On March 25 of this year, the official opening ceremony of the international grant project “GreenCamUz – Green Campus Initiative: Integrating Sustainability into Higher Education in Uzbekistan” was held in Tashkent within the framework of the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme.

The project aims to systematically integrate sustainability principles into the higher education system of Uzbekistan, including the development of green campus strategies, modernization of curricula, and strengthening the institutional capacity of universities. The project duration is 36 months.

Within the framework of the project, it is planned to develop and implement green campus strategies in 6 higher education institutions, integrate 12 new or updated sustainability-oriented courses into academic programmes, enhance the qualifications of 48 academic staff and 24 administrative personnel, and implement 6 pilot projects (one in each partner institution).

In addition, a network of more than 120 Green Campus Ambassadors will be established, along with the creation of an international knowledge-sharing platform.

The Graduate School of Business and Entrepreneurship acts as an active project partner, playing a key role in integrating sustainability principles into the educational process, developing innovative learning modules, and expanding research and practice-oriented cooperation. In particular, within the project, the Graduate School of Business and Entrepreneurship:

• participates in the development of green campus strategies for 6 local higher education institutions, • develops and implements courses on sustainability and the green economy, • organizes training programmes aimed at enhancing the capacity of academic and administrative staff, • promotes cooperation between universities and businesses by advancing practical solutions.

Thus, the Graduate School of Business and Entrepreneurship serves not only as an educational institution but also as a key center for developing practical competencies in sustainability and training professionals for the green economy.

The project also involves Kokand University, Andijan State Technical Institute, the Central Asian University of Environmental and Climate Change Studies, Tashkent International University, Alfraganus University, as well as leading international universities — Opole University of Technology (Poland), Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (Lithuania), and Karabük University (Türkiye).

The event was attended by high-level guests, including the Ambassador of the European Union to Uzbekistan, Toivo Klaar, diplomatic representative Vytautas Bučinskas, as well as representatives of the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye.

During the meeting, priority areas and implementation mechanisms were discussed, and prospects for further cooperation were outlined. The programme included partner presentations, discussions of work packages, a campus tour, and a symbolic tree-planting ceremony.

The GreenCamUz project is expected to become an important platform for accelerating the environmental transformation of higher education in Uzbekistan, supporting the transition to a green economy, and implementing innovative solutions through international cooperation.