Last Monday I set off from Marylebone Road to Tashkent and arrived 12 hours later having come via Istanbul. Driving through Tashkent I was surprised to find broad avenues, trees and gardens. It is a real garden city and everyone is proud of its green status. My first visit to our partner, Westminster International University in Tashkent, involved a tour of the campus (a mixture of old and new buildings), student enrolment was taking place outside in the sun, and groups of students were hanging about catching up on the news or placing ball games. Everywhere I went I was greeted by students who were keen to know about university activities in London, the impact of the Olympics, and the amount of assessment students have in London (the same as in Tashkent). I then attended lots of meetings with staff and also one with the Student Union committee who were clearly heavily involved in organising a range of events from ‘ice cream days’ to film nights and fresher parties.
I observed a class (very similar to classes in London), gave a tutorial and did a teaching observation. All very interesting. I was impressed with everything I saw and the commitment – by staff and students – to a Western and democratic style of learning and teaching.
There was little time for leisure but I managed to have a tour of parts of the city, I visited a massive bazaar and also a post-Soviet department store. I also enjoyed local foods in an open air restaurant. The highlight of the week was graduation. It was wonderful to see proud students collecting their certificates, their families and friends helped make the graduation ceremony a very memorable event. There were lots of photographs and celebrations afterwards.
Too soon, it was time to pack my bag and return to London. I felt sad to leave behind new friends and I am sure that I will return at the next opportunity. I loved the country, city and university, I found it very safe and peaceful. Everyone I met was friendly and quite rightly proud of their country and culture.
