education: International cooperation.. 1
An interview with the Rector of Inha University in Tashkent 1
New TV channel Milliy launched in Uzbekistan. 3
GREEN economy
The Eco-Energy scientific-innovation center under the State Committee on Nature of Uzbekistan intends to install more than 400 mobile solar electric power stations by the end of 2016
The majority of the stations will be installed at remote enterprises of the oil, gas and chemical industries, at educational and medical establishments, at farms, mercy homes and boarding houses for the elderly located far from the main power units.
197 power stations with a capacity of 1,200 kWt have already been built since the beginning of the year in this country. The operation of only one of them within six hours per day enables to annually generate about 300 thousand kWt/hours of electricity, save more than 27,200 cubic meters of natural gas and reduce more than 51 thousand tons of the greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.
According to expert estimates, such electric power stations are capable to work not less than 10 hours per day thanks to specifics of our climate, thanks to which they can generate more than 4.38 million kWt/hours of electric energy per year.
The overall potential of solar power generation in the republic exceeds 51 billion tons of oil equivalents. The construction of the first major solar electric power station in Central Asia with a capacity of 100 MWt is currently in progress outside Samarkand.
The project is financed on account of the Asian Development Bank credit amounting to $110 million and $130 million allocated by the Fund of Reconstruction and Development of Uzbekistan. The Government of Uzbekistan assigned another $45 million and the “Uzbekenergo” – $26 million.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)
education: International cooperation
An interview with the Rector of Inha University in Tashkent
School graduates and their parents live through hard times. Problems linked with enrollment in universities and getting higher education are the main topics with thousands of questions. And the most unusual ones are addressed to Sherzod Shermatov, the Rector of Inha University in Tashkent, since this is how one of the most prestigious higher educational institutions in the country works.
“This year, Inha University has invited journalists to attend enrollment exams. What is the reason behind it?”
“The idea to invite journalists was conceived last year. But then we did not have time left for the solution of organizational issues. This year we informed them earlier about our intentions and hope that they will be able to respond. Like last year, the enrollment exams will be held on the territory of the Exhibition Hall located close of the Beruni Metro Station. For media people we allocated some space on the first floor with an excellent view of the ground floor where the graduates will solve the problems offered them for solution. The main condition for your colleagues to observe is not to hinder the process.
“The participation of journalists will promote transparency and openness of enrollment exams. At the same time, it would be expedient to note that there had been no accusations against us. All graduates sit in one hall and the tables’ arrangement is convenient for all. Our partners from Korea will test and assess the exam papers.”
“You are one of the few rectors of Uzbekistan who is active in the social network. What does your work in the networks mean for you?”
“This is required for the promotion of our University in the educational services market and for the high quality solutions of the tasks placed before us.
“The University has its official web-site but very few visitors. Sites today are relegated to the background; all life in the virtual space is concentrated in social networks. There are more and more people visiting them several times a day to get a variety of operational information.
“I make use of social networks to get access to the broad audience and share information about the University. And that works. Moreover, I try to use those tools, which held deliver important information to the target audience. Thus, for example, I have set up a maslahat.us group on Facebook for potential school graduates and their parents. It tells about the specific peculiarities of our higher educational institution, enrollment rules and procedures and responds to school graduates’ questions. We try to involve the audience to study humanities. There are more than 34 thousand of them in the group by now. That means that it is in demand.”
“Do graduates have many questions to ask?”
“Yes, sure. The first year we planned to enroll 150 persons, but we had only 113; last year – 250 and had 245 freshmen. Although the overall number of school graduates was enough to cover all openings. But our objective is to train first-class specialists in the field of information technologies. Hence we enroll only those graduates whose level of training complies with our requirements. To reach this level one needs to conscientiously study at school, lyceum or college.”
“Our graduates’ biggest mistake is in their concentration on the English languages, while mathematics and physics go by the wayside. This was promoted by the overall situation with the development of international Universities in Uzbekistan with the English language training, since the in-depth knowledge of English was a priority for a graduate. But in enrolling to our University one has to attach greater attention to mathematics and physics because we train future engineers for high-tech branches of economy.
“From the very first day of the University’s establishment we try to deliver a message to the youth that they need to start getting prepared for enrollment to universities not two-three months but two-three years in advance, not to be trapped. For example, some of them are not aware that for admission to a university they need a certificate proving the knowledge of a foreign language, and they need several months, which they don’t have at their disposal, to get it. We opened courses to help potential graduates to get prepared for admission exams. The experience of the previous years has it that 45 graduates of preparatory courses (31%) with the highest ratings gained in the preparatory course final exams were admitted to our University prior to general enrollment exams. Moreover, they have a chance to take part at our admission exams to try and win grants. Last year, the overall admission indicator of preparatory courses’ graduates at different higher educational institutions reached almost 70%; this year, I hope, it will equal 90% by the end of this coming October. Starting with this year school graduates may also get TOEFL certificate, which is a full-fledged alternative to IELTS, which confirms the level of knowledge of the English language.
“There is also so much useful information available on top of all this, which I would like to share with. Do you know, what is the advantage of the currently shaped system of higher education in this country? In the first place, in that a school graduate may simultaneously submit his/her documents to four-five universities, which increases his/her chances to become a student. Unfortunately, not everybody knows about that.”
“What is the situation like this year on the results of document submission to Inha University?”
“This year we have almost double the number of graduates compared with the last year. We will be able to learn about the quality of readiness after the exams.
“Quota for IT area remained at the last year’s level. Apart from that we opened a new department – “logistics”. It turned out to be in the most popular among applicants. Probably, because they do not need to take exams in physics; although the requirements for the knowledge of the English language in this area is higher.”
“It is quite obvious that graduates are not seeking to enroll in technical universities. Why?”
“I think that this is a syndrome of transition period. Twenty five years ago the country badly needed economists, finance people and managers. Time has come today for development of industry, setting up our own “silicon valley” and information-communication technologies. The system of education has reacted to this demand, but the society – has not, so far. It takes time and enhanced promotion of the technical universities’ prospects. Working in this direction, today we do not limit ourselves to social networks alone. Much work is being carried out with the graduates of academic lyceums and professional colleges. Last winter we had conducted a festival of mathematics the participants of which were school children. It is also one of the forms of attracting the attention of children and teachers to our university, bringing up future graduate entrants.”
Never before have the country’s higher educational institutions seen such an influx of applicants. More than 660,000 applications have been submitted this year.
If last year the entrants submitted 605,836 applications and the competition has been more than 10 persons per vacancy on average in the republic, but this year 57,000 more documents were filed, and competition has increased up to 12 people per spot. Moreover, the total quota for admission to baccalaureates, as we reported earlier, has remained unchanged.
The highest competition, as it was last year, was registered at the Fergana branch of the Tashkent Medical Academy. More than 34 persons aspire per vacancy to the Uzbek language group of the “professional education: medical business” department, while average competition at this higher educational institution is 25 persons per spot. Such state of affairs is explained by the demographic situation in the region, high popularity of the medical speciality and orientation of this higher educational institution to satisfying the need in personnel of the State sanitary-epidemiological surveillance service.
Competition at the Andijon, Guliston and Karshi State Universities is more than 18 persons per vacancy.
Graduates had not pamper much the Tashkent State Technical University during the first ten days following the start of document submission, competition emerged along all directions of education, while the average University-wide indicator made up 6,6 persons per vacancy.
The least competition – less than 4 persons per slot – is at the Advanced School of National Dance and Choreography, as well as at the Institute of National Arts and Design.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)
television
New TV channel Milliy launched in Uzbekistan
A new TV channel Milliy (National) or MTV has been launched in Uzbekistan in testing mode.
It is expected that the TV channel will start its full operation from 1 September. The channel will be on air from 7:00 to 23:00.
MTV will broadcast popular videos of the Uzbek and foreign singers, exclusive entertainment programmes and talk show, concerts, films and TV series.
The channel will also show scientific and popular programmes.
(Source: UzDaily.com)
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