Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) - A Presidential Resolution “On additional measures to ensure the academic, organizational and managerial independence of state higher educational institutions” was adopted.

According to the document, from the 2022/2023 academic year, state higher educational institutions (HEI), which have been granted financial independence, are endowed with the following additional powers:

a) in the field of academic independence:

- approval of curricula and programs, qualification requirements based on professional standards, definition of the language and form of education, taking into account the peculiarities of areas of education and specialties;

- setting the duration of training in the areas of undergraduate education and magistracy specialties;

- determination of the cost of training in doctoral studies on a paid-contract basis, admission to doctoral studies on a competitive basis in addition to the quota by allocating grants at the expense of extra-budgetary funds;

- approval of the procedure for the implementation of scientific leadership by doctoral students and independent applicants;

- the introduction of correspondence, distance and evening forms of education at the master's stage, the introduction of a dual qualification system, including practical qualifications, in areas of education and specialties, etc.

b) in the field of organizational and managerial independence:

- creation of structural divisions, commercial and non-commercial organizations, the main activity of which is related to education, science, implementation and commercialization of their results, not financed from the state budget;

- approval of the structure and determination of the number of staffing units of the institution, regardless of the standards established for HEI;

- the opening of new and the abolition of existing areas of education and specialties based on the demand in the labor market;

- establishment of the procedure for hiring, firing, internal rotation of teachers and other employees;

- admission to study of citizens of foreign states on a paid-contract basis and the organization of their distance learning.

A number of powers of the Cabinet of Ministers, ministries (departments) are transferred to educational institutions. Among them:

- transfer of studies of foreign citizens from foreign to state HEIs of the republic;

- determination of the internal regulations of higher, secondary specialized and professional educational institutions, including requirements for the uniform of students, etc.

Ministry of Higher and Secondary Special Education received the powers of the Cabinet of Ministers in the field of higher, secondary specialized and vocational education:

- approval of the list of areas of education, specialties and professions for which training is conducted in higher, secondary specialized and professional educational institutions;

- setting the minimum duration of training in the areas of undergraduate education and magistracy specialties;

- determination of the directions of education for bachelor's degree and specialties of master's degree, in which evening, part-time and distance learning forms, etc. are not introduced.

The requirements for an academic council are canceled, more than half of whose members must be scientists working in an educational institution (scientific organization) that created this council. Since January 1, 2022, the boards of trustees of state HEIs, which have been granted financial independence, will also be abolished. Instead of them, Supervisory Boards without the status of a legal entity are formed, at least 70% of which are representatives of the relevant ministries, departments, customers of personnel, and the public.

Until 1 May 2022, the Information System for the Management of Higher Education Processes will be phased in. Also, by the end of 2022, the Single Platform "Electronic Library" will be launched at the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Special Education.