Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 1 November 2019, an official opening ceremony of Webster University in Tashkent will be held, where more than 470 students began their studies. It is expected that the ceremony will be attended by Webster University Rector Elizabeth Strobl and President of the American University Julian Schuster. It was reported by the Foreign Ministry.

This is not only the first American university in Uzbekistan, but also the largest branch of this university abroad. Agreements on the establishment in Uzbekistan of a permanent branch of Webster University were signed in February this year at the Embassy of Uzbekistan in the United States.

“Our programs were introduced with the aim of strengthening the educational potential of the Republic of Uzbekistan and providing new and interesting learning opportunities for a new generation of students, as well as for business leaders and the community in the region,” Julian Schuster, president of Webster University, said.

The initiative to open an American university was first announced in September 2017 during the Uzbek-American business forum in New York, in which President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev took part.

As a result of a series of meetings and negotiations with the leadership of Webster University in St. Louis, as well as in the framework of subsequent agreements reached by an American university in September 2018, the TESL master's program (teaching English as a second foreign language) was launched on the basis of the Uzbek State University of World Languages )

As representatives of Webster University admitted, initially no more than 50-60 students were expected to study under this program. However, in conditions of special demand for qualified teachers of English, contrary to calculations, 120 students of Uzbekistan began to study under the TESL program.

Webster University has significantly expanded its program of study over the past year. The university provides a full range of academic programs for both undergraduate and graduate programs, in particular in the field of business administration, marketing and entrepreneurship, computer science, journalism and the media industry, STEM education and innovation, and other areas of study priority for Uzbekistan.

Currently, American universities are also implementing separate programs at the Uzbek State University of World Languages, Tashkent State Economic University, as well as the Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages.