On 20 May, Altai State University hosted a meeting with Aslam Akbarov, Consul General of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Novosibirsk. During discussions with the leadership of Altai Krai universities, participants explored ways to expand student exchanges, develop joint research projects, and introduce new formats of cooperation.
The meeting was attended by Sergey Bocharov, Rector of Altai State University; Anna Voronkova, Deputy Head of the Protocol and External Relations Department of the Altai Krai Governor’s Administration and Head of International Cooperation Department; Margarita Ardyakova, First Secretary at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Representative Office in Barnaul; Tatyana Manyanina, Head of the Department of Science, Higher Education and Human Resources Development at the Altai Krai Ministry of Education and Science; Andrey Markov, Rector of Altai State Technical University; Roman Raikin, Vice-Rector for International Affairs Development at Altai State University; Evgeny Proskurin, Head of International Education and Cooperation at Altai State Technical University; and Oleg Sergeev, Assistant to the Rector of Altai State Agrarian University.
Welcoming the delegation, Sergey Bocharov highlighted Altai State University’s longstanding partnership with Uzbekistan, noting that 190 Uzbek students are enrolled at the university for the 2025/26 academic year. He added that Central Asian countries, including Uzbekistan, remain among the university’s priority international partners.
Vice-Rector Roman Raikin provided further details on cooperation between Altai State University and Uzbekistan. The largest numbers of Uzbek students are enrolled in the Institute of Mathematics and Information Technology and the Institute of Humanities. The most popular programs among these students develop competencies in geoinformatics and information technology, geoecological monitoring, and teaching Russian as a foreign language. Joint research projects are underway; for example, a representative centre of Altai State University operates at Samarkand University and houses four laboratories.
Aslam Akbarov highlighted the strong ties between the Republic of Uzbekistan and Altai Krai across multiple sectors, including education. The Consul General noted that in recent years an increasing number of Uzbek students have chosen to study in Siberia, often transferring from universities in Moscow and Saint Petersburg. He suggested broadening access for Uzbek applicants to Altai universities through the Olympiad movement and by extending the geographic scope of admissions outreach to include not only major cities but also smaller towns across Uzbekistan. He also proposed opening a branch of Altai State University in Uzbekistan.
Responding to the proposals, Sergey Bocharov outlined prospects for targeted training:
“There are opportunities to train specialists on commission from Uzbek industrial enterprises. We could launch special regional programs, incorporating network collaboration leading universities. We can build a comprehensive partnership encompassing education, joint research projects, and international cooperation.”
Representatives of other Barnaul universities shared their experiences of collaboration with Uzbekistan and discussed further partnership prospects with the Consul General.
Following the official meeting, Aslam Akbarov met with Uzbek students studying at Barnaul universities. He spoke with the students about their fields of study and current challenges; the students raised questions about internships, dormitories, and scholarships.
The Consul General shared his personal phone number and offered his assistance and support. It was later decided to create a VKontakte group where students could discuss current issues and submit suggestions.