The Uzbekistan industries are connected with less CAD&CAM related engineering and correspondingly increases the time to create a product of high complexity. This requires the implementation of modern effective digital product development strategies including e-learning and more facilitative, project-based styles of education.

It is intended that the project will draw on existing international educational experience in IT and engineering education, itself deriving from the international nature of engineering business. Uzbek and Swiss universities will take concrete steps towards joint training centre in IT, digital product development. The long-term objective of the project is to develop a strategy for higher education in IT related engineering in Uzbekistan based on international experiences, to bridge the gap between university education and market needs and to provide recognition of Uzbekistan graduates both locally and internationally.

The proposed Digital product development centre in IT Education will disseminate the new strategy for IT education, including updated curricula, to other Uzbekistan universities and will assist easily mutual recognition of student’s skills in many sectors of industry. Web resources will help to enhance global communication within the education and digital product developers.

The initial idea for this project was suggested by MSU Tashkent branch. An analysis by MSU Tashkent branch of new trends in the development of IT business, an evaluation of the main problems facing modern higher IT related engineering education in Uzbekistan, and a recognition of the need to restructure Uzbek IT related engineering education in line with the Bologna Declaration, led to discussions with many foreign universities and organizations during meetings of MSU Tashkent and other Uzbek universities.