Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The Study UK Alumni Awards ceremony was held as part of a series of events to promote cooperation between the UK and Uzbekistan in the field of education. 

The event took place at the residence of the British Ambassador, where Timothy Torlot, British Ambassador to Uzbekistan, and Denise Waddingham, Director of the British Council in Uzbekistan, announced the names of the winners and presented the trophies to graduates of British universities who are contributing to their country. The press service of the British Council in Uzbekistan reported.

British Ambassador Timothy Torlot welcomed everyone at his residence and expressed gratitude for attending the Study UK Alumni Awards ceremony. On the success of the graduates of British universities, the ambassador shared:

"Students from Uzbekistan who have studied in the UK and benefited from their studies return as leaders in their fields of study, such as science, creativity, education, social work, law and business and innovation. When the graduates return to Uzbekistan, they are contributing to the development of their respective fields, and I am excited to see the younger generation doing this together." 

During her speech at the ceremony, Denise Waddingham, Director of the British Council, shared the aims of the Study UK Alumni Awards in Uzbekistan and announced the names of the national winners. Also, Ms Woddingham reminded that the winners of the international awards will be invited to the UK for professional networking in the summer of 2024. 

"I believe international student mobility between the UK and Uzbekistan creates long-term links and mutually beneficial relationships. The Study UK Alumni Awards celebrate the achievements of outstanding graduates from UK universities who demonstrate the value of British education and its impact on communities. I find it extremely important that today Uzbek students are able to study at British universities without having to leave their home country.

The Alumni Awards competition was first launched in 2014 by the British Council to support successful graduates from UK universities from around the world.

The Alumni Awards recognise graduates of UK universities who have distinguished themselves with exemplary leadership qualities and successful achievements in their professional field. The Awards celebrate the distinctive qualities of British higher education and raise the international profile of UK university graduates. Each year more than 1,500 applicants from over 100 countries apply for the international award. The national level award is held in 18 countries only, including Uzbekistan. This is the second year the award is being held in Uzbekistan and has become an annual tradition for graduates of British universities wishing to be part of it. 

This year’s Alumni Awards winners were awarded in four categories:

Azizbek Kurbonov, a graduate of Westminster University in Tashkent, a specialist in the digitalisation of customer experience, won the award in the Business and Innovation category. The Business and Innovation Award recognises graduates who are actively pursuing and contributing to the development of innovative and creative projects and solutions in business. 

Azizbek is the co-founder and marketing director of Sug’urta Bozor, the first insurance marketplace in Uzbekistan. Under the direct leadership of Azizbek and his partners, Sug’urta Bozor has been helping to bridge the gap between their clients and insurance procedures by providing users with a platform to buy insurance policies online for the second year since its inception. According to Azizbek Kurbonov, Sug’urta Bozor gives citizens the opportunity to insure themselves against risks and facilitates additional sales channels for insurance agencies.

Azizbek recalls his student years with particular trepidation:

"During my studies at the University of Westminster I made many useful connections, learned to be independent and also developed leadership skills. And today I apply all this in my professional life and believe that I contribute to the development of modern Uzbekistan with my knowledge in economics, statistics and marketing.

The winner in the "Social Activity" nomination was Victoria Babakhadjaeva, who is an education specialist at the World Bank and Vice-Rector for International Relations at Tashkent International University of Education. The Social Activism Award recognises graduates who have made exceptional contributions to creating positive social change and conditions to improve the lives of others.

"My MA in Banking and Finance from the University of Wales was informative and rewarding. The knowledge, skills and experience I gained at a British institution motivate me to provide access to high quality education to as many people as possible by integrating UK education standards into the education system of Uzbekistan," said Victoria.

The winner in the Culture and Creative category went to one of Uzbekistan’s leading communication specialists, Dinara Dultayeva. Dinara is the founder of the Dinara&Co agency and publishing house, helping other companies in Uzbekistan to achieve their communication goals. Also, an integral part of the winner’s work is to promote Uzbekistan’s national branding both within the country and abroad. This award is given to graduates who actively contribute to the development of their countries’ cultural heritage and the creation of social and creative projects. 

"When I returned to Uzbekistan, I used the knowledge I gained at Cardiff University to take Uzbekistan to the next level. Five years ago, I published my first book, 10 Reasons to Visit Uzbekistan, which received a letter of appreciation from Queen Elizabeth II of the UK. This helped my young company, Dinara&Co, to raise its profile not only in Uzbekistan, but also in other countries. Since then, we have been publishing corporate and collection books and the Visit Uzbekistan magazine about our wonderful country", Dinara Dultayeva shared.

The fourth winner of the Science and Sustainability Prize was Akmal Abdullayev, a PhD graduate from the University of St Andrews. Today, Akmal is an experienced professor who teaches at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy, where he promotes the graduation of smart and successful students. Akmal also supports the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) project to provide advanced medical equipment to cancer hospitals. The winner of the nomination is selected based on achievements in science and sustainable development, able to demonstrate the impact and scale of achievements in his or her profession and beyond. 

"I graduated in 2008 from the renowned and historic University of St Andrews in Scotland with a degree in Middle East and Central Asian security. It was a great experience for me. I gained important knowledge in the field of international studies. One of the most important benefits of a UK education for me was the academic freedom where students have to make their own decisions and conclusions. I adapted my experience from the UK and applied it here at UMED to educate future decision makers in Uzbekistan," said Akmal.

At the end of the awards ceremony for the four winners, the British Ambassador Timothy Torlot announced the fifth winner, Denis Roman, who he personally selected for the "Ambassador’s Choice" nomination. Denis Roman is a graduate of the University of Westminster and CEO and co-founder of the communications agency We Digital. Denis and his team contribute daily to the development of the business industry in Uzbekistan, helping their clients to solve specific business problems by offering the most effective solutions within the available resources. 

This year, the five winners of the national Alumni Awards will receive opportunities for their professional development. In the next stage, the finalists from Uzbekistan will continue to participate in the international awards with other candidates from 100 countries and only the strongest will win the main prize - a professional networking trip to the UK, during which they will be able to share their experience and skills at the national and international levels, as well as expand their network of contacts and raise their international profile.