A delegation from the University of Utah visited the Ministry of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan, where they were provided with information on the development of the information technology industry and digital government. The parties discussed prospects for joint work in the fields of human resource training and technological projects.
During the visit, university representatives were briefed on the activities of IT Park. The delegation received an overview of measures aimed at developing Uzbekistan's IT sector, opportunities for local and foreign technology companies, the development of the startup ecosystem, and the expansion of IT service exports.
Participants also learned about the activities of UZINFOCOM. The university representatives were shown projects aimed at improving the digital government infrastructure, digitizing public services, as well as implementing modern information systems and digital platforms.
Meeting with the Ministry of Digital Technologies
Following this, a meeting took place between the Minister of Digital Technologies, Sherzod Shermatov, and the University of Utah delegation. Discussions covered the development of Uzbekistan's digital economy, the training of highly qualified specialists in IT and artificial intelligence, and the expansion of interaction between universities and technology companies.
It was noted during the meeting that the growth in the IT sector is accompanied by an increased demand for qualified specialists. In this regard, it was proposed to jointly work on creating and developing university startups, supporting technological projects by faculty and students, and expanding opportunities for mentorship and investment—from the idea stage to the minimum viable product (MVP).
One potential area of cooperation considered was combining the experience of the University of Utah with the educational capabilities of Uzbek universities that train IT specialists. Special attention was paid to training personnel for the gaming industry and developing the startup ecosystem in this field.
Participants discussed the possibilities of utilizing the educational and research potential of the University of Utah in gaming, computer science, and artificial intelligence to develop these areas in Uzbekistan. The parties also examined prospects for joint research in AI, studying the impact of AI technologies on the labor market, and developing safe and responsible solutions.
University of Utah representatives emphasized the university's significant focus on responsible artificial intelligence and expressed interest in implementing joint research projects with the Uzbek side. The dialogue also highlighted the need to train qualified cybersecurity specialists in parallel with the development of digital public services. Opportunities for faculty professional development, implementation of joint programs, and training specialists in modern cybersecurity skills were reviewed.
At the conclusion of the meeting, participants noted the importance of establishing cooperation mechanisms in the digital economy, BPO and KPO services, the creation of remote jobs, computer science, artificial intelligence, the gaming industry, and education.