QUARTZ: 2.5 YEARS OF REFORMS TOWARD QUALITY ASSURANCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION
The international QUARTZ project, aimed at ensuring quality, developing international cooperation, and aligning university operations with labor market demands in Uzbekistan's higher education system, continues its progress.
QUARTZ (Quality Assurance for Reform and Transformation of Higher Education Institutions in Uzbekistan) is an international capacity-building initiative in higher education supported by the European Union's Erasmus+ program.
As an active partner in the QUARTZ project, our university participates in initiatives focused on improving internal quality assurance systems, implementing advanced international standards, and enhancing the professional capacity of academic and administrative staff.
📌 PROJECT IN NUMBERS
🗓 Implementation period: April 2024 – March 2027.
🌍 Partners: 6 universities from Uzbekistan, Italy, and Bulgaria.
📊 Workstreams: 7 work packages.
💶 Funding: €308,137 provided by the European Union.
🎯 MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT The QUARTZ project aims to refine quality assurance frameworks, align education standards with international benchmarks, and strengthen the institutional capacity of higher education institutions. Specifically, the project addresses:
Enhancing quality assurance mechanisms while expanding digital literacy and practical competencies.
Building academic and administrative personnel capacity for higher education development.
Formulating quality strategies, procedures, and tools that foster competitiveness and social cohesion across universities.
Modernizing university governance and reinforcing dedicated quality assurance units.
Establishing a sustainable quality assurance network among consortium partners.
🗺 KEY DESTINATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION Partnership meetings and events within the project framework have taken place in Varna, Urgench, L'Aquila, Samarkand, and Tashkent. Furthermore, training sessions and strategic seminars on quality assurance were conducted for faculty and staff from Uzbek higher education institutions to exchange expertise and best practices.
🤝 INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS The project consortium brings together the following higher education institutions:
Tashkent Kimyo International University — Project Coordinator;
Central Asian University;
"Silk Road" International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage;
Urgench Branch of Tashkent University of Information Technologies;
University of L'Aquila (Italy);
Varna University of Management (Bulgaria).
Our university's involvement in this international initiative contributes directly to advancing higher education quality, adopting global best practices, and expanding international academic ties.
🌐 For more information: https://quartzuz.uz
