Уzbekistan has opened its first Central Asian Green University dedicated to environmental studies and climate change, the Ministry of Ecology of Uzbekistan announsed.
Located in the Tashkent region, the university is a state higher education institution organized on the principle of the Hub-and-Spoke model.
The opening ceremony was attended by Gretel Aguilar, the Director-General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Aziz Abdukhakimov, the Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change of Uzbekistan, and the environmental ministers from Central Asian countries.
Gretel Aguilar has been serving as the head of the IUCN since October 2023, bringing 30 years of experience in nature conservation and sustainable development, as well as implementing environmental legislation in collaboration with governments and civil society.
"We congratulate the government of Uzbekistan on the opening of the Central Asian Green University—a significant regional initiative contributing to environmental leadership and education development. This university will help address the triple planetary crisis related to biodiversity loss, climate change, and air pollution. Through environmental education, the university will contribute to preserving the rich natural heritage of the region," said Aguilar during the opening ceremony.
The Green University aims to develop innovative ideas, practices, and technologies to address regional and global environmental challenges, while also enhancing regional cooperation in the field of ecology and environmental protection.
Courses will be conducted in Uzbek, Russian, and English using a credit-modular system, including lectures, labs, individual and group practical work. At the undergraduate level, classes will be held in English and one of the official languages of the UN, adhering to Uzbekistan's educational standards.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
February 14, 2024