At a meeting chaired by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on June 20, important issues within Uzbekistan’s engineering sector were highlighted, including the fact that 60% of engineers do not work in the fields they studied, as it was reported by the president's press service
President Mirziyoyev emphasized the growing industrial sector in Uzbekistan, noting that approximately 3,000 industrial enterprises are launched annually, creating around 150,000 jobs. Of these, 35,000 positions are in the field of technology. Despite this, there is a noticeable disconnect between the educational background of engineering graduates and the requirements of the job market.
Currently, 264,000 bachelor's students and 3,000 master's students are enrolled in engineering-related programs across 36 state universities. Annually, 67,000 students graduate from these programs. However, a significant portion of the courses offered do not align with the needs of manufacturers. For instance, at the state technical university, 45 out of 76 bachelor's programs and 51 out of 73 master's specialties are not offered at leading foreign technical universities. This misalignment has resulted in 60% of engineering graduates not working in their trained fields.
President Mirziyoyev provided a concrete example of the current situation: this year, 776 textile projects are expected to create 72,000 jobs, with a demand for 4,000 engineers. Yet, the number of graduates in engineering from various regions is significantly lower than needed: Bukhara has 86 graduates, Jizzakh has 117, Surkhandarya has 56, Fergana has 126, and Tashkent has 153. This disparity underscores the need for better coordination between universities and regional industries to ensure that educational programs are tailored to meet local demands.
The president criticized regional mayors for their lack of collaboration with university rectors to address the regional demand for specialists. He emphasized the necessity for local authorities to work closely with educational institutions to align the curricula with industry needs, thus ensuring that graduates are equipped with relevant skills.
To address these issues, President Mirziyoyev proposed several measures. First, there is a need for curriculum reform to update and align university courses with the requirements of modern industries, particularly those that are in high demand, such as textile engineering.
Additionally, promoting closer cooperation between universities and regional industries will help ensure that educational programs are responsive to market needs. Emphasizing specialization and innovation in state technical universities to match global standards and meet the needs of the domestic market is also crucial.
Finally, increasing oversight and accountability for regional and educational authorities will ensure that university programs meet the needs of local industries.
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