By Dr. Ikrom Rikhsiboev (Westminster International University in Tashkent) and Prof. Roland Dannreuther (University of Westminster)
The Forum for Uzbek and Silk Road Studies (FUSRS) is a joint initiative of the University of Westminster (UoW) and Westminster International University in Tashkent (WIUT). The forum provides a dynamic platform for debate and discussion over contemporary developments in Uzbekistan, Central Asia and the broader Silk Road region. The Forum is inclusive, engaging with all those interested in the region, and seeks to provide a voice and platform for the peoples of the Central Asian region. The mission of the Forum is to build strong research links across the region, nurture early career researchers and stimulate intellectual interest in Central Asia and the Silk Road.
The Forum was launched in Tashkent in November 2021 and in London in July 2022.
The Forum has four main areas of activity and research:
• Politics and Society
• Business and Economics
• Technology and Innovation
• Education and Development
The first year of the Forum has been a busy and productive one. The activities include conferences, lectures and a seminar series; student engagement; and research projects.
Conferences and Lectures
The inaugural conference for the launch of the Forum took place in Tashkent on 17 November 2021. The theme of the conference was Central Asia: 30 Years of Independence: challenges and opportunities, reflecting on the hard-gained autonomy of the states of Central Asia, who celebrated 30 years of independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union. These states and their societies have developed rapidly over this period, and it was an opportune moment to reflect on the achievements as well as the continuing challenges that the region faces. The conference included over 30 papers and provided multiple perspectives on contemporary issues and developments in Central Asia. A particular focus of the conference was on education and the youth of Central Asia who provide the best promise for the future and who will be critical in developing the scientific and social capital for longer-term sustainable development.
The London Launch of the Forum took place on 7 July and coincided with a celebration of the twentieth anniversary of the foundation on the Westminster International University in Tashkent. 
The Forum’s annual lecture was given by the distinguished economist, Professor Richard Pomfret, who is one of the leading scholars on the political economy of Central Asia. The title of his lecture was ‘Central Asia after 30 years of Independence: Opportunities and Challenges’. Professor Pomfret noted the emerging regional dynamism within Central Asia, the multiple projects that are creating greater inter-connectivity, and the critical role that Uzbekistan is playing in supporting these developments.
The forum co-hosted a conference in Tashkent on 18 May 2022 on Digitalisation and Digital Transformation on the Silk Road. This was a joint conference hosted by the computer science departments at the University of Westminster and Westminster International University in Tashkent. 
The event brought together academics, students, professionals and digital business developers to discuss trends, achievements, challenges and solutions in digital transformation in various sectors over the Silk Road. The conference was organized to broaden and strengthen university-research-industry links among organisations, businesses and individuals contributing to the expansion of the digital economy. The participants touched upon six main areas: digitalization and digital transformation in the industry, public services, healthcare, education and social life; present and future of business analytics and AI; game design trends in the development and management of business information systems; advances and challenges in the provision of cybersecurity; and prerequisites for the development of distributed computing, cloud computing and big data in Central Asia.
Student Engagement
A key mission of the Forum is to support international research engagement and collaboration between students in London and in Tashkent. 
In May 2022, the Forum supported the WIUT-UOW Summer School on the Sustainability Development Goals. This initiative highlights both institutions’ commitment to the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The purpose of the summer school was to enhance the research skills and employability of students and to nurture a better understanding of Central Asia. The SDG Summer School builds on the support of our global network of alumni and partners, helping students to build on their skills and qualities and become future leaders in their chosen fields of activity.
Seminar Series
The main seminar series supported by the Forum was the Westminster Development Policy Network Virtual Seminar Series. This seminar series is jointly organised between Westminster International University in Tashkent (WIUT) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). There were over ten seminars and panels over the period 2021-2 and highlights included seminars by Jeffrey Sachs (Columbia University) on Sustainable Development in Central Asia; Xiaobo Zhang (International Food Policy Research Institute/Peking University) on Cluster-based Economic Development; and Kateryna Schroeder (World Bank) on Digital Transformation of the Agri-food System.
On 7 July 2022, the Network had its first in-person event since the pandemic in London. The morning session focused on China’s role in shaping international development with a key-note lecture from Linda Calabrese from the Overseas Development Institute and she talked about Chinese investment and infrastructure development in Cambodia. The afternoon session had Professor Andy Mackay (University of Sussex) talking about gender differentials in employment in selected African countries and this was followed by a panel discussion on the challenges of reducing the gender employment gap.
Research Projects
The following research projects were commissioned by the Forum during 2021-2022.
| UoW-WIUT collaborative research projects 2022 | Researchers |
| An assessment of green supply chain management practices implementation in the textile industry in Uzbekistan | Anil Kumar (WIUT); Waqas Ahmed (WIUT); Galina Gornostaeva (UoW); Sumita Ketkar (UoW) |
| IoT Based Smart Classroom/ Campus using Artificial Intelligence | Djuradj Budimir (UoW); Olga Yugay (WIUT); Philip Trwoga (UoW); Dilshod Ibragimov (WIUT); Dragana Barjamovic (UoW); Muharrem Maloku (UoW) |
| Spillover Effects of Geopolitical Crises to CIS Banks: Early Warning Indicators of Bank Fragility | Roberta Adami (UoW); Dildora Ibragimova (WIUT); Feruza Yodgorova (WIUT) |
| UoW-WIUT collaborative research projects 2021 | Researchers |
| The impact of COVID-19 on Uzbekistan Higher Education Teaching and Learning (Tentative) | Dr Richard Paterson, Dr Diana Akhmedjanova, Andrey Khojeev |
| Modeling and Application of People Analytics Platforms | Dr Sumita Ketkar, Olesya Smagina, Sitora Inoyatova, Shakhnoza Kazimova, Abdumalik Djumanov |
| Exploring the Landscape of Assessment in WIUT to Enhance Student’s Learner Autonomy | Prof. Terry Lamb, Dr. Saida Akbarova, Mr. Erkin Mukhammedov |
| A SMARTER way of transition for high school pupils to Higher Education in Uzbekistan | Alexander Bolotov, Elena Aripova, Aziz Makhmudov, Gabriele Pierantoni, David Chan You Fee, Richard Paterson, Serena Masino, Igor Kim, Dmitry Surkov, Sayyora Nurmatova, Albina Khodjimatova |
| Adaptation of the learning sign language project for Uzbekistan | Daphne Economou, Markos Mentzelopoulos, Dariusz Piotrowski, Shirin Primkulova, Said Abduvaliev, Mikhail Shpirko |
Plans for 2023-2024
The latest initiative for the Forum is to initiate a blog in 2023 that will focus on ‘voices from the region’, exploring topics that directly affect the lives of the peoples of Uzbekistan and Central Asia more generally. The first set of blogs explores language provision in Higher Education in Uzbekistan and the challenges and opportunities for teaching in Uzbek, Russian, English and Chinese in HEIs in Uzbekistan. Beyond this, the blog aims to showcase innovative research into other topics, hoping to create a platform for original ideas from and about Central Asia.
The Forum will also be making a presentation at the Centre for Eurasian Studies, St Antony’s College, Oxford University February 10th 2023 on the topic: Uzbekistan in a Changing Central Asia: Regional and International Implications.
