A delegation led by Hoj. Seyed Jalal Hosseini, head of Astan Quds Razavi’s Libraries, Museums, and Documents Organization, visited Silk Road International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage in Samarkand.
During a meeting with Prof. Hoffman, the university’s vice president for academic affairs, discussions focused on organizing joint training programs for Uzbek tour guides, leveraging AQR’s expertise in Islamic architecture and museum collections.
Prof. Hoffman expressed enthusiasm for introducing Iranian cultural heritage to Uzbek scholars, particularly the artistic elements of Imam Reza shrine and museum artifacts.
Meanwhile, Hosseini also visited Samarkand State University Library and Manuscript Center, which houses over 5,000 valuable handwritten texts.
Astan Quds Razavi offered expert assistance in cataloging and restoring fragile manuscripts, proposing to send specialists for preservation training and skill development.
Further expanding ties, Dr. Ebrahim Davoudi, director of international affairs at Imam Reza International University (IRIU), met Dr. Bahadur Khaligov, president of Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages.
Discussions centered on joint research projects, faculty exchanges, and offering scholarships for Uzbek students.
Dr. Khaligov expressed strong interest in Persian language studies, citing the historical and cultural ties between Iran and Uzbekistan. He invited IRIU to support Uzbek Persian language instruction, aiming for formal collaboration through an upcoming agreement.
The institute, a leading language center in Central Asia, offers courses in English, French, Russian, Turkish, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, and Persian, training specialists for linguistic fields.
Officials emphasized that these collaborations could enhance scholarly research, promote cultural understanding, and strengthen academic exchanges between the two nations.
Silk Road International University, established in 2018 under the initiative of Uzbekistan’s president, focuses on tourism, cultural heritage, and hospitality management.
It offers degree programs in tourism marketing, digital tourism, logistics, event management, translation, and hotel administration, with English as the primary language of instruction.
To enroll, students must hold a minimum IELTS score of 5.5, ensuring proficiency in English for specialized coursework.
The university collaborates internationally, including the establishment of a UNESCO Chair for sustainable tourism on the Silk Road, and partners with global academic institutions to advance tourism education.
The Iranian delegation’s visit to the Central Asian country was facilitated by the Amir Alisher Navoi Foundation, marking a significant step toward strengthening Iran-Uzbekistan academic cooperation.