Possibilities to strengthen cooperation in education between Turkmenistan and the United Kingdom were explored during a meeting between Deputy Minister of Education Azat Atayev and Ms. Sarah Chidgey, Regional Exports Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The meeting took place at the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan on November 14.
During the conversation, Ms. Chidgey shared the UK's successful experience in providing quality education, as demonstrated in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. She noted that several British universities, including the University of Westminster, are interested in expanding cooperation with Turkmenistan and offering educational services in higher education.
In this context, the parties discussed the possibilities of providing educational services in secondary education through the accreditation of Turkmen educational institutions. Ms. Chidgey elaborated on how this process has been successfully implemented in neighboring countries.
Additionally, Sarah Chidgey informed that the Turkmenistan-UK Trade and Industry Council meeting is planned to be held at the beginning of next year, where educational issues will also be considered. She emphasized that the UK is interested in conducting more detailed negotiations on educational cooperation at the World Education Forum—an annual event held in May in London.
In response, A. Atayev expressed interest in the proposed projects and supported the initiative to develop educational cooperation. Initially, both parties agreed to explore the possibility of organizing joint webinars aimed at a detailed study of British educational standards, accreditation and licensing procedures, as well as quality assurance methods in education.
A. Atayev also added that by May, the parties would be able to discuss step-by-step cooperation in more detail, paying attention to each aspect for successful project implementation.
At the conclusion of the meeting, both parties expressed confidence that bilateral cooperation would significantly contribute to the development of Turkmenistan's education system and provide new opportunities for students and teachers, facilitating their integration into the global educational community.
