rankings, Times Higher Education or Academic Ranking of World
Universities). It is estimated that the National University of Uzbekistan and Samarqand
State University will be among the first 500 universities based on the above world
rankings (The President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 2019). To fulfill this task, higher
educational institutions are supposed to work closely to introduce international
standards into the educational process. In this decree, based on international experience,
the introduction of advanced standards of higher education, including the step-by-step
transition from education focused on theoretical knowledge to the formation of practical
skills in educational programs the transition task is also one of the main focuses in the
concept. Therefore, in higher education, traditional methods of teaching are now getting
out of practice, and attention is being paid to the issue of strengthening students’
practical knowledge and experience. This is also one of the most notable changes
implemented, making use of international experience.
One of the most important changes in the field of higher education was expressed
in the Decision of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan on April 20, 2017
‘On
further development of the higher education system’. According to the decision, firstly,
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it is decided that each higher education institution is to establish close prospective and
cooperative relations with leading scientific and educational institutions abroad.
Secondly, it is advised to use the most modern pedagogical technologies and educational
programs based on international educational standards in the educational process by
widely introducing teaching methodical materials. Hiring highly qualified foreign
teachers and scientists for scientific and pedagogical activities is the third major priority
(Murtazayeva et al Eds., 2022). The determination of these tasks is also aimed at
increasing efficiency by introducing foreign experience into the educational system.
However, the implementation of these tasks requires the creation of conditions in higher
education institutions, that is, financial support for them to hire leading specialists from
top universities abroad, and other conditions for their classes, including increasing the
level of students’ knowledge of foreign languages. If these tasks are fulfilled and
international cooperation relations are expanded, it will be a great impetus for the
development of the higher education sector.
In recent years, attention has also been paid to the issue of increasing the scope of
admission of graduates to higher education. This is because it can be observed that the
admission rates for higher education in the world have increased significantly since the
2000s. Between 2000 and 2018, higher education coverage increased from 19% to 38%
worldwide. Of course, this indicator varies by region. The largest growth was observed in
the countries of East and Southeast Asia and the countries of Latin America and the
Caribbean (an increase of 30 and 29 percent, respectively). At this time, the coverage of
admission to higher education in the countries of Central and South Asia increased by
17% (Vieira do Nascimento et al, 2022). In Uzbekistan, we can see that this figure has
increased considerably in recent years. In 2016, the enrollment rate of school students in
higher education was 9%, and by 2021, this proportion reached 28% (‘Yuksalish’
nationwide movement, 2021). By the 2022/2023 academic year, the number of students
in higher education institutions was 1,042,100 (Mahmudov, 2023). These figures indicate
that the coverage of young people in higher education is increasing in Uzbekistan and
that efforts are being made to reach the level of advanced countries in this field.
However, in turn, in this regard, one should not forget to pay attention to quality, not just
to quantity.
The doctoral programs in higher education policy offered by American
universities
There are also specialized doctoral programs in higher education policy offered by
many universities in the United States. For instance, the PhD in Higher Education at the
University of Arizona (see data at https://coe.arizona.edu/programs/higher-education-
phd), the PhD in Leadership and Policy Studies in Higher Education at the University of
Houston (see data at https://www.uh.edu/education/degree-programs/higher-ed-
phd/), the PhD in Higher Education at the University of Pennsylvania (see data at
https://www.gse.upenn.edu/academics/programs/higher-education-phd), the PhD in
Leadership, Management and Policy in Higher Education at Seton Hall University (see at
https://www.shu.edu/academics/phd-higher-education-leadership-management-policy-
index.html) degree programs are available. From this, it can be understood that the
training of scientific specialists in higher education has great importance for the
US educational system. In the Republic of Uzbekistan, even though there is a doctoral
education program in educational management, there is no educational program aimed
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at conducting research related to the higher education system. It can be seen in the
distribution of admission quotas for 2024 by the Ministry of Higher Education,
Science and Innovations (2023) by specializations and organizations at the expense of
the state budget.
DISCUSSIONS
International standards in higher education have advantages and disadvantages.
Among the positive sides, recognition of diplomas and qualifications of graduates, credit
transfer, and international cooperation can be listed. However, such standards can have a
negative impact on the existing traditions in the educational system of each country.
In addition, adaptation of higher education institutions to international standards
requires many reforms, consisting of financial and organizational efforts.
From the results of the scientific research, it can be learned that there is still a lot
of work to be done to introduce international standards in the higher education system of
Uzbekistan. In particular, despite the introduction of the credit-module system, its
essence has not yet been fully understood. It is known that in the credit module system,
many hours are allocated for the independent education of the student. However, the
introduction of this system to education based on old traditions and methods is likely to
prove to be ineffective in the long run. It will be necessary to continue work on the
understanding of the essence of the new system by students and professors in higher
education institutions.
There is still a lot of work to be done to fulfill the tasks set for increasing the
international ranking of higher education institutions of the Republic of Uzbekistan. In
this matter, it is crucial to conduct research by experts in the field, that is, to learn in what
ways this task can be achieved successfully.
The implementation of the task of increasing the admission of students on a large
scale and focusing only on the increase in the number of them, to some extent, will lead to
a decrease in quality indicators. Therefore, in this regard, it is necessary to pay attention
to the world experience, that is, to study how developed countries have gone through this
stage successfully at the international level. Research is also recommended in this matter.
CONCLUSIONS
In recent years, the Republic of Uzbekistan has focused on adapting the higher
education system to international standards, training specialists based on advanced
foreign experience, and improving quality through modern reforms in the field. These
changes are important for the future of the Republic, they are important for the training
of qualified specialists, and for achieving success at the international level.
It would be important to study the shortcomings as well as the achievements in the
higher education system of Uzbekistan in recent years in order to achieve the set goals.
It is necessary to take into account the specific features in the work of adapting the
system to international standards.
The introduction of doctoral programs in higher education policy in Uzbekistan
can contribute to the adaptation of the higher education system of the Republic to
international standards by conducting research in this field. The scientific importance of
this field might allow a better understanding of the reforms that need to be implemented.
In conclusion, the introduction of international standards in higher education is
important for the international recognition of the Republic’s education system, and also
contributes to the training of competitive specialists in all aspects.
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CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT
On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of
interest.
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