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Based on the results of the second Tashkent International Investment Forum (IIFT-2023)
One of the topics widely discussed during the forum was information technology and digital technologies. We talked about Uzbekistan’s potential in this sector and contacts with investors with the Creative Director of the Tashkent IT Park, Jamila Khalibayeva.
«The first IT Park was created in Uzbekistan in 2019», says Jamila, «shortly after our president’s visit to India. It was from this country that the president brought the idea, which was put into practice. It is difficult to overestimate the importance of the development of the IT sector for Uzbekistan. Our country is dealing with the so-called double closure, i.e. our neighbors also do not have access to the sea. Which means we have geographical difficulties in logistics and exports. Therefore, the best way for us is to export IT services, which only requires technology, a good Internet connection and specialists».
According to Jamila Khalibayeva, Uzbekistan does not suffer from a shortage of specialists.
«We are a young nation», she says: «Of the 35 million inhabitants of Uzbekistan, 60% are young people under the age of 30. Naturally, great attention is paid to training: it is necessary to raise specialists, which we are doing with success».
Today, more than 1,300 IT companies resident in IT Park operate in Uzbekistan, of which more than half are export-oriented companies, international IT companies and companies created on the basis of foreign capital. For example, together with the world-famous company Imperial Sistems, the first digital university was created in Uzbekistan last year, which accepts students for a bachelor’s degree and teaches computer science online.
«We are also developing regional infrastructure», says Jamilya Khalibayeva. «In every region of Uzbekistan, throughout the country, we have our own training centers. At the moment there are more than 200 of them and anyone, even remote from the center, can go and learn information technology».
There are more than ten areas of study in the training centers, ranging from computer literacy to mobile robotics, web design, graphic design, development and so on.
The cost of education is minimal and vulnerable sections of the population receive free education.
The park works with its residents – partner training centers to open representative offices of their regional offices in the most remote cities of the country. The interest in training can be judged by the numbers: in the three years of existence of the centers they have released 180,000 people.
According to Jamila Khalibayeva, one million certificates and two million registered participants – these are the statistics on the national platform for teaching computer program databases and data analysis, carried out at the initiative of the President and Prime Minister of the country, video lessons are conducted for everyone.
Putting the acquired knowledge into practice is easy and simple. 1,300 residents of the Technopark across the country even experience a shortage of personnel – more than 10,000 specialists are required here every year! This means that graduates of training centers are immediately sent for an internship at an IT company with additional employment.
One of the ways of active cooperation of Technopark partners with foreign investors is a localized franchise for the local market, as is the case in the UAE, as well as cooperation with venture funds.
A UK venture fund is actively investing in local startups. Last year alone, the investment amount amounted to more than a million dollars, in particular in the Uzbek startup Apteka – a mobile application with convenient filters for searching for medicines and pharmaceutical shops.
– In general, the “park” is a philosophical idea, that is, it is a space where we raise young cadres. The idea is reflected in our logo: a man-tree on a green background.
«“START HERE AND GROW”: this slogan reflects the mission of our park». Jamila smiles and touches the badge on the lapel of her jacket: a tree-man stretches towards the sky, towards the sun, towards knowledge.
