Brighter futures

An investment in democracy building and civil society creation

Uzbeks take education seriously, with many vying for master’s and doctorate degrees. For many students, both inside the capital and also in the regions, studying the English language is a step in this goal to attain advanced degrees in the United States and Europe. Before, learning outside Uzbekistan was reserved for elites, but now that many universities are offering English language courses, Uzbek students from all economic backgrounds desire to study abroad in English-speaking countries. One advantage of the desire to learn English for Western countries is that by learning English, Uzbek students will have the opportunity to study in Western countries, later returning to Uzbekistan and bringing with them Western ideas. This will further the development of their country and continue to achieve more “open” policies.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union and until the early 2000s, the Uzbek government funded Uzbek students’ bachelor and master’s education in foreign countries (like the United States) through a program called “Umid.” Upon completion of this program, graduates were required to return to Uzbekistan, and most would work for the government. This program allowed for Western trained students to have an impact on the policies and procedures of the Uzbek government. Unfortunately, this program ended when relations with the West began to dissolve in the early 2000s.

Today, Uzbekistan has a scholarship for master’s students through the Karimov Foundation. Upon completion, students are also required to return to Uzbekistan, but there is no requirement to work for the government. While some students have begun to work for the government, there is not enough data or personal testimonies to understand the impacts. However, any Western educated Uzbek would undoubtedly bring back some ideas to the country to help further its democracy-building endeavors.