Chancellor, President Discuss Partnership With Uzbekistan's Ministry of Public Education

Chancellor Elizabeth (Beth) J. Stroble and President Julian Z. Schuster met with the Minister of Public Education of Uzbekistan, Sherzod Shermatov, to discuss a potential partnership.
The meeting took place on Nov. 1 as a part of Webster leadership’s visit to Uzbekistan for the Tashkent location grand opening.

The Ministry, responsible for primary and secondary school education, was informed about the university’s achievements so far in the country. 

Webster Uzbekistan already has the largest student population outside of St. Louis, with nearly 500 students enrolled and more expected by the time the new semester begins in January 2020. Minister Sherzod Shermatov was also told that the university’s administration is seeing high demand in majors such as Information Technology and International Relations. Expanding offerings to include these areas of study is a top priority.

The two sides then exchanged views on the connection between K-12 and university. Stroble explained that she always thought that in strong education systems, the two see each other and act like partners.

"Webster provides a strong opportunity for Uzbeks to obtain an American education, " said Minister Shermatov. "With Webster in Uzbekistan, it’s not necessary for young people to leave their home country to study and that it is entirely possible that the campus can attract students from around Central Asia." They agreed to work together on exploring possibilities to create more funding options for Uzbek students.