Erasmus+ Call for proposals, 2015

ERASMUS+ PARTNER SEARCH FORM

(to be completed in English)

General information
Partner-country / Uzbekistan
Name of university:
website: / Westminster International University in Tashkent (WIUT)
Brief description of university, faculty, department, number of students / Westminster International University in Tashkent (WIUT) was founded on 16th January 2002 in partnership with the University of Westminster (UK, London) and the UMID Foundation of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and became the first international university of Uzbekistan.
WIUT provides internationally recognized higher education at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. All programmes and courses of WIUT, such as Economics, Business, Finance, Information Technologies, Commercial Law, and Pedagogy are designed in partnership with the University of Westminster and are subject to the same quality assurance and control regulations as those taught in the UK. Classes at WIUT are taught in English, entry requirements and all degree certificates meet the international standards.
Faculty and staff are highly qualified specialists from Uzbekistan and other countries. The University of Westminster provides support for the development of staff, systems and the management of the University.
Current number of students is about 4000.
Relevant information on previous or on-going international cooperation / WIUT has been participated in many different International Programs including three TEMPUS grants: CBILHEU (2005); DABUBU (2006), PERSEUS;
At the moment WIUT has two on-going progras:
CASTLE (Erasmus+)
Avicenna Virtual Campus II (UNESCO)
Contacts of responsible person: name, title (Mr, Mrs, Dr, Prof), position, telephone, e-mails / Dr. Victoria Levinskaya,
Head of Learning Resources,
+99894 6426284

Project description
Type of the project:
Joint Project (JP) or Structural Measure (SM) / Incorporation of Blended Learning into Higher Education Social Sciences Curriculum in Uzbekistan (BLISSCU)
Area of project: category A
B , C or D / Category B - Improving quality of education and teaching
category A Curriculum Development project: Subject area/academic discipline if applicable / N/A
Relevance to national or regional priorities / Relevant to National and Regional Priorities assigned for Category B
Support to:
Learning and teaching tools, methodologies and pedagogical approaches including learning outcomes and ICT-based practices (inter alia, flexible learning paths, blended courses, virtual and real mobility, practical placements etc.)
Brief need analysis / Blended learning is a formal education program in which a student learns at least in part through delivery of content via digital and online media with certain degree of student control over pace and place.
Modern market conditions require that managers and executives possess advanced capabilities in corporate leadership, policy, planning, marketing, strategic thinking, and sustainability. In its turn, these requirements call for enhancement of teaching methodology in higher education establishments and incorporation of new innovative approaches into existing curricula. Combining traditional way of teaching adopted in Uzbek universities with the advanced level learning offered in the EU program can significantly enhance learners’ potential, develop career opportunities, and build networks of valuable contacts within Academic as well as professional communities.
Objectives and activities / The main aim of proposed project is to incorporate elements of blended learning into existing Social Sciences curriculum in order to improve quality of education in Uzbekistan and students’ performance in such areas as Business, Economics, Finance, Management, Marketing, Commercial Law and others. In order to achieve this goal Project Implementation Unit is planning to organize following activities:
  1. Baseline analysis of blended learning in Uzbekistan;
  2. Learning the European experience in developing BL-friendly curriculum and incorporating BL into the existing curriculum;
  3. Implementing the EU experience in developing and delivering innovative courses using BL approach;
  4. Development of learning materials with elements of blended learning;
  5. Training of trainers (teachers, tutors, librarians, IT specialists) to better understand and apply blended leaning methodology;
  6. To provide the Ministry of Higher Education of Uzbekistan with recommendations regarding incorporation of blended learning methodology into existing curriculum of courses such as Business, Economics, Finance, Management, Marketing, Commercial Law, etc.
  7. Develop online platform for support of blended learning curriculum at HE institutions

Proposed methodology if applicable / Independent learning, distance learning, blended learning, student-oriented approach
Expected results /
  • Developing recommendations to the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Specialized Education regarding incorporation of Blended-learning approach into Uzbek Higher Education system;
  • Changing existing curriculum in partner universities in order to make it blended-learning oriented;
  • Developing online platform for support of blended learning curriculum at HE institutions
  • Piloting of developed during the project implementation blended-learning courses in partner universities.

Target groups and stakerholders (enterprises, student organisations, for SM – Ministry of Higher and Secondary Specialised Education of Uzbekistan) / Higher Education establishments in Uzbekistan
The Ministry of Higher and Secondary Specialized Education
Faculty Development courses, under the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Specialized Education
If possible information about other HEIs in Uzbekistan to be involved in project / NamanganInstitute of Engineering and Technology (NIET)
Overall 152 professors-teachers are conducting teaching activities, of which 6 are doctor of sciences and professors, 69 are candidates of sciences and docents, 77 and senior teachers and assistants, and at the moment, scientific potential of the institute comprises 49 percent.
In international arena NETI is pursuing mutual cooperations with several outstanding universities such as University of Pisa in Italy, University of Groningen in Netherlands, Joongbu University in South Korea, and Akola University in India.