GOVERNANCE TRANSFORMATION IN UZBEK UNIVERSITIES: FROM STATE CONTROL TO INSTITUTIONAL AUTONOMY
Abstract
This paper explores the ongoing transformation of higher education governance in Uzbekistan, focusing on the gradual shift from centralized state control to institutional autonomy. As part of the national modernization agenda, Uzbekistan has implemented a series of reforms aimed at empowering universities with academic, financial, and administrative independence. This study analyzes the conceptual framework of university autonomy, the legal reforms enabling decentralization, and the challenges encountered during implementation. Drawing upon policy documents, government decrees, and comparative insights from global education systems, the research concludes that the transition toward institutional autonomy is both a necessity and a challenge for sustainable development in the Uzbek higher education system.
Keywords
university governance, autonomy, higher education reform, Uzbekistan, decentralization, academic freedom.
References
- Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. PF–5847, On Measures to Radically Improve the System of Higher Education, Tashkent, 2019.
- Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of the Republic of Uzbekistan. (2023). Report on Higher Education Reforms.
- OECD. (2020). University Autonomy: Governance and Accountability Frameworks. Paris: OECD Publishing.
- UNESCO. (2021). Higher Education in Central Asia: Trends and Transformations. Paris: UNESCO Press.
- World Bank. (2022). Uzbekistan Education Sector Review: Pathways to Quality and Autonomy. Washington, D.C.
- Altbach, P.G., & de Wit, H. (2020). The Globalization of Higher Education. International Higher Education, 100(3), 5–9.