Following the visit of Minister Bernini and a delegation of Italian university rectors to Uzbekistan in September, the first tangible outcomes of these institutional meetings are now emerging.
In particular, the University of Salento has made notable strides, signing academic and scientific collaboration agreements with 15 Uzbek universities in 2024, including 13 partnerships forged during the First Italian-Uzbek Forum on Higher Education in September. The cooperation goals span multiple disciplines, including languages, civil engineering, economics, applied ecology, and others.
A remarkable milestone in cultural heritage cooperation is the authorization granted by the Uzbek Directorate of Antiquities for excavations at the Djarkutan site. This prestigious archaeological mission, conducted in collaboration with Termez University, explores the most significant proto-urban settlement of the Oxus Civilization, dating back to 2200 BCE, located along what later became part of the Silk Road.
These new agreements further strengthen the presence of the University of Salento in Central Asia. With multiple partnerships in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, as well as excavation rights at UNESCO sites, the Italian university has become a key reference point for archaeological research in the region.
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For additional information, please contact CIUZ’s secretariat at the following address:
Samantha Rampini
Chamber of Commerce Italy-Uzbekistan
Via Monte Rosa, 93
20149 Milano
cell. +39 349 8847924