Kent State University has signed an agreement with Tashkent State University of Economics in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, to begin collaboration on a joint master’s degree in economics and other programs, as Kent State continues to expand its partnerships throughout Central Asia.
Tulkin Teshabaev, Ph.D., president of Tashkent State, visited the Kent Campus on June 2, and met with university leaders to discuss plans and sign the formal agreement. He also toured the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship and held discussions with college administrators.
Tashkent State, which specializes in economics, is one of the largest higher education institutions in Uzbekistan and Central Asia. Formerly known as the Tashkent Institute of Economics, Tashkent State was the first American-style business school in Uzbekistan and is the first institution in the country to receive accreditation of its business management program from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the global standard-setting body for business education.
Marcello Fantoni, Ph.D., vice president for global education, told Kent State Today that he visited Tashkent State in October 2024, and plans for the agreement have been in discussion since then.
Ayya Hudaybergenova, director of Eurasia Strategic Affairs for the Office of Global Education, said options being discussed include a one-plus-one master’s degree program in economics in which students would spend a year at Tashkent State and their second year at Kent State for their degrees.
In addition, Tashkent State is building a new campus and has offered to dedicate a building for Kent State’s use to offer additional programs, including faculty training initiatives and English language programs at Tashkent’s regional campuses, Hudaybergenova said.
The agreement was signed by Melody Tankersley, Ph.D., Kent State’s executive vice president and provost, and Tashkent President Teshabaev, whose delegation also included Jasur Umirzokov, head of international cooperation and Sardor Zakirov, manager of international relations for Tashkent State.
“What an honor that you have chosen us for a partnership,” Tankersley said. “Your university has such acclaim in economics and business education and there is so much we can do together to advance the understanding of global business for all our students. We look forward to all we can do together. It is the start of a new era.”
President Teshabaev, speaking through an interpreter, said, “The partnership with Kent State University represents a strategic advancement for Tashkent State University of Economics. Through the launch of a dual master’s degree program and faculty training aligned with global standards, this collaboration sets the stage for long-term innovation, academic exchange and expanded opportunities that we are eager to build together with Kent State.”
Fantoni said he will return to Uzbekistan in November to finalize program plans.
With a student population exceeding 47,500 and a regional campus system, Tashkent State is the largest university in Uzbekistan.
“This is a very good opportunity,” Fantoni said. “Uzbekistan is a very strategic country because it is the most populated country in Central Asia, and it is one of the most developed countries. The capital, Tashkent, has more than 6 million people and can be considered the capital of Central Asia, culturally, politically and economically. So, having this type of university as a partner in the capital city of Uzbekistan is an exceptionally good stepping-stone for us to develop a presence there.”
“If our plans materialize, they are building a new campus and they would like to give us one of the buildings to deliver our programs there,” Fantoni continued. “I think the partnership will go well beyond the usual dual degree. And it will be a very meaningful presence for Kent State in that part of the world. That is what we consider particularly valuable about this relationship.”
Before the signing, the Uzbekistan delegation toured the new state-of-the-art Crawford Hall, where the business college is located.
“The Crawford building was truly impressive,” Teshabaev said through his interpreter. “Walking through Kent State’s vibrant and green campus, rich with academic resources and state-of-the-art facilities, was inspiring. We are excited to work with such a forward-thinking and globally respected institution.”
Twenty students from Uzbekistan already attend Kent State.
Those who remained on the Kent Campus for the summer hosted a cookout at a local park for the delegation. Known as a "dastarkhan," a traditional Uzbekistani meal for welcoming guests, the dinner included "shashlik," Uzbekistan-style grilled meat kebabs.
Kent State has a longstanding history of opening its doors to students and educational partners worldwide.
The new collaboration with Uzbekistan underscores the Office of Global Education’s commitment to global engagement and to strengthening academic ties between the United States and Central Asia. This is the third agreement Kent State has signed with a Central Asian nation within the past eight months.
In October 2024, Kent State entered into an agreement with Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Education to begin exploring the possibility of creating an educational partnership with several national institutes of higher learning there. In May, Kent State signed an agreement with Osh State University in Kyrgyzstan to help the university develop graduate programs in cell biology and molecular genetics.
All three agreements continue Kent State’s expansion as an educational partner in Central Asia, which is part of an overall university commitment to use education to foster global understanding and peace in a divided world.
All three countries are part of a group of former Soviet-bloc nations often referred to as “the Stans,” which also include Kazakhstan and Tajikistan and which comprise a sizable portion of Central Asia. Tashkent is the capital of the landlocked Uzbekistan, which borders Turkmenistan to the southwest and Kyrgyzstan to the northeast. Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan also border Uzbekistan.
Additional photos from the Office of Global Education.