Oriented on making people closer

From May 11th to 13th, 2025, the first meeting of Ministers of Education from Central Asian countries and China took place in Ürümqi, with the participation of the Minister of Education of Turkmenistan, J. Gurbangeldiyev. The key topic of the meeting was the deepening of bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the educational sphere within the framework of the "Central Asia – China" format.

J. Gurbangeldiyev emphasized the importance of regular ministerial meetings for exchanging experiences in the field of educational technologies, including digital education, artificial intelligence, and ICT. He noted the necessity of knowledge exchange both among the countries of the region and with China, a long-standing and important partner of Turkmenistan in education. The meeting addressed joint projects in the areas of student and teacher exchange, as well as the introduction of advanced educational methodologies. Turkmenistan highly appreciated China's experience in training specialists in foreign languages, digital technologies, and sciences, actively developing the study of the Chinese language in its higher education institutions.

The Minister also reported on the fruitful exchange of teachers and students, as well as joint scientific and educational projects within the framework of the strategic partnership between Turkmenistan and China. Currently, over a thousand students in nine universities and 5,700 schoolchildren in ten schools in Turkmenistan are studying Chinese. The participation of Turkmen and Chinese representatives in international Olympiads and cultural events contributes to the strengthening of humanitarian ties between the countries.

During the visit, a bilateral meeting was held between J. Gurbangeldiyev and his Chinese counterpart, during which issues of joint teacher training, the expansion of Chinese language teaching in Turkmenistan, and the deepening of cooperation in vocational-technical and higher education were discussed. The parties also exchanged views on the further utilization of Chinese grants and the possibility of establishing joint educational laboratories in artificial intelligence.

Furthermore, the ongoing selection of 100 young Turkmen citizens for undergraduate studies in universities of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China was announced.

Thus, cooperation within the "Central Asia – China" format continues to develop dynamically, strengthening educational ties and contributing to the overall partnership between the countries of the region and China.

ORIENT

Photo: education.gov.tm