Uzbekistan to set up Tashkent International Fashion Academy
A new international fashion academy will be established in Tashkent under a presidential resolution aimed at strengthening education and workforce development for Uzbekistan’s light industry sector, Qazinform News Agency cites UzA.
The Tashkent International Fashion Academy will operate as a state higher education institution under the Agency for the Development of Light Industry. It will be created on the foundation of a joint educational program previously launched by the Tashkent Institute of Textile and Light Industry in partnership with the Paris International Fashion Academy.
Students currently enrolled in the joint program will continue their studies at the new academy and will receive academy-issued diplomas upon graduation. The institution is set to begin classes in the 2026/2027 academic year, with admissions conducted in accordance with existing national regulations.
In addition to joint educational programs, the academy will offer its own bachelor's and master's degree courses. Starting from the 2027/2028 academic year, it will introduce a dual education system to train specialists for the textile, garment, knitwear, leather, and footwear industries in line with labor market needs.
The academy will also support the development of national fashion brands and provide clothing design services for government organizations under state contracts.
Under the new framework, graduates of technical colleges specializing in light industry will be eligible to enter the third year of a bachelor's program on a fee-paying basis, provided they meet academic performance requirements set by the academy.
To attract international talent, foreign faculty, administrative staff, their family members, and international students will be eligible for multiple-entry visas and simplified registration procedures.
The resolution also includes plans to build a 400-bed student dormitory through a public-private partnership by the end of 2028. Until the facility is completed, students transferring from the Tashkent Institute of Textile and Light Industry will be able to use the institute's existing dormitories.
To note, a collection by Kazakh designer Raushan Anuarbekova has been presented at 1010 Park Avenue in Manhattan, with the project Älemdi tañğaldyrğan qazaq äjeleri (Kazakh Grandmothers Who Amazed the World) becoming a highlight of the show.