This set of Frequently Asked Questions about the Samarkand International University of Technology will be of particular value to individuals interested in immediate and near-term opportunities to join the University’s administration, faculty or staff.
1. What is the Samarkand International University of Technology (SIUT)?
SIUT is the first American model engineering and science postsecondary educational institution in the history of independent Uzbekistan being created to meet an acute need for the development of local technological skills and expertise to answer the demands of Uzbekistan’s newly evolving economy. A particular shortage of qualified staff is felt in such sectors of the economy of Uzbekistan as oil and gas, chemical engineering, mining engineering, electrical energy, machinery, and a number of others.
The country’s ever-growing volumes and the sharp increase in the level of diversification in manufacturing urged the administration of the Sanoat Energetika Guruhi (SEG) company to initiate the establishment of the first international university in Uzbekistan modeled after an American business-education system with English as a medium of instruction.
The main objective of SIUT is to implement standards of vocational education tested by practice into such specialties, which are vital for the economy of Uzbekistan, as petrochemicals, mining, electrical engineering, construction and environment, machinery, and others.
For the speedy acquisition of advanced world technologies, the entire educational process at SIUT will be built in accordance with the curricula and syllabi of the Colorado School of Mines, the oldest US university in the field of technological engineering.
The mission of SIUT is to train highly qualified world-class engineering personnel who will serve the comprehensive development of the economy, the construction of new Uzbekistan, increase the country’s prestige on the world stage, and interstate cooperation in the name of peace and progress.
Honor, Freethinking and Humanism are the highest values of all students and employees of the university in the performance of their functional duties.
Financing of the newly-established university will be based on the income from tuition fees, commercialization of the results of scientific and production activities, as well as sponsorship from commercial and non-profit companies interested in benefiting from the potential of SIUT graduates.
Academic Freedom – In carrying out their instructional responsibilities, faculty members enjoy the right of academic freedom as it is generally defined and accepted in the academic community.
Academic Standards – To assess the quality of its educational services, SIUT will use the rich experience of the Colorado School of Mines and the quality standards of relevant international accreditation organizations, e.g., Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).
In accordance with the above principles, nine departments are being created in the structure of SIUT, offering the following programs with the issuance of international diplomas, as well as a number of scientific laboratories and professional development centers in the following areas of technological engineering, business and economics:
School of Engineering
• Petroleum Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Mining Engineering
• Geology and Geosciences
• Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Computer Sciences
School of Business and Economics
• Engineering Business Management (Undergraduate)
• Resource Economics (Undergraduate)
• Engineering Master of Business Administration (“Engineering MBA”) (Graduate)
• Mineral and Energy Economics (Graduate)
Centers for Professional Development
• Center for Innovative Instruction
• Center for Uzbekistan History and Culture
• Center for Entrepreneurship and Leadership
Thus, the international university of technology established in Samarkand will have all the attributes of a modern higher educational institution, which will allow it to eventually become the driver of the educational services market in the field of technological engineering of Uzbekistan.
2. What is the company, Sanoat Energetika Guruhi (SEG), and why are they funding the creation of this university?
Sanoat Energetika Guruhi (SEG; ”Industrial Energy Group”) is actively involved in the establishment of SIUT, based on the growing need for leading specialists to acquire modern applied engineering skills, as well as the desire to make a worthy contribution to the development of engineering science in the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Throughout its brief though meteoric rise as a company, SEG has contributed to the development of Uzbekistan and its people through social and educational programming. Serving as the primary sponsor for the founding of a premier engineering university is consistent with the strategic goals of the company and its passion to see the advancement of Uzbekistan and its people. The establishment of this private university is part of a national program of improvements to the Uzbek education system.
“For the new Uzbekistan, which is on the path of political and economic modernization and is successfully carrying out deep socio-political and socio-economic reforms, it is important to increase scientific and academic cooperation and integrate into the international educational system,” said Bakhtiyor Fazilov, SEG’s chairman. “Human capital is the driving force of any positive change, and it is via the implementation of such projects we will provide local businesses and the state with scientific talent and highly qualified personnel to achieve their goals.”
3. Where is Uzbekistan? What is the current situation in Uzbekistan?
Uzbekistan (capitol city: Tashkent) is a double landlocked Central Asian country with a population of 35 million people, which gained independence from the USSR upon its dissolution in 1991. Although 30 years have passed since independence, Uzbekistan has only been opening up to the broader world in the past 5 years, since the inauguration of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in 2016.
President Mirziyoyev has cooperated with the U.S. State Department to initiate an “English-Speaking Nation” project, moving toward English being taught as an official language (along with Uzbek) throughout all levels of the educational system in the country. This initiative has included the launch of English-medium Presidential Schools (K-12, with some foreign teachers) in every region and the training of English teachers throughout the country.
Business in Uzbekistan is also opening increasingly to the outside world. In its December 21, 2019 edition, The Economist named Uzbekistan as Country of the Year.
An absolutely new approach to managing the social-economic development process has been launched with the ascent of President Mirziyoyev, who formerly worked as the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, to the presidency in 2016. In particular, foreign journalists gained access to coverage of all aspects of the socio-economic and public life of the republic.
Wide-scale reforms began in all spheres of state and public life of the country. Qualitatively new prospects opened for private business. Radical transformations have emerged in the fields of education, health care, and culture. Well-known foreign scientists and major practitioners are involved in the processes of deep restructuring of the national economy.
In 2015, the Heritage Foundation Index of Economic Freedom ranked Uzbekistan 160th out of 181 countries in the world. In 2021, as a result of deep reforms in all areas of economic and public life, Uzbekistan had advanced 52 positions to 108th place. The 2021 Heritage Foundation report noted that:
“In 2020, the government announced a new development strategy that includes reforming state institutions, securing the rule of law, reforming the judiciary, strengthening the banking and financial sectors, and other improvements such as reducing state regulation and assuring property rights to attract investment.”
In his inaugural speech after re-election in October 2021 for a second 5-year term, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sh. Mirziyoyev put forward seven priorities:
• Development of a free civil society
• Strengthening justice, the rule of law, and the eradication of corruption
• Development of the national economy and improvement of the country’s infrastructure
• Provision of quality education and public health
• Development of an enlightened society with values of mutual respect based on culture and art
• Consolidation of efforts to solve global environmental and climatic problems
• Ensuring peace and security in the country
President Mirziyoyev concluded his statement with the words:
“In these exciting moments, I want to especially emphasize that as president, I consider the meaning of my life to serve our people faithfully, fully devoting myself to ensuring the peace and well-being of my native country and its development. There is no other, higher goal and greater happiness for me. Dear compatriots, your sincere support, the blessing of the older generation, the trust shown by the youth, give me new strength and energy.”
4. Why was Samarkand chosen as the site for SIUT?
As an ancient capital of empires which used to be great and whose history goes back to the times of the Great Silk Road, Samarkand has historically been not only a crossroads of commercial routes, but also that of multiple cultures and peoples, economies and empires. Samarkand was founded in the seventh century B.C. and is among the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Central Asia. It derived its high regard and commercial importance in ancient and medieval times because of its location at the junction of Silk Road trade routes linking China and India to the Mediterranean. In the fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries, it was the capital of the Temurid empire which comprised modern-day Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, the southern region of the Caucasus, Iraq, Kuwait, and Afghanistan, as well of parts of Russia, India, Pakistan, Syria and Turkey.
Richly embedded within this history are the scientific achievements of Mirzo Ulugbek, grandson of Timur the Great (Tamerlane), who turned Samarkand into a center of scientific discovery. He gained worldwide fame in the scientific world due to the fact that with the naked eye, only using his knowledge and the tools he invented himself, he was able to create a map of the star сharts using his own astrological research.
Given its unique history and exclusive architectural value, in 2001 the city of Samarkand received the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
As the second largest city in Uzbekistan, Samarkand occupies a strategic importance in the economy of modern Uzbekistan: the largest enterprises are located here, a modern international airport has recently been built, and the construction of the largest International Tourist Center in Central Asia is being completed. This city is the venue for prestigious world-class forums and congresses.
Thus, being today the largest economic cultural and historical center of Uzbekistan, the city of Samarkand can be considered an ideal place for the creation of a technological university of the 21st century.
5. What is the Colorado School of Mines and what is their interest in this partnership?
One of the first foreign partners who demonstrated interest in founding our University was the Colorado School of Mines (Mines), which is a public research university located in Golden, Colorado, USA. The mission of this university is to educate and conduct research in engineering and science to address and solve the world’s challenges related to the earth, energy, and the environment. The strategic vision of the university is to be the premier institution, based on the impact of its graduates and research programs, in engineering and science relating to the earth, energy, and the environment, addressing and solving the world’s challenges in these realms. This vision includes a commitment to assist foreign countries to improve the quality of engineering education globally. The university works with global partners to create the opportunities needed to increase prosperity and quality of life through engineering and science. A striking example of establishing such mutually beneficial business relations is the partnership that began in 2021 with SEG to establish the International University of Technology in Samarkand.
“Colorado School of Mines is honored to contribute our nearly 150 years of expertise in earth, energy, and environment toward the creation of Samarkand International University of Technology,” said John Bradford, Vice President of Global Initiatives at Colorado School of Mines. “To meet the demands of the global energy transition, we need more scientists and engineers who understand the technical, social, policy, and environmental challenges of resource extraction, not just in the United States but around the world. Mines is one of the world’s foremost authorities on the responsible stewardship of the Earth’s resources, and building a school from scratch, as we are with SIUT, is an exciting opportunity to rethink engineering education for the twenty-first century.”
Thanks to cooperation with Colorado School of Mines, SIUT will gain access to a wide range of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) degree programs at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels. Various professional development centers will operate at the university, including the Center for Uzbekistan Culture and History.
As a result of the implementation of the curricula and syllabi of the Colorado School of Mines at SIUT, it will be possible to take the next step in the development of long-term relations, which will allow Uzbekistan to become independent in the skills necessary for the development of a sustainable economy in the 21st century.
6. Why is the U.S. government supporting this initiative?
The government of the United States is encouraging and supporting the establishment of SIUT because the work of this university is based on an American model and incorporates best practices in engineering and postsecondary science education. The US also desires to maintain positive climate in Central Asia after years of conflict in Afghanistan and recent unrest in Kazakhstan. Uzbekistan could become a supplier of critical mineral resources, even as it emerges as the Central Asia regional leader in the years to come.
The U.S. Embassy in Uzbekistan has long supported the broadening and strengthening of the educational system of the country and Uzbekistan’s engagement with and integration into the global community. Of significant importance to this integration is the improvement in educational outcomes to world-recognized standards, particularly in light of the growing challenges posed to the community of nations in addressing issues of poverty alleviation, environmental sustainability, and climate change. The establishment in Samarkand of the first international university of technology in the history of independent Uzbekistan should be considered a significant step in that direction.
In its January 20, 2021 report, the U.S. State Department commented on the state of U.S.—Uzbekistan relations.
“The United States established diplomatic relations with Uzbekistan in 1992 following its independence from the Soviet Union. Since then, the United States and Uzbekistan have developed a broad-based relationship, cooperating in such areas as border and regional security programs, economic relations, political and civil society issues, and English language training. Uzbekistan is important to U.S. interests in ensuring stability, prosperity, and security in the broader Central Asian region. Regional threats include illegal narcotics, trafficking in persons, terrorism, and violent extremism. Uzbekistan is a key partner supporting international efforts in Afghanistan, primarily through provision of electricity, economic assistance, and development of Afghanistan’s infrastructure.
“U.S. assistance goals are to improve livelihoods of citizens through support to enhance overall economic conditions and boost investment in key sectors… Assistance is also targeted at increasing citizen access to justice and input into government decision-making, promoting the rule of law, public education reform, defense cooperation, and encouraging government efforts that ensure respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
“Uzbekistan’s economy was historically based primarily on agriculture and natural resource extraction. While the country remains a major producer of energy and minerals, the manufacturing sector has grown in recent years and now accounts for approximately one quarter of GDP, surpassing agriculture. Uzbekistan has signed a trade and investment framework agreement with the United States and other Central Asian countries, establishing a regional forum to discuss ways to improve investment climates and expand trade within Central Asia. For the first time ever, in June 2019 the Department of Commerce led a certified trade mission to Uzbekistan, to increase trade between the two countries and open up new markets for American businesses.”
We hope that the multifaceted cooperation with Colorado School of Mines in the professional training of engineering personnel from among SIUT graduates for the significant sectors of the economy of the republic will contribute to the further strengthening of economic, educational and cultural ties between the United States and Uzbekistan.
7. What should I do if I want to pursue an opportunity to become a part of the SIUT faculty or staff?
Faculty and staff position descriptions, salary ranges, and benefits (which include housing in Samarkand) are currently under development; drafts can be made available upon request, and finalized information will soon be posted to a variety of websites, including an SIUT website. If you believe you are qualified, have a passion for developing people who will build their nation, and would like more information about how you might join the team working to make the SIUT dream a reality, email the SIUT Human Resources Department, at hr@siut.uz.We look forward to hearing from you!