Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — As part of an international cooperation agreement between Navoi State University and Geely Holding, a ceremony was held to inaugurate the Smart Chinese Language Learning Center on the university campus.

The event gathered university leadership, faculty members, and executives from leading Chinese companies, including Geely Talent Development Group and Geely Auto Group, as well as business representatives and investors. In his welcoming remarks, University Rector Prof. Mukhiddin Kalonov highlighted the steadily growing academic and scientific ties between Uzbekistan and China.

Prof. Zoe Chet Yil, Vice President of the Geely Education Development Center, emphasized that the new center represents a successful model of bilateral educational cooperation. Following a ribbon-cutting ceremony, guests toured the facility, learning about its infrastructure, technical capabilities, and modern teaching methodologies. The center will enable students to study Chinese using advanced digital tools.

Navoi State University also plans to introduce a hybrid learning module aligned with international standards and powered by artificial intelligence technologies.

Immediately after the ceremony, a scientific-practical conference was held in the university’s main hall, attended by students and representatives of both sides. Navoi City Mayor Dilmurod Ergashev also participated. The conference featured joint educational initiatives, innovative approaches to language instruction, and new opportunities for youth. Promising investment projects were also discussed and formalized through signed agreements.

During bilateral talks between Mayor Ergashev and Rector Kalonov, the parties explored ways to deepen cooperation in education and science, including academic exchange and the joint development of innovation-driven projects.

Key proposals included:

Establishing a "Geely – Navoi" STEM school,

Creating a Geely export hub for Central Asia based in Navoi,

Launching a tech park and Geely innovation school, and

Developing a "green" industry and eco-technology park, with a special focus on electric vehicle technologies.

Guests welcomed the initiatives with enthusiasm and expressed readiness to offer comprehensive support for their implementation. The event is expected to mark a new phase in Uzbekistan–China educational and industrial cooperation, laying the foundation for long-term, mutually beneficial engagement.