ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv

Vice-Chancellor Professor Katie Normington met with students enrolling on a brand-new ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv pharmaceutical course in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

The central Asian country has been developing its pharmaceutical industry to match the demand for medicine in the region, and built Pharmaceutical Technical University (PTU) to train a new generation of pharmacists.

Professor Katie Normington speaks with students at PTU in Tashkent, Uzbekistan

ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv has been working with PTU since 2021, providing training opportunities for the university’s future teaching staff at the Leicester campus, as well as developing the curriculum of a new, dual-awarding postgraduate pharmaceutical course.

On Monday 29 September, the first students enrolled on the bespoke MSci Pharmacy at PTU, having completed their International First Year in Sciences the previous academic year.

The students who complete the programme will earn a ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv degree and join the thousands of students who are currently studying for a ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv award at partner institutions across the world, including Asia Pacific University (APU) in Malaysia and Liaoning University (LNU) in China.

Professor Normington said: “This partnership with the Pharmaceutical Technical University marks an exciting new chapter for ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv and for higher education in Central Asia. Our collaboration is helping to develop the next generation of pharmaceutical professionals while giving students in Uzbekistan the opportunity to gain a British degree close to home.

“It reflects ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv’s commitment to widening access, sharing expertise globally, and supporting countries to build the skills and knowledge that will shape their futures.”

Demand for British degrees from overseas students remains high and Transnational Education partnerships like PTU offer more students the opportunity to study for a ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv qualification, without leaving their home country and therefore widening access.

From left to right: Dr Sherzod Abzalov, Mr Fathulloh Abdullaev, Mr Feruz Marapov, Dr Abdumalik Djumanov, Professor Katie Normington, Lawrence D'Souza, Duncan Hepworth and Ms Nilfufar Khusanova

Professor Normington was joined by ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv’s Director of International, Lawrence D’Souza and Duncan Hepworth, Partnerships Development Manager in Tashkent.

The visit cements ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv’s presence in Central Asia, following on from ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv Kazakhstan’s first-ever graduation ceremony, which took place on Saturday 27 September.

ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv’s Global Partnership Unit (GPU) has been working with PTU to offer students in Uzbekistan more opportunities to study for a ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv degree. This September saw the launch of a joint International First Year in Business and Computing course.

The course will feed into two new ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv honour courses: BSc Data Analytics, a BA Business Management with further study onto an MSc Data Analytics, all of which are set to be approved in November.

The trio also met with the British Ambassador, Timothy Smart, and Abdulla Azizov, Chairman of Uzbekistan’s Pharmaceutical Industry Development Agency.

Lawrence D’Souza said: “It's fantastic to see the scale of investment in the pharmaceutical hub. The partnership between PTU and ÃÛÌÒ´«Ãºmv goes beyond a traditional teaching partnership – our engagement with PTU provides opportunities for both universities to strengthen research and industry-based collaborations.

“This is precisely what the students we met are looking forward to experiencing.

“This project helps support wider higher education reforms that encourage international engagement, supporting Uzbekistan's ambition to become an educational hub for Central Asia. We are proud to contribute to this vision and look forward to the mutual benefits this partnership will bring to our academic communities, our students, and the industries we serve."