In mid-September, a group of professors and a representative of TU Ilmenau’s International Office traveled to Uzbekistan, where they visited three universities and a specialized STEM school in Tashkent. In their baggage: ideas for new collaborations, presentations on research topics, and a strong commitment to exchanging ideas with students and partners.
TU Ilmenau wants to work even more closely with universities in Central Asia in the future. To this end, Prof. Hannes Töpfer, Dean of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Prof. Carsten Trunk, Vice Dean of the Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Prof. Patrick Mäder, Head of the Data-intensive Systems and Visualization Group (dAI.SY) at the Department of Computer Science and Automation, and Heiner Dintera, Project Coordinator for Eastern Partnerships at TU Ilmenau, travelled to Uzbekistan from 8 to 15 September 2025. The common goal: to deepen existing cooperation, initiate new collaborations and strengthen the European research area in a geopolitically significant region.
“Central Asia is becoming an increasingly important region for international scientific exchange,” explains Prof. Hannes Töpfer:
With our trip, we have laid the foundation for joint research projects, new study programs, and sustainable networks.
In Uzbekistan, the delegation gained insights into a dynamic higher education landscape with modern infrastructure, ambitious future plans, and students who impress with their curiosity, expertise, and openness, says Töpfer:
Our discussions also made it clear: as a technical university with a particular strength in topics such as renewable energy, energy systems, new materials, and the application of artificial intelligence, we are an attractive partner for Central Asia and Uzbekistan. Furthermore, Germany enjoys an excellent reputation in higher education, as demonstrated for example by the close cooperation between TU Munich and New Uzbekistan University (NewUU).
At the invitation of NewUU, which was founded in 2021, I participated in the German-Uzbek Economic Cooperation Conference on September 15, 2025, together with representatives of the Ruhr Alliance. The focus was on how research, teaching, and industry can be more closely interconnected. Current trends in AI and data science, automation, and Industry 4.0 were also discussed.”
There is already lively collaboration in mathematics and physics research projects, as well as an existing cooperation agreement with Turin Polytechnic University in Tashkent (TTPU). This partnership is now set to expand: “We see great opportunities, particularly in student exchange, since all courses at TTPU are taught in English. This opens up exciting prospects for our English-language Master’s programs in Ilmenau,” says Prof. Carsten Trunk.
As there is already a memorandum of understanding with the University of Management and Future Technologies (UMFT), a young university with ambitious plans that is actively seeking partners for integrated degree programs and double-degree programs in English, the Ilmenau professors also explored possible study programs, presented their research areas, and gained valuable impressions of local student life at UMFT.
“It was inspiring to experience the thirst for knowledge and the drive of Uzbek students, who seem to have very clear ideas about their professional futures and are actively shaping them,” reports Prof. Patrick Mäder.
“What we encountered in Uzbekistan was a spirit of optimism,” adds Heiner Dintera, reflecting on their joint experience:
Modern infrastructure, ambitious reform-oriented universities, and the warmth of the people in Uzbekistan made this trip something truly special.
Impressions of the delegation trip
