Samarkand Agroinnovations and Research University

Samarkand Agroinnovations and  Research University is a higher educational institution that prepares personnel for the agricultural and food sectors of the economy. The University was established on the basis of Samarkand branch of the Tashkent State Agrarian University based on the decision of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. 216 of July 7, 2023. There are 2 faculties (agrobiology, economics, and management), 5 research centers, 5 departments, 3 laboratories, open and closed sports complexes, and a 50-hectare “Information Advisory Center” for conducting research. Personnel are trained in bachelor's (full-time and part-time), master's, and doctoral forms of education. In addition, the University has established academic cooperation with various universities in countries such as the USA, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Poland, Latvia, Japan, and South Korea.

In 2025, under an agreement between the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the University of Tuscia (UNITUS, Italy), a joint university campus was established at the Institute. The agreement was signed on 28 May 2025 during the visit of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, by Uzbekistan's Minister of Agriculture Ibrohim Abdurakhmonov and Tuscia University President Stefano Ubertini, and the joint programmes were officially inaugurated on 3 October 2025. From the 2025-2026 academic year, the campus offers double-degree programmes designed in accordance with European academic standards - undergraduate majors in Agronomy and Food Science and Technology, and master's programmes in Organic Agriculture and Circular Economy. Instruction follows harmonized curricula, is delivered in English and alternates between Uzbekistan and Italy, enabling graduates to obtain diplomas recognized in both countries.

The Samarkand Agroinnovations and Research University offers international students a modern, comfortable learning environment that meets international standards. Located in the ancient and safe city of Samarkand, the university provides both high-quality education and a rich cultural experience.

Learning environment and infrastructure

• Modern, well-equipped teaching laboratories, multimedia classrooms, and a biolaboratory for practical training;
• A foreign-language training centre and extensive library resources;
• Indoor and outdoor sports facilities and social and recreation areas for students;
• A 50-hectare "Information and Advisory Centre" for internships and research.

International study opportunities

• Joint (double-degree) bachelor's and master's programmes with the University of Tuscia (UNITUS), Italy;
• Cooperation and academic exchange with nearly 50 higher-education institutions in more than 20 countries;
• Classes, seminars, and master classes delivered with the participation of foreign professors and international experts;
• Paid internships and professional-development placements in agriculturally advanced countries such as Germany, Poland, and the United Kingdom.

Student support

• Assistance with documentation, registration, and adaptation;
• Dormitory and accommodation options;
• Individual support from tutors and academic supervisors;
• A comfortable and safe campus environment for international students.

The university is committed to preparing international students as globally competitive specialists in agriculture, food security, and economics.

Main objective of the department

To establish and steadily develop cooperation with foreign higher-education institutions and organizations in order to raise the quality of education and the institute's international standing.

About the department

The International Cooperation Department ensures that faculty and students can study, undertake professional development and internships abroad, and take part in scientific seminars, international conferences and symposia. Through this, it studies advanced international experience and applies the acquired knowledge and skills to the teaching process and to Uzbekistan's agricultural sector. The department's work is aimed at integrating the institute into the global education space, attracting international grants and projects, and creating new opportunities for students and staff.

Functions of the department

• Reviewing and coordinating the documents of institute representatives sent on foreign trips;
• Supporting and monitoring the international projects carried out at the institute and reporting quarterly to the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation;
• Organizing seminars and round-table discussions for the institute's faculty, staff and students;
• Reviewing, analyzing and advising on agreements, contracts and protocols concluded with foreign partners, and coordinating documents with relevant organizations where necessary;
• Holding seminars and scientific-practical events on priority areas of education together with embassies and international education organizations and foundations operating in Uzbekistan;
• Preparing monthly, quarterly, semi-annual and annual reports on currency revenues from educating foreign citizens, at the ministry's request;
• Recommending the institute's faculty, researchers, master's students and undergraduates for grant competitions for internships, professional development, courses, master's and doctoral study announced by foreign partners;
• Collecting and disseminating information on international grants, assisting departments in preparing projects, and participating directly in their implementation;
• Collecting information on international events, conferences and seminars and conveying it to the faculties.

International academic mobility (2025–2026)

The institute steadily expands the international mobility of its faculty and students every year. In 2025 alone, more than 50 faculty members and senior staff travelled to 13 countries — Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Japan, South Korea, China, Turkey, Poland, Slovakia, Portugal, Finland, Latvia and Tajikistan — for academic visits, professional development and cooperation talks. In addition, more than 240 students, master's students and young researchers took part in internships, academic exchange and professional-development programmes at foreign universities and companies.

Key visits of the year included the Rector's trips to China (the "China – Central Asia" summit in Urumqi), the Netherlands (Wageningen University), South Korea (the National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science), Germany (the Uzbekistan–Germany rectors' forum, University of Rostock) and Japan (Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, JICA project), as well as the visits of the head of the International Cooperation Department to Poland, Finland (University of Oulu) and Italy (University of Tuscia, discussions on the "Joint Campus" programmes). In the first half of 2026 this momentum grew further, with faculty visits to Italy (Roma Tre University, the AIEAA agricultural economists' conference), Japan, Malaysia (Sultan Idris University), China, Kazakhstan, South Korea (Wonkwang University) and Sweden.

International projects

The institute is an active participant in a number of prestigious projects under the European Union's Erasmus+ programme:

• BioEcoUz — developing a new curriculum on sustainable bioeconomy in Uzbekistan;
• OFINU — the "Open University" project for introducing food innovations;
• MIND — an international academic networking and development project;
• BioDigiskills — developing digital and bio-skills (Latvia);
• Agricool — an agricultural practice and innovation project (Poland);
• Erasmus+ ICM (International Credit Mobility) and CBHE (Capacity Building in Higher Education).

In addition, a project to raise rural incomes through persimmon drying is being carried out in the Samarkand region with the support of Japan's JICA agency.

Student internships and international exchange

Every year, more than 200 students undertake paid production internships in agriculturally advanced countries. The largest stream is the internship programme with leading agricultural enterprises in Germany ("Schneiders Obsthof", "Mühlenhof Zepelin", "FVG Fruchtveredelungsgesellschaft Bonn", "BioBördeland", "HegeLand", "Obsthof Hubertus Wolf" and others). Students also pursue professional development in Slovakia (Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra — one-semester exchange), Poland (Krakow Agricultural University and the Green Crops company under the "Agricool" project) and South Korea. These internships allow students to absorb world experience, improve their foreign-language skills and become competitive on the international labour market.

Scientific cooperation and international events

The institute's representatives took part in the "China – Central Asia industry, education and research integration" summit, the Uzbekistan–Germany rectors' forum, the AIEAA (Italian Association of Agricultural and Applied Economics) international conference and scientific events in Turkey, Kazakhstan and other countries, reaching agreements on joint research projects, articles and studies.

Foreign partners (agreements and contracts)

🇩🇪 Germany

• Internship International LLC — agricultural internship programme (20.10.2020–2025);
• "Praktikum 4 people" — internship programme (15.04.2021–2026);
• "JD East" — student internship programme (01.04.2021–2026);
• IAMO institute — research and early-career staff development (04.01.2023–2028);
• "LOGO e.V." — sending students for internships (22.02.2023–2028);
• "NÜRNBERGER" programme — professional development (10.10.2023–2029);
• "STAFF & DA" programme — professional development (24.10.2023–2028);
• University of Rostock — rectors' forum and scientific cooperation (2025).

🇫🇮 Finland

• JAMK University of Applied Sciences — Erasmus+ BioEcoUz (21.05.2021–2026);
• University of Oulu — Erasmus+ ICM/CBHE cooperation (2025).

🇱🇻 Latvia / 🇱🇹 Lithuania

• Vytautas Magnus University — Erasmus+ BioEcoUz (21.05.2021–2026);
• Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies — cooperation memorandum (02.03.2022–2027);
• Bulduri Technical School — "BioDigiskills" project (2025).

🇰🇷 South Korea

• Jeju National University — student exchange programme (14.04.2021–2026);
• Andong National University — academic and scientific cooperation (31.01.2024–2029);
• International Horticultural Institute and the National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science — joint project on potato seed production (2025).

🇷🇺 Russian Federation

• South Ural State Agrarian University (01.12.2021–2026);
• Institute of Plant Physiology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (29.09.2021–2031);
• Orel State Agrarian University named after N.V. Parakhin (16.06.2021–2026).

🇵🇱 Poland

• Warsaw University of Life Sciences – SGGW (01.04.2022–2027);
• Krakow Agricultural University, University of Rzeszów and the Ignacy Mościcki University of Applied Sciences — "Agricool" project (2024–2025).

🇨🇳 China

• Annexure Financial Solutions Ltd (Hong Kong) — academic and scientific cooperation (20.02.2022–2025);
• Xinjiang Agricultural University (XJAU) (24.02.2023–2028);
• Shihezi Agricultural University — "China–Central Asia" summit and student exchange (2025).

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

• Atyrau University (24.02.2023–2028);
• Abylkas Saginov Karaganda Technical University (2024–2029);
• Kazakh National Agrarian Research University (2025–2026).

🇹🇷 Turkey

• Isparta, Siirt and Çoruh universities (14.11.2023–2028);
• Ondokuz Mayıs University and Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University (2025).

Other countries

• 🇭🇺 Hungary — Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (MATE) (30.01.2023–2028);
• 🇮🇪 Ireland — IICRR (14.04.2023–2028);
• 🇬🇧 United Kingdom — "HOPS" company, professional development (20.11.2023–2028);
• 🇳🇱 Netherlands — Wageningen University (2025);
• 🇯🇵 Japan — Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (2025–2026);
• 🇲🇾 Malaysia — Sultan Idris University (2026).

Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility (ICM) projects:

• 🇷🇴 University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca (Romania, 2022–2023);
• 🇵🇹 University of Porto (Portugal, 2022–2023);
• 🇧🇬 D. A. Tsenov Academy of Economics – Svishtov (Bulgaria, since 2022).

Joint campus with the University of Tuscia (Italy)

The largest and most promising outcome of international cooperation is the joint university campus established with the University of Tuscia (UNITUS, Viterbo, Italy). Launched on the basis of an agreement signed on 28 May 2025 between Uzbekistan's Ministry of Agriculture and the University of Tuscia, the initiative delivers double-degree programmes from the 2025–2026 academic year: at bachelor's level — Agronomy, and Food Science and Technology; at master's level — Organic Agriculture, and Circular Economy. Instruction follows European standards, is delivered in English and alternates between Uzbekistan and Italy; graduates receive diplomas recognized in both countries.

The Samarkand Agroinnovations and Research University regards the study of foreign languages as an essential condition for educating globally competitive specialists. In a globalized world, language skills open the way for students to draw on the achievements of world science, take part in international joint programmes, undertake internships and professional development abroad, and make full use of academic exchange opportunities.

At the university's foreign-language training centre, language courses are organized for students and faculty using modern, communicative methodologies. Classes are held in small groups according to proficiency level (from beginner to advanced) and are designed to develop speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills simultaneously. The centre also offers preparation for international language certification exams (IELTS, TOEFL, Goethe-Zertifikat, TOPIK, JLPT, and others).

The following languages are currently available:

• English — the main language of international education, scientific publication, and joint programmes;
• Russian — for regional and scientific cooperation;
• German — for internships and professional-development programmes in Germany;
• Turkish — for exchange and scholarship programmes with Turkish higher-education institutions;
• Korean — within cooperation with Korean universities and grant programmes;
• Japanese — to strengthen educational and scientific ties with Japan.

As international cooperation expands, the university continues to enrich its language offerings. In the near future, it plans to introduce Italian courses — directly linked to the joint education programme and double-degree tracks with the University of Tuscia (UNITUS), Italy. It also intends to organize Chinese courses: recently, more than 15 of the university's students were sent to China for language-study programmes, reflecting the strengthening educational ties between the two countries.

The language courses not only enhance students' professional and academic potential but also build a solid foundation for their integration into the global education space, participation in international projects, and future international careers.

1 winner of the scholarship of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and 2 winners of the state scholarship named after Islam Karimov, established in order to further encourage and financially support students' activities in educational and scientific research work. Also, 6 of our talented students won the "Scholarship of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Uzbekistan" organized by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The "Rector's scholarship" established by the rector of the institute is awarded to 2 talented students from the faculties every academic year, including 32 talented students who have received the "Rector's scholarship" so far.