Yann Librati and Yusuf Abdullaev. Photo: SUIT
The Samarkand International University of Technology (SIUT) will launch a French Higher Engineering School following an agreement reached during Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s official visit to Paris.
The decision was finalized in Nice during negotiations between SIUT Rector Yusuf Abdullaev and Yann Librati, head of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF).
The new engineering institute will begin operations in September 2025 as part of SIUT in partnership with leading French universities and educational institutions. The curriculum will focus on mining, geology, the oil and gas industry, and chemical engineering.
The program will follow international standards and modern teaching methodologies, with French language studies integrated into the coursework.
Funding for the project will come from multiple sources:
👉 Investment from French businesses and companies interested in developing engineering education in Uzbekistan.
👉 Scientific and methodological support from top French universities.
👉 Contributions from SIUT’s Board of Trustees, chaired by Bakhtiyor Fazylov.
Initial steps toward integrating European engineering education standards at SIUT were taken in August 2024 when the university signed a cooperation agreement with French company Orano and French-Uzbek joint venture Nurlikum Mining, both operating in the mineral extraction sector. As part of this partnership, SIUT engineering students now have access to internships, seminars, and training programs.
President Mirziyoyev has previously emphasized the need to meet the growing demand for engineering professionals by increasing university admissions quotas for technical fields and expanding government grants for technology projects. He has also tasked universities with establishing partnerships with leading institutions in Germany, Japan, Russia, Italy, Turkey, South Korea, and Singapore. In an experimental initiative, 10 Uzbek universities will launch higher engineering schools with two-year applied master’s programs.
Founded in 2022, SIUT offers English-language instruction across 11 disciplines. Its faculty includes professors and lecturers from Uzbekistan, the U.S., Canada, South Korea, China, Iran, India, Palestine, Kazakhstan, Tunisia, Cameroon, South Africa, and Australia.
Rector Yusuf Abdullaev previously served as Uzbekistan’s first ambassador to Russia and as the founding rector of Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages (SamGIIYa).
SIUT has already built strong partnerships with prestigious academic and research institutions, including:
✅ Colorado School of Mines (U.S.)
✅ Sultan Trans Inc. (U.S.) – a major logistics company
✅ China’s top technological universities through the Chinese Institute of Electric Power (CIEP) at SIUT
✅ South Korean institutions through the Korean Institute of Technology and Culture (KITC) at SIUT
✅ Indian universities specializing in IT and artificial intelligence
