Uzbekistan has taken a decisive step toward reshaping its higher education and research landscape, as a sweeping reform program approved by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev introduces ambitious measures aimed at global competitiveness, accountability, and innovation.
At the center of the reform is the “U10 – Uzbekistan’s World-Class Universities” program, a flagship initiative designed to elevate a select group of institutions into globally recognized research hubs. According to Bakhtiyor Yuldashev, Director of the National Quality Assurance Agency for Education, the program reflects months of intensive development and strategic planning.
A focused push toward global excellence
The U10 program will identify 10 universities with strong scientific capacity in priority sectors such as artificial intelligence, renewable energy, agriculture, and water management—areas critical to Uzbekistan’s long-term economic and environmental sustainability.
Each selected institution will receive more than $10 million in research funding, a significant investment aimed at accelerating their transformation into globally competitive universities. However, Yuldashev stresses that funding alone is not the program’s defining feature.
Instead, the initiative mandates the creation of “scientific clusters,” bringing together universities, research institutes, industry stakeholders, and international collaborators. This ecosystem-driven model draws inspiration from Germany’s Excellence Initiative, where concentrated investment and collaboration have driven breakthrough research and strengthened global competitiveness.
“The goal is not just to fund institutions, but to create environments where breakthrough research can thrive,” Yuldashev said.
Strategic reform backed by political will
The introduction of U10 was not without challenges. Advocating for concentrated investment in a limited number of high-potential institutions required persistence and a shift in conventional policy thinking.
Yuldashev noted that the reform’s progress reflects leadership willing to embrace new ideas and invest in long-term development. The government’s commitment signals a broader transformation agenda aimed at modernizing Uzbekistan’s higher education system and aligning it with international standards.
Introducing a performance-based ranking system
Complementing the U10 program is the rollout of a national ranking system for higher and postgraduate education institutions—an effort to embed transparency, accountability, and performance-based funding across the sector.
Unlike traditional rankings, Uzbekistan’s model introduces differentiation by institutional profile. Universities will be grouped based on their dominant academic fields, including applied sciences, social sciences and humanities, medical sciences, and arts and sports. Rankings will be conducted within each group to ensure fair and meaningful comparisons.
Institutions will then be classified into three performance tiers:
- Top 20% (Level 1): +20% additional government funding
- Next 40% (Level 2): +10% additional funding
- Remaining 40% (Level 3): No additional funding
This tiered structure introduces clear incentives, reinforcing the principle that measurable results should directly influence resource allocation.
Data-driven governance and digital integration
A cornerstone of the new ranking system is its reliance on digital infrastructure. Uzbekistan has developed the capacity to collect and integrate data from multiple reliable sources, enabling a system that is objective, data-driven, and transparent.
The national rankings will be determined annually by the National Quality Assurance Agency for Education, using a dedicated digital platform integrated with its institutional databases. This approach is expected to minimize subjectivity and strengthen trust among stakeholders.
Driving internationalization and workforce alignment
Beyond funding and rankings, the reform agenda is designed to strengthen Uzbekistan’s global academic presence and improve alignment with labor market needs. Key objectives of the national ranking system include:
- Promoting international academic mobility
- Enhancing the global reputation of institutions
- Increasing engagement with employers and industry
- Improving teaching quality and academic productivity
- Supporting workforce development in line with global standards
- Providing transparent performance data to the public
A system in transition
Together, the U10 program and the national ranking framework represent a dual-track strategy: targeted investment in high-potential universities alongside system-wide incentives for performance and accountability.
For Uzbekistan, this marks a foundational shift toward a more competitive, efficient, and globally aligned higher education system. As reforms continue to unfold, policymakers and institutions alike will be watching closely to see how these initiatives translate into measurable academic and economic outcomes.
Yuldashev indicated that further updates on upcoming reforms are expected, signaling that Uzbekistan’s higher education transformation is only just beginning.
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