Kookmin University (President Jeong Seung Ryul) is set to expand education, research, and industry-academia collaboration in the field of advanced technology with the Ministry of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan. As part of this initiative, the university signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan on Thursday, September 17, at the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Seoul to promote advanced technology and industry-academia collaboration.
 
This agreement was initiated to formalize the cooperation plans discussed during the visit to Kookmin University on the 10th by Jamol Tilloyevich Makhsudov, Deputy Minister of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan.
 Kookmin University President Jeong Seung-ryeol met with Sherzod Shermatov, Minister of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan, who was visiting South Korea for the “Korea-Central Asia Summit,” to discuss specific directions for cooperation.
  
Kookmin University President Jeong Seung Ryul and Kim Byoung Joon, Director of the Office of International Affairs, held talks with Minister Sherzod Shermatov and Alisher Abdusalomov, the Uzbek Ambassador to South Korea, among others, to exchange views on talent development and industry-academia collaboration in cutting-edge technology fields, including artificial intelligence (AI) and software. In particular, they agreed on the importance of identifying practical cooperation models—involving universities, governments, and industry sectors from both countries—by linking South Korea’s competitive strengths in high-tech industries with Uzbekistan’s digital transformation policies.
 
Based on this agreement, the two institutions plan to explore various avenues for cooperation, including the training of specialized talent in high-tech fields, educational and research exchanges, and industry-linked programs. In particular, they intend to expand the foundation for cooperation by linking the universities’ educational and research capabilities with the industrial sector, enabling young people from both countries to acquire the expertise and practical skills necessary for future industries.
 
This agreement is also significant in that it expands the previously established cooperation with Tashkent University of Information Technologies (TUIT) into a government-level network. On the 10th, Kookmin University signed an agreement with TUIT to promote education and industry-academia collaboration in the fields of AI and software, and has continued its exchanges with Uzbekistan in the field of advanced technology, including co-hosting the international academic conference “ICISCT 2024” with TUIT in 2024.

President Jeong Seung-ryeol stated, “This agreement will serve as an opportunity to establish a substantive cooperative relationship with Uzbekistan, building on the capabilities Kookmin University has accumulated in cutting-edge technology fields, including AI and software.” He added, “We will contribute to the cultivation of global professionals who will lead the future industries of both countries by developing diverse programs that extend beyond education and research to connect with the industrial sector.”
 
Meanwhile, Kookmin University, which is celebrating its 80th anniversary, is strengthening its global capabilities and networks based on its mid- to long-term development strategy, “KMU VISION 2035: EDGE.” To this end, the university is expanding its scope of cooperation to include not only overseas universities but also government agencies and the private sector, thereby continuously broadening its foundation for global collaboration that encompasses international joint research, global talent development, and industry-academia partnerships.

(From left to right) Minister Sherzod Shermatov, Deputy Minister Zamol Tiloevich Makhsudov, Kim Byoung Joon, Director of the Office of International Affairs, and President Jeong Seung Ryul are engaged in conversation.

(From left, clockwise) Kim Byoung Joon, Director of the Office of International Affairs; President Jeong Seung Ryul; Alisher Abdusalomov, Ambassador of Uzbekistan to South Korea; Sherzod Shermatov, Minister; and Jamol Tiloevich Makhsudov, Deputy Minister, are engaged in conversation.