Uzbekistan is to establish the International University of Turkic States in Tashkent. The university aims to strengthen political, economic, cultural, and humanitarian ties among Turkic states.
The institution will offer specialized training in engineering, construction, logistics, information technology, healthcare, agriculture, and the food industry, as well as economic and social sciences. Educational programs will be developed in collaboration with leading universities in Turkey, ensuring international academic standards.
The university is a non-governmental higher education institution, jointly founded by the Councils of Higher Education of Uzbekistan and Turkey. Starting in the 2025/2026 academic year, its curricula will be based on those of Turkish universities ranked in the top 1,000 globally.
A Step Toward Deeper Turkic Cooperation
The university’s establishment represents another milestone in strengthening cooperation among the Organization of Turkic States (OTS). Founded in 2009, the OTS includes Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, with Hungary and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus holding observer status.
Over the past decade, economic ties among OTS members have significantly expanded, with trade volume surpassing $45 billion in 2024. According to the Turkish Ministry of Finance, by the end of 2024, the combined economies of the Turkic states reached an estimated $1.9 trillion, with a population of 178 million.
In a related development, The Times of Central Asia reported that in September 2024, the Astana-based Turkic Academy finalized the Common Turkic Alphabet, a Latin-based script consisting of 34 letters. Originally proposed by linguists in 1991, the alphabet aims to enhance mutual understanding and cooperation among Turkic-speaking nations while preserving their linguistic heritage.