TUIT: Convergence of digital technologies in education

… In order to achieve progress, we must master digital knowledge and modern information technologies. It will allow us to traverse along the shortest route of progress. Since, at present the information technologies are deeply penetrating all spheres in the world … (Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Address by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to the Oliy Majlis (January, 2020))

In the Age of the Race of Tech Giants, it is sometimes easy to lose the sight of the meaning of more and more modern technologies being developed. In the technical world, the directions are so closely intertwined that it is not uncommon for disputes between professionals to determine the primary source of technology development. In all this boundless whirlpool of knowledge, the goal of the educational institution is to distribute the boundaries clearly, develop a logical chain, a methodology for optimal explanation to the student, and at the same time introduce additions and updates to the curriculum in a timely manner, and also, taking into account the availability of new technologies, be able to integrate them into the educational process to improve the quality of education.

Tashkent University of Information Technologies named after Muhammad al-Khwarizmi (TUIT), founded in 1955, provides educational services both in the classical form of education and in the modern interpretation of the approach to learning. For its long history, TUIT is a university that sets standards and requirements in IT-education of the Republic of Uzbekistan, based on the rapid development of technology in the world community. Introducing world experience and interpreting it taking into account the strategic regional goals, TUIT pursues ambitious ideas in the near future to transform into a Central Asian scientific and educational IT-HUB.

Over the last decade of the 21st century, TUIT has brought up dozens of generations of highly qualified specialists, modernizing curricula and developing new directions that meet the requirements of the world standards of its time. Pursuing the goal of strategic territorial development of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the university made tremendous effort to fill the need for sufficient number of highly qualified IT-personnel in every corner of the country, opening branches in such cities as Nukus, Urgench, Samarkand, Karshi, Fergana and Nurafshan. Moreover, the Nurafshan branch is in the process of implementing a scientific and educational IT-cluster, which provides an opportunity to train highly qualified personnel, taking into account global trends in the IT-market.

Dominance of TUIT in the transition to the credit system (ECTS) is the result of special attention to the quality of education in the preparation of IT specialists and close interaction with foreign training systems. This approach opened up wide opportunities for cooperation both at the student level and in the faculty focus, which made it possible to unlock the potential of the university in the global educational and research community. Throughout the activities of the university, versatile cooperation with international organizations in various directions has been achieved, in particular, in 2019, a project with JICA worth more than one and a half million US dollars was successfully implemented and introduced into the educational process; in 2020, despite the economic crisis during the global COVID-19 pandemic, the university and the Samarkand branch, in cooperation with KOICA, developed an integrated SMART UNIVERSITY system worth more than 3 million US dollars; in 2021, in the Fergana branch, in cooperation with NIA, a project was launched to create an INTERNET ACCESS CENTER in the amount of more than 1 million US dollars; in 2022, a joint project with KOICA began to create a startup ecosystem in TUIT worth more than 5 million US dollars. For the first time in the history of the Republic of Uzbekistan, TUIT has become a grandholder of the SPACECOM project under the Erasmus+ EU program in the amount of about 1 million euros. 

To meet the demand of society in the rapidly developing IT-sector of the Republic of Uzbekistan, TUIT makes maximum efforts to create new opportunities for both students and academic staff. In this regard, three new educational buildings, sports complex were put into operation within three years, and extensive work is underway to increase the total capacity of university dormitories. 

The challenge of a new technological revolution requires higher education to provide quality education taking into account the global trend, which has led TUIT to pay special attention not only to maintain the existing good infrastructure and the availability of highly qualified personnel but also to cooperation in creating new educational programs, including the development of new educational content and scientific laboratories, such as Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Mechatronics, Data Science, Internet of Things, etc.

Today, one of the more productive forms of learning in the context of digital transformation is the use of distance learning technologies that allow scaling the learning process regardless of territorial affiliation or language differences. At TUIT, the academies of world leaders in the IT-industry, such as CISCO, ORACLE, and HUAWEI, are available to students and scientific applicants for the implementation of distance learning. Moreover, TUIT is one of the first universities in the Republic of Uzbekistan to develop a distance learning system for its students.

To increase the quality and quantity of innovative projects created among talented youth, TUIT has become an advanced University that has opened an incubation and acceleration center that creates favorable conditions for the emergence of effective small innovative projects that implement original scientific and technical ideas of students.

Quality education is primarily based on the study of the theoretical part and only then the application of the theoretical base in practice. TUIT has its own educational and methodological database, which is constantly updated in paper and electronic form. For the convenience of the student at the university, the opportunity is provided to study both in traditional form in libraries and via the INTERNET network using any electronic device, which allows the student to connect to the university’s electronic library from any place convenient for him. In addition, TUIT has organized information and resource centers that provide a wide range of free services for all university students.

Ensuring the future, Education provides an intangible value that will allow us to solve any problems in the current or future reality. World events that are rapidly developing at the interstate level today show how important it is to raise a generation that knows all the intricacies of its profession and is able to creatively approach the solution of issues where the IT sphere is a sphere that has become a link at all levels of development and interaction.

Tashkent University of Information Technologies named after Muhammad al-Khwarizmi has always pursued the goal of providing the Republic of Uzbekistan with the most advanced personnel in the field of ICT, and more recently, strategic plans have been scaled to the Central Asian region. The University, on the way to achieving its goals, always keeps the doors open for the modern generation and will become a close mentor who will lead his ward by the hand to the highest achievements for the benefit of the whole country and the whole world as a whole!

Rector of Tashkent University of Information Technologies named after Muhammad al-Khwarizmi:

Makhkamov Bakhtiyor Shukhratovich

Doctor of economic sciences, Professor