Uzbekistan and Japan Discuss Development of the JDS Scholarship Program

During the ICT WEEK Uzbekistan 2026 event, a meeting took place between Dildora Nasibulayeva, Head of International Relations at IT Park Uzbekistan, and Ankit Sethi, Senior Manager for Regional Partnership and Channel Development in the Middle East at Hong Kong Science and Technology Park (HKSTP).

The parties discussed the further development of cooperation in the fields of startups, artificial intelligence, as well as research and development. IT Park Uzbekistan noted that the meeting covered support for technology companies entering new markets, strengthening ties between startup ecosystems, and prospects for joint work in AI and R&D.

Special attention was paid to the participation of four HKSTP startups in ICT WEEK Uzbekistan 2026. During their visit, representatives of these companies already held meetings with Uzinfocom, Uztelecom, and TUIT. The parties discussed opportunities for providing additional support and assistance to these companies when entering the Uzbek market.

Participants also considered the possibility of organizing trips for Uzbek startups to Hong Kong. Such visits would allow companies to familiarize themselves with HKSTP's technological infrastructure, establish contacts with local firms, and exchange experiences with members of the Hong Kong startup ecosystem.

Cooperation between IT Park Uzbekistan and HKSTP is developing steadily. In July 2026, the parties signed a memorandum of understanding. A specialized webinar for HKSTP companies and startups on the opportunities for entering the Uzbek market was held in August. Cooperation continued in September when a delegation from IT Park Uzbekistan visited Hong Kong to participate in the Belt and Road Summit 2026.

HKSTP is one of Hong Kong's key innovation platforms, focusing on deep technologies and research and development. The park's ecosystem brings together over 2,400 technology companies from 26 countries and more than 17,000 R&D specialists. HKSTP's priority areas include robotics, biotechnology, fintech, smart city solutions, advanced manufacturing, and artificial intelligence.

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.

The Embassy of Japan in Uzbekistan announced that a note exchange ceremony took place in Tashkent on September 28 under the Human Resource Development Scholarship Program (JDS). The ceremony was conducted by the Japanese Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Kenji Hirata, and the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of Uzbekistan, Kongretbay Sharipov.

This project provides an opportunity for young state employees of Uzbekistan to receive education in Japan. The total funding for the project will amount to up to 358 million yen, equivalent to approximately 2.25 million US dollars.

The project is implemented as part of the grant assistance program of the Japanese government. In addition to the note exchange, Sharipov signed a grant agreement for the project with Mamoru Sakai, head of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) office in Uzbekistan.

Under this program, young officials from Uzbekistan will obtain a master's degree at Japanese universities in areas prioritized for Uzbekistan. Upon returning home, graduates are expected to contribute to the development of state policy and the fulfillment of other government tasks.

The Japanese side also expects that this project will contribute to deepening mutual understanding between Japan and Uzbekistan, as well as strengthening friendly relations between the two countries.

This cooperation is aimed at implementing one of the three priority areas defined in the Joint Declaration of Heads of State, known as the Tokyo Declaration, which was adopted after the first Central Asia plus Japan Dialogue summit in December 2025, namely 'Human Resource Development.' According to the embassy, the Japanese government intends to continue efforts to develop human potential in Uzbekistan and deepen mutual understanding between the countries.