It was impossible to achieve sustainable development in Uzbekistan without fundamental restructuring and reforming the educational system which existed for years. Two laws "On education" and "On the national program for training" were deeply though-out during drafting and adopted in 1997 became the platform for gradual reforming of our education system. In his speech at the international conference Fostering a Well Educated and Intellectually Advanced Generation as a Crucial Prerequisite for Sustainable Development and Modernization of the Country President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov said, “The program, itself is a product of an in-depth research and study, summary of the practice hoarded by advanced nations, aims to completely eliminate stereotypes and dogmas of the communist ideology imposed in the past, consolidation of democratic values in the minds of people, first and foremost among the growing generation. In a word, the program is directed at nurturing a comprehensively advanced individual with independence in thinking and outlook, with its own preferences and firm civic position in life.”

In general, annual expenditures for development and reforming the education in Uzbekistan make 10-12 % of the GDP, while their share in national budget expenditures exceeds 35 percent – this by itself serves as a particular confirmation of the tremendous attention being paid to this sphere. People say that one sum spent on education will eventually produce profit of seven sums. And this folk wisdom is confirmed in practice. According to prestigious international financial institutions, despite the ongoing global financial crisis, Uzbekistan keeps stable and high economic growth rates. GDP has increased 2.1 times, compared with 2000.

The conference, held at the initiative of President Islam Karimov, was attended by representatives of the UN, international organizations and educational institutions from 48 countries. During the forum, they visited schools, colleges and higher educational institutions; they get acquainted with the learning process and the conditions created here for upbringing harmonically developed generation. The details of the education system were introduced at the plenary meeting. All the achievements and prospects were discussed in detail by the participants through the prism of global trends during six breakout sessions.

It was repeatedly noted that the peculiarity of educational reforms in Uzbekistan is characterized by its comprehensive, all-embracing nature. In the course of their implementation the state assumed the functions of the initiator and guarantor of the modernization of education; it provides high quality of training, competitiveness and pertinence of specialists for the labor market. There have been meaningful structural, organizational and substantial changes. Uzbekistan has introduced a 12-year universal compulsory and free education system on the scheme 9+3. Following the nine years of study in a general school, during the ensuing three years young people attend specialized professional colleges and academic lyceums where every one of them, along with the general disciplines, obtains vocational training on 2-3 professions in demand in the labor market. No less important is the fact that the domestic education system has become truly continuous and successive; it fully meets the requirements of the modern paradigm Education through Life.

Currently, the country has 9,797 schools, about six thousand pre-school and after-school educational institutions. 1,537 professional colleges and academic lyceums successively operate nowadays in the country. Moreover, 59 higher education institutions and their 11 branches in regions along with 6 branches of the leading foreign universities are implementing educational and professional programs on topical areas of undergraduate and graduate majors. Centers and institutes of training and retraining of specialists are actively developing. It is noteworthy that the number of professional education institutions has more than doubled since the independence. Remarkably, the educational institutions operate in the country in close collaboration with organizations and companies - customers of working personnel and results of intellectual work.

In the process of reforming, school education remained compulsory and free, but it has become nine years for all pupils. School plays important role in conducting comprehensive development of children and preparing them to receive vocational training. The pre-school educational institutions prepare children for school while extracurricular institutions facilitate young children to disclosure their talents.

The country's school education has undergone significant upgrade in recent years. As part of the "National Program for Basic Education" about nine thousand schools were repaired, renovated and built during 2004-2009, their material-technical base was strengthened. Much attention was paid to outfit schools with modern electronic equipment, to update the state educational standards and training programs, to retrain and provide professional development for teachers and to the publishing of new textbooks.

Schools have modern classrooms equipped with all needed furniture for chemistry, physics, biology, computer science, labor training and sport. The office of psychological support is a new and important component of school.  It helps pupil to determine their future profession. It makes sure that each student by the end of ninth grade has his own, independent choice for future profession.

The introduction of compulsory secondary special and professional education in Uzbekistan has created unprecedented conditions for the formation of the country's labor market where now involved workers only with professional training. Just this determines the direction of improving the education system at the present stage of its development.

The system of vocational education has task to deliberately train young professionals. Today, colleges are not simply the institutions which are engaged in training the young generation of professionals using modern teaching and production equipment; they also care about the fact that each graduate student, upon the completion of his training, gets a job. In this regard much attention is paid to strengthen the system of training young professionals in tandem "college-to-business." A college gives general training and knowledge, while a factory or a company gives to a student the practical training and subsequent employment. Such approach facilitates to train specialists by intention, so future worker meets the requirements of a particular employer.

It is important that after 12-year compulsory education everyone by his or her choice can continue study at higher education institutions to obtain undergraduate and graduate degrees.

The dramatic transformation in higher education began in 1997 after the adoption of the Law of Uzbekistan “On education”. Then the higher education became a two-step. Today, universities prepare professionals with Bachelor and Master’s degree. The main directions of higher education’s development at current stage are defined in the adopted, the last year, ‘Program of modernization of material-technical base of higher educational institutions and a fundamental improvement of the training,’ calculated until 2015. Today, universities are developing as centers of education and science.

The list of areas and specialties of higher education is revisited, as well as state standards for training specialists in universities. There were changes in the quota of admission; the volume of training in engineering, construction and technical fields has increased.

Strengthening the material and technical base has begun. Over the next five years, 19 universities will be almost completely renovated and remodeled, some of them will add new academic buildings. More than 226 college and university teaching labs will get new equipment.

Current issues regarding the training of the teaching staff will find their solutions.   The matters of publishing educational literature of a new generation and other tasks that are important to ensure the quality of higher education will also be solved.

In ameliorating the educational process the focus is given to computerization. All educational, scientific, cultural and educational institutions of the country are connected to the national educational portal ZiyoNet and to the Internet. This allows educational establishments to introduce into the educational process distance learning methods and a wide range of information and communication services for students.

At the beginning of the academic year 2011-2012 Uzbekistan launched a high-speed network, E-education, based on VPN-technology. It linked all higher educational institutions of the country, units of the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Special Education, Fund Istedod.  It will be connected to the professional colleges and academic lyceums in the coming years. The network is used for conducting video conferences among universities. During the next five years, it will have virtual library that will eventually unite electronic records of all educational institutions of the country.

The process of outfitting the classrooms of the higher education institutions with modern computer equipment is going on especially actively. They are supplied with interactive boards and special systems Teacher 60. They allow lecturers to make the learning process more informative, insightful and entertaining.

The current stage of education system’s development in Uzbekistan is characterized by strengthening the scientific potential of higher education institutions and the integration of the learning process with innovative activities through transferring to the jurisdiction of universities a range of academic research institutions and through creation of new, modern inter-university scientific-laboratorial facilities of joint-use.

Since 2011 young scientists of the country are trained in institutes of interns-researchers-candidates and senior fellow researchers. This system replaced the post-graduate and doctoral studies. The main advantage of the new system is that it creates entirely new conditions for engaging in science masters.

15 inter-university research laboratories of shared use will be established in the country until 2015. Their mission is to make researches and to train scientists on the most pressing scientific issues using the latest equipment.

In 2012, National University of Uzbekistan and the Academy of Sciences, with the leading British institution – Cambridge University, are setting up the educational and experimental Center of High Technologies. It is tasked with teaching talented students, postgraduates and young academics the modern methods of conducting applied innovative scientific research in chemistry, physics, biology, biochemistry, biophysics, geology and geodesy.

Another new research institution is the International Institute for Solar Energy in Tashkent which will prepare young promising scientists and will conduct researches on pressing problems of development. It was recently established by the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan and Asian Development Bank.

The education system not only gives broad knowledge and master skills, but also makes obligatory for its students to study foreign language as an essential condition for active interaction with their peers from other countries. It broadens awareness of everything what is happening in the world, helps mastering world's great intellectual heritage.

In the system of education the country attaches a great importance to teaching pupils not merely liberal arts and vocational skills, but also required learning of foreign languages, for this is critical for them to maintain pro-active communication with their counterparts abroad, get extensive knowledge of everything that is going on around the globe, and command the august world of intellectual treasure.

Sport and art play important role in upbringing educated and intellectually advanced generation. That is why the development of children's sports is in the center of attention in Uzbekistan. All educational institutions of the republic have winter and summer sporting facilities. Young people can train at children's sports facilities, with all necessary conditions for the sport, under the guidance of experienced coaches. Various after-school centers such as Children's Center Barkamol Avlod and children's school of music and art have an important role in preserving national traditions and crafts, as well as in familiarizing the youth with world-wide cultural values.

It is impossible to imagine a modern system of education without professional colleges and higher educational institutions which train coaches and teachers on subjects related to culture and art.

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The participants of the conference have noted that the successes achieved by Uzbekistan in state and public policy, progressive reforms in education, high level of education and professionalism have allowed Uzbekistan to raise its prestige in the international community, and boosted investment attractiveness of the country. In the resolution of the international conference Fostering a Well Educated and Intellectually Advanced Generation as a Crucial Prerequisite for Sustainable Development and Modernization of the Country the participants stressed that the experience of Uzbekistan is a good and valuable example of reforming an education system.

Historically, the Moscow State University and Uzbekistan are linked not only by a joint project - the Tashkent branch of the Moscow State University with enrollment of talented and intelligent Uzbeks – but also by many other spheres, both in education and science.

Fund Istedod closely cooperates with us. Under its programs hundreds of young and talented teachers from Uzbekistan have been trained in Moscow. We are also pleased that students of Moscow State University who are studying the Uzbek language have opportunity to come to Uzbekistan for internship.

Recently, at our University, we held a conference on the role of Tashkent in preservation Russian science. I must say that this role is great in fact. During the Second World War, many Russian scientists have moved to Uzbekistan, where they lived and continued their researches.

Scientific and educational ties between our two countries continue to flourish today. In particular, our university is in close contact with specialists from the National University of Uzbekistan and Samarkand State University.

Of course, all this plays an important role in addressing urgent challengesthe preparation of promising young professionals.

Education and science develop inextricably. Our university and the higher educational institutions of Uzbekistan have similar views on that matter. In our mutual belief, the development of education significantly depends on further cooperation among universities from different countries.

During the conference, I saw with great delight the exposition of scientific achievements of the National University of Uzbekistan. It has convincingly shown that Uzbek universities do not only train specialists, but also supply scientific solutions to pressing problems in the development of production and sectors of the economy.

In future I would like to establish contacts with Uzbek universities that conduct researches in biology and develop systems for protecting environment. We can be useful to each other, both in science as well as in preparing the younger generation of specialists in these important spheres.

Uzbekistan has a developed education system. Excellent conditions have been created in educational institutions for the preparation of educated and intellectually advanced generation, who will be directly involved in the development and modernization of the state.

In the frameworks of the conference I visited schools, colleges and higher educational institutions of the country. It was a great pleasure to have opportunity to give a lecture to students of the Tashkent State Institute of Oriental Studies.

Such close contact with the students and fellow teachers from Uzbekistan allowed me to see with my own eyes that much attention is paid in the country to create conditions for learning and work of teachers. Lessons are held in modern classrooms fitted out with new training equipment and what is important, teachers do use modern teaching techniques.

Today, many in the world focus on the creation and development of international higher educational institutions whose diplomas are recognized not only in the country where the training was actually conducted, but also in other states without additional procedures of nostrification. Uzbekistan is not an exception; the development of education is one of priority in state’s policy.

One example of such higher education institutions is the Westminster International University in Tashkent, set up ten years ago. It was opened on the initiative of the Uzbek government. Our local partners wanted to establish a brand-new university on the market of educational services. And with joint efforts we created it.

Westminster International University is the university with the highest standards of quality education. Its graduates work at the leading enterprises in Uzbekistan, most of which are joint ventures, and make a worthy contribution to the development of the country. Notably, more than 90% of our graduates get job in Tashkent during the first months after receiving diplomas.

Despite the achievements, we plan to strengthen further the Westminster International University in Tashkent so it has a larger voice in the world as a full-fledged academic center, where the objectives of education and science are getting combined.

I have heard about Uzbekistan and its system of education many times. Much has been told to me by Uzbek students who came to study in our University and by our students who visited Uzbekistan. Good opportunity to visit the country occurred for me as part of the international conference, recently held in Tashkent.

As a teacher, I was especially interested to get acquainted with Uzbekistan’s system of education, which in many ways is unique. Vocational education is not only affordable but also mandatory in this country. Getting a profession is part of educational service package provided during free twelve years long compulsory education. Such opportunities are now available not so far in many countries.

The system of higher education is also tuned well. Priority in its development is given to the process of integrating education, science and industry, as well as to international cooperation. In this context, I would like to establish fruitful cooperation with colleagues from the Uzbek State World Languages ​​University and Tashkent State Institute of Oriental Studies.

Our university cooperates with the National University of Uzbekistan for many years. We have a joint development - a new variety of potato which is characterized by its resistance to diseases and high yield capacities.

With regard to further cooperation, today, the National University of Uzbekistan as well as our University pays much attention to train specialists in the circumstances of integrating education, science and production. In this field we have some developments of mutual interest. We could share them with each other and be useful to one another in terms of training professionals in science, ecology, water resources, zoology, philology and in other fields.

The future is in the hands of young people, those upcoming professionals trained by teachers of our generation. In order to improve the quality of training young specialists, we would like to continue students and young teachers exchange programs with the National University, Fund Istedod and with other educational institutions of Uzbekistan. Exchange of experience and such cooperation will positively affect the development of two countries.

The experience of Uzbekistan in the field of caring for the younger generation, participation in planning future life of every girl and every boy deserves high praises and detailed study. Law guaranteed free and mandatory twelve-year education scheme, consisted of nine years of schooling plus three years of studying in a lyceums or in a high school is directed not only to foster harmoniously developed young generation of the country, but also gives professional skills to each of them.

The experience of Uzbekistan in implementing state programs aimed at creating equal conditions for children’s education in city and in countryside is exciting. Using foreign investments Uzbekistan constructed, reconstructed, refurbished and rigged with modern training equipment many schools, colleges and lyceums, which are involved in implementing the provisions of the law on compulsory free twelve year education. The material-technical base of professional colleges draws attention. These institutions have all necessary conditions so that a student can obtain primary skills of working on professional modern equipment within the walls of his school.

The country's experience in providing colleges with educational literature is also noteworthy. Via information and resource centers students may access a wide range of literature both of domestic and foreign publishers. In addition, the country has issued its own textbooks on each subject.

Uzbekistan has created perfect conditions for harmonious, all-round education of the younger generation. Children have been provided with modern schools, where they receive strong knowledge which can build them successful career. It is very important that under this law, the nine-year school education and three years of secondary special and vocational education system embraces all children; it is a powerful and stable foundation for country’s sustainable and progressive development in the future.

Educational institutions are fitted with modern training equipment. The schools have laboratory facilities necessary for learning the basics of chemistry, physics, biology and computer science. The lyceums use the equipment you need to acquire first professional skills, just within the walls of the educational institution. Classes are conducted using modern multimedia technology and modern teaching techniques.

Sports facilities in schools and great work undertaken by administrations to organize a meaningful leisure time for students are important components for overall and harmonious development of students. Life of educational institutions is full of various cultural activities.