Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- UNDP hosted a round table attended by over 40 national counterparts representing the Senate of Oliy Majlis, line ministries, development agencies, research centers and executive officers of educational establishments allocated in Tashkent, Urgench, Samarkand and Jizzakh to discuss existing challenges in high school of Uzbekistan.

The debates were held in the context of a working policy paper “High Education in Uzbekistan: Development of System and Reforming Stages” being produced by the UNDP experts. The National Report by UNDP on Human Development issued in 2008 on the topic of all levels of education laid the grounds for preparation of this analytical document.

The Policy brief is being crafted by a group of independent experts with an active input provided by the representatives of relevant ministries, agencies and academia. The paper identifies and examines burning priority areas in the sphere of higher education and comes up with practical recommendations to ensure the quality of higher education in Uzbekistan.

All round table participants supported proposed recommendations related to:

• Provision of autonomy to higher educational institutions;
• Strengthening the role of board of trustees;
• Promoting competition among universities and, in particular, through promoting non-governmental high educational system;
• Streamlining educational grants policies;
• Reforming entry examination practices.

The Policy Brief is due to be released in December 2009.