UWED Rector Launches Strategic Research and Academic Partnership with Lund University
Sodyq Safaev, First Deputy Chairman of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan and Rector of the University of World Economy and Diplomacy, officially inaugurated the UWED–Lund Strategic Partnership for Research and Academic Development during a high-level academic event hosted by Lund University.
The launch of the initiative took place in the presence of H.E. Rakhmatulla Nurimbetov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the Kingdom of Sweden, the Kingdom of Norway, and the Kingdom of Denmark, Ambassador of Sweden to Uzbekistan Ingrid Tersman (2016-2021), together with prominent scholars, researchers, and academic leaders from Uzbekistan and Sweden.
Opening the initiative, Rector Safayev emphasized the growing importance of international academic partnerships in supporting knowledge-based development, strengthening research capacity, and preparing a new generation of globally engaged scholars and professionals. He highlighted the role of universities as platforms for international dialogue, innovation, and policy-relevant research.
The partnership establishes a comprehensive framework for long-term cooperation between UWED and one of Europe's leading research universities. It is designed to strengthen research excellence, doctoral training, international academic networking, and collaborative grant development while expanding educational and research exchanges between Uzbekistan and Sweden.
The partnership will include:
· Joint international research projects and publications;
· Development of collaborative grant applications;
· International conferences and research workshops;
· Winter and Summer Schools for doctoral students and early-career researchers;
· Academic training programs on research management, publication strategies, and grant writing;
· Expansion of Nordic–Central Asian academic cooperation networks.
The launch conference, entitled “Knowledge-Based Development and Academic Cooperation in Central Asia,” featured keynote remarks by Rector Sodyq Safayev, presentations by Ambassador Rakhmatulla Nurimbetov, Prof. Håkan Hydén, Prof. Patrik Olsson, Prof. Rustamjon Urinboyev, and Prof. Timur Dadabaev, and discussions on future avenues for academic cooperation between Central Asia and Northern Europe.
The operational implementation of the partnership will be coordinated by Prof. Timur Dadabaev, Vice Rector for Research and Innovation of UWED, and Prof. Rustamjon Urinboyev of Lund University, who will oversee the development of joint research, educational, and networking activities.
The UWED–Lund Strategic Partnership is expected to become a flagship platform connecting researchers, doctoral students, and policymakers from Central Asia, Northern Europe, and beyond, while contributing to the internationalization of higher education and research in Uzbekistan and strengthening academic ties between Uzbekistan and the Nordic region.