More than 40 Russian universities will present their programs to applicants in Uzbekistan

More than 40 Russian universities will present their programs to applicants in Uzbekistan

On September 25–26, the Tashkent branch of MGIMO will host the International Exhibition-Fair "Russian Education. Tashkent–2026". On the eve of this large-scale event, a press conference was held at the Sputnik Uzbekistan International Press Center with Irina Staroselskaya, head of the Rossotrudnichestvo representative office in Uzbekistan.

The exhibition-fair is being held in the capital for the sixth time. This year, Bauman Moscow State Technical University and Grozny State Oil Technical University are participating for the first time. In total, more than 40 universities from various regions of Russia will present their programs. The geography of the participants shows that interest is gradually expanding beyond Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Kazan. Applicants are increasingly turning their attention to universities in Irkutsk, Kursk, Nizhny Novgorod, Perm, Saratov, Sevastopol, Tyumen, Tolyatti, and other cities.

Russian universities offer a wide range of specialties — from medicine and economics to engineering, IT, and creative fields. At the same time, applicants can choose not only between specialties but also between regions, living conditions, and educational programs.

"This year we will hold a parent-teacher meeting again, because it is very important, as parents often make the choice. We asked the universities to prepare presentations with specific details for the parents. Everyone wants to understand what the university's dormitory is like, how many places it has, how much it will cost, and what the conditions in the city are. We understand that letting a recent school graduate go to a foreign country requires making sure that everything will be fine for them. This year, our exhibition opens on September 25, and on the 26th, at 15:00, a parent-teacher meeting will take place in the main hall of the MGIMO branch. We look forward to seeing everyone, please come," noted Irina Staroselskaya.

The preferences of applicants are also changing. While medicine, law, economics, and finance were traditionally among the most sought-after fields, in 2024, the humanities took first place. These are followed by economic and financial specialties, IT, engineering and natural sciences, pedagogy, medicine, and agriculture. Interest in creative professions also remains strong.

The press conference specifically addressed admission under the quota of the Government of the Russian Federation. For the current academic year, the Russian side provided 810 quotas to citizens of Uzbekistan at the request of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovations of Uzbekistan. The main goal of the program is to give young people the opportunity to receive a quality education and then apply the acquired knowledge in their homeland. At the same time, the graduate's subsequent professional path remains their personal choice.

The quota campaign is primarily aimed at school graduates.

"The kids applying for quotas are still school students. This is the eleventh grade; they will only be entering university next academic year. To help them choose their specialties, they will be presented with the full picture of all universities, regions, and fields: technical, humanities, medical, etc. This year, we want to transition everything to electronic format. The kids will take exams online. For creative specialties, they will first come to Rossotrudnichestvo. To conduct the selection round, we assemble a commission of People's and Honored Artists of Uzbekistan, as well as specialists from creative universities. When choosing a university, it is important for applicants to determine their priorities in advance: specialty, city, living conditions, and future educational plans. Hundreds of Russian universities participate in the quota campaign, so making a choice without prior preparation is not easy," emphasized Irina Staroselskaya.

Rossotrudnichestvo pays great attention to youth projects. One of them is "IT-Navigator," which is implemented jointly with "School 21." Its participants travel to the regions and introduce school students to educational opportunities in the field of information technology. The project has already been implemented in Tashkent and Samarkand, with Namangan and Nukus next in line. It is important that information about Russian educational programs and quotas is accessible to all young people in Uzbekistan.

The International Exhibition-Fair "Russian Education. Tashkent–2026" not only introduces applicants and their families to Russian universities but also develops inter-university cooperation, academic exchanges, and new joint projects, combining the capabilities of the two countries and creating new formats of interaction.