On November 9th of this year, a significant meeting took place at SIUT (Samarkand Institute of University Technologies), hosting a delegation from the Consortium for Global Education (CGE), led by CGE's President Carolyn Bishop. The delegation included representatives from various U.S. institutions, such as Bobby Hall (President of Wayland University), Jeff Moore (Director of Anderson University's Technopark), Pete Thomas (Director of the International Department at Campbellsville University), Don Ashley (Executive Director, Dean, Director of Global Projects, and TechnoCenter at Wayland University, Alaska), David Bishop (Director of CGE AmeriStudy), and representatives from India, Nitin Sardar (Director of Reimagine Solutions, CGE AmeriStudy India) and Abhijit Parage (Executive Director of Reimagine Solutions, CGE AmeriStudy India).

This format of meeting at SIUT was a first and provided an excellent opportunity for both students and the academic staff to gain insights into the activities of the Consortium, international programs, and academic exchange opportunities.

The Consortium for Global Education (CGE) is a non-profit international organization with accredited private universities and colleges spanning over 23 states in the United States and three continents: Europe, Asia, and Africa. It's worth noting that SIUT is the sole representative of CGE not only among Central Asian universities but also within the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). In September 2022, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between SIUT and CGE in Oklahoma, USA. Currently, the Consortium comprises more than 43 member institutions, serving around 124,000 students and over 7,000 faculty members.

During the meeting, students actively raised questions about international exchange programs, Work & Travel opportunities, and various grant programs. Faculty members at SIUT also posed queries about CGE's support in certifying educational programs. CGE representatives provided comprehensive and informative responses to all questions. Notably, CGE expressed its readiness to provide necessary support in certifying various programs offered at SIUT and to launch a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program at the university in the upcoming academic year.

Bobby Hall, President of Wayland University, shared, “Having an international certificate will open up new opportunities for SIUT graduates.”

Among the questions posed by students, Olimjon Botirov, a first-year Computer Science student who scored the highest SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) score of 1400 and is studying on a scholarship, asked, “Can I receive a grant from the Consortium to continue my master's degree at prestigious universities worldwide?” CGE representatives acknowledged their willingness to assist top-performing students in securing grants. In response, Rector of SIUT Prof. Yusuf Abdullaev emphasized Uzbekistan's continuous support for gifted youth through funds providing various grants for education abroad, such as the "El-yurt umidi" fund, which annually awards thousands of grants and provides comprehensive support to Uzbek students, master's students, doctoral candidates, and researchers studying abroad. Additionally, the Rector noted that in the current academic year, SIUT allocated 20 government grants (5 grants each for the fields of Geology and Geoengineering, Mining, Chemical Engineering, and Thermal Engineering) and over 70 grants from SIUT's Board of Trustees Chairman, Bakhtiyor Fazilov.

The meeting's program also featured student performances, including national dances, live renditions of national Uzbek maqoms accompanied by traditional musical instruments. The event concluded with a performance of the song "Samarkand" by Zulfiya Rashidova, head of the university's Youth, Spirituality, and Education Department, leaving the distinguished guests with warm memories of their reception.