On November 5, 2024, Andijan State University (ASU) and the Ming CHENG Institut GmbH (MCI) marked a significant milestone with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the “German-Uzbek University” at ASU. The signing ceremony took place during the visit of MCI Director Prof. Ming CHENG, hosted by ASU Rector Prof. Akbaraliyev Bakhtiyorjon Bakirovich. Also present were Mr. Khasanov Ilyosbek Ibrokhimzhonovich, Head of International Cooperation at ASU, and Ms. Elena Immel, an MCI staff member.

The MoU formalizes a unique collaboration between ASU and MCI, aiming to create a modern educational institution modeled after the German higher education framework, specifically inspired by the renowned “University of Music Mainz at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz”. The goal is to swiftly develop a high-quality institution comparable to the successful German-Kazakh University in Almaty, which is financially supported by the German Federal Foreign Office.

The German-Uzbek University will offer degree programs in fields such as Engineering, Business Management, Computer Science, Public Administration, and School Education, adhering to German curricula and quality standards in collaboration with German partner universities. The partnership will also support labor migration between Uzbekistan and Germany, alongside offering vocational training aligned with German standards.

In this public-private partnership, MCI will coordinate with German universities for academic exchanges, dual-degree programs, and quality assurance, as well as manage partnerships with German governmental and non-governmental organizations. ASU will oversee educational operations, administration, and local marketing in Uzbekistan and the wider CIS region. The governance of the German-Uzbek University will be led by a presidium with two presidents — the Rector of ASU and the Director of MCI — who will share decision-making responsibilities.

Following the signing of this MoU, a founding commission will be established, comprising the Director of MCI and the Rector of ASU, to undertake the necessary preparatory measures for the opening of the German-Uzbek University. As part of the founding commission’s duties, the Director of MCI will initiate discussions with potential German partner universities, while the Rector of ASU will engage in communications with Uzbek ministries to obtain the necessary approvals.

This historic partnership between ASU and MCI underscores a shared commitment to academic excellence and the strengthening of educational ties between Uzbekistan and Germany. Given MCI's extensive experience and strong network in the German higher education sector, ASU values ​​its cooperation with MCI.

On September 18, 2024, MCI established the first German-Uzbek faculty in Uzbekistan at Tashkent State Pedagogical University (TSPU), in the presence of the German Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Mr. Manfred Huterer; the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Ms. Angela Papenburg; the Deputy Minister of Employment and Poverty Reduction of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Ms. Turdiboyeva Rano Eshovna; and Mr. Bunyod Rakhmatullaev, Deputy Director General at the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation of Uzbekistan. The opening of the German-Uzbek University on the basis of ASU will contribute to the expansion of opportunities for the development of academic programs at TSPU.

ASU and MCI aim to establish the German-Uzbek University at ASU in early 2025, with the start of teaching operations in the winter semester of 2025 and the first cohort of students expected in September 2025.