Unpacking University Research Capacity Building in Uzbekistan: Ticking the Box or Building the Base?

• In Event: Negotiating Educational Reforms: Faculty, Students, and Inclusion in Central Asian Higher Education

Proposal

Since the landmark political transition of 2017, Uzbekistan has embarked on a comprehensive programme of socio-economic reforms aimed at modernising the country and integrating it more closely with the global economy. Central to this vision is the recognition that a diversified, technology-driven economy cannot flourish without a vibrant research culture anchored in the nation’s higher education institutions (HEIs). In response, the Uzbek government has placed strong emphasis on strengthening research capacity and enhancing the quality and impact of academic outputs produced by universities.
A key pillar of these reforms is the recalibration of expectations for both doctoral education and postdoctoral research training. New policy frameworks now mandate that doctoral candidates produce dissertations with demonstrable real-world applications and publish their findings in reputable international journals (GU, 2017; Eshchanov et al., 2021). Similarly, academic staff are required to secure high-quality, peer-reviewed international publications as a prerequisite for career advancement and promotion (Ibid.). These measures are designed to align Uzbekistan’s research ecosystem with international standards and to foster a culture of innovation and scholarly excellence.
However, Uzbekistan’s research landscape is still deeply shaped by enduring Soviet legacies. Historically, HEIs operated primarily as teaching-focused institutions, with advanced research largely the remit of the Academy of Sciences. This division has left a persistent legacy: universities often lack the institutional experience, infrastructure, and resources necessary to support robust research activity, especially at the doctoral and postdoctoral levels. The decades preceding the 2017 reforms were marked by chronic underinvestment in research infrastructure, limited opportunities for advanced research training, and restricted access to up-to-date scholarly resources and international academic networks.
This study undertakes a critical investigation into the mechanisms and outcomes of recent research capacity-building reforms, with a specific focus on doctoral education and postdoctoral training. Drawing on a rich array of regulatory documents, secondary data, and primary data collected through interviews with senior university managers, academic staff, and doctoral students, the study interrogates both the ambitions and the realities of the reform process. It explores the ways in which policy changes have been interpreted and implemented at the institutional level, and the extent to which these changes have succeeded in bridging the gap between aspiration and practice.
A central argument advanced in this study is that the success of research capacity-building efforts hinges on sustained investment in both ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ capacities. Soft capacity encompasses the development of cutting-edge knowledge, advanced research training, and essential research skills, particularly for early-career researchers at the doctoral and postdoctoral stages. Hard capacity refers to the provision of state-of-the-art equipment, access to contemporary international databases, scholarly resources and adequate research space. The study demonstrates that without a strategic and balanced approach to both dimensions, reforms may struggle to deliver genuine research excellence or to cultivate a new generation of globally competitive scholars.
By assessing the lived experiences of key stakeholders, including those directly engaged in doctoral and postdoctoral research, this study offers nuanced insights into the ongoing challenges and opportunities involved in building a robust, sustainable university research ecosystem in Uzbekistan.

Authors

• Kobil Ruziev, UWE Bristol

• Dilshoda Rabbimova, New Uzbekistan University