Recently the University of Pisa welcomed a delegation from the Republic of Uzbekistan comprising representatives of the Ministry of Secondary Specialised and Higher Education (MSSHE) and of Bukhara State University (BSU): both partners of UNIPI in the UZHELTH project (“Higher Education Structures to Enhance Public Health Learning and Teaching in the Republic of Uzbekistan”), completed last April. The delegation included Sarvarkhon Buzrukkhonov, of the Financial Department of the Uzbek Ministry; Abdukabil Tulaganov, rector of Bukhara State University; Bakhodir Mamurov, Dean of the Sports Faculty; and Abror Juraev, Dean of the Tourism Faculty.
The guests were welcomed in the Cherubini Room of the Rectorate by Paolo Mancarella, rector of the University of Pisa; by professor Katherine Isaacs, co-coordinator of the UZHELTH project; and by Paola Cappellini, head of UNIPI’s International Cooperation Unit. The purpose of the visit, in addition to reviewing the activities already carried out, was to explore the possibility of stipulating a bilateral agreement between the two universities, specifically in order to implement joint degree programs, starting with one in Tourism. The delegation also met with Professors Dario Bini and Domenica Romagno (academic tutors of the students from BSU who are currently in Pisa thanks to the KA 107 mobility program); Professor Francesco Marcelloni, Rector’s Delegate for Internationalization; and Professor Enrica Lemmi, President of the council of the degree program in Sciences of Tourism.
The UZHELTH project, successfully presented in the context of the Tempus Program and financed by the European Commission, was coordinated by the University of Pisa, and involved 14 higher education institutions (medical institutes; general and agricultural universities), three Uzbek ministries, and five countries (Uzbekistan, Italy, Belgium, Slovakia and Portugal). The purpose of the project was to support Uzbek higher education institutions and the Uzbek government in their effort to implement modern degree programs designed to promote a holistic approach to Public Health, coordinating the preparation of professionals trained in four key disciplines (Agriculture, Ecology, Medicine and Veterinary Sciences) and strengthening their ability to work together in order to contribute more effectively to the well-being of the Uzbek population (www.uzhelth.org).
Bukhara State University, furthermore, is one of UNIPI’s partners in the new Erasmus+ international mobility programme (KA 107 or ICM), which permits mobility with non-European partners, and thanks to which our University is carrying out a large number of mobilities, both incoming and outgoing, for students (for study) and for the academic and the technical-administrative staff (for both teaching and training) with around 25 higher education institutions in countries ranging from Morocco to Lao. In fact, since 2015 through the Erasmus + International Credit Mobility scheme European universities can present their candidature to their own National Erasmus+ Agency in order to finance mobility agreements with partner institutions all over the world. This allows them to send and receive students, doctoral candidates, academic and administrative staff members. Further information can be found at this link.