Was interested in what was a blog...so
The intention is to provide an insight into the development of a unique university in Uzbekistan...its young but has the mantle of being one of the best...anyone want to know why
About Me
- Alan P France
- Tashkent, Uzbekistan
- Holding the position of 1st Deputy Rector at one of if not the best University in Central Asia, and the only Internationally Accredited University
Dear Mr. Alan, thank you for beginning your blog. I may assume that this practice like blogging, open conversation and easy access to the Deputy Rector is very rare or even not exist in other universities in Uzbekitan.
ReplyDeleteI hope that your example will encourage other universities to do the same in order to be more open, friendly and transparent.
Yes please, let me know why Westminster University is one of the best in Uzbekistan.
Thank you
Julia good to hear you on my site. I am not sure I am the best person to tell you why Westminster is the best... its my students, graduates and colleagues that know why its the best and make it the best. They are the jewel of the university. one reason is that WIUT is open and honest to opinions, its becoming a real university with research and scholarship, it encourages students to think for themselves, to be independent thinkers and learners...plus the systems are in place to protect the student and staff. this is not only the british way its delivered by my Uzbek colleagues...
ReplyDeleteIts the place where you can learn about yourself for yourelf and be proud of your academic achievements
Dear Alan,
ReplyDeleteFor some reason today I decided to open WIUT homepage and I was pleasantly suprised to see a new link leading to your blog. I think you are one of the most innovative and liberal leaders I have met! This is such a great idea to let students, staff and just anyone interested directly contact you. Thank you for finding time and showing your care for university!
... and also thank you for saying such warm words about WIUT, its staff and students. Since I represent the last two :) I am very happy I was and I am part of WIUT, although at this moment distantly. I would like second everything you said above. I hope more people will share their thoughts here, positive and negative alike in order to help WIUT become the best indeed.
I have successfully defended my master's and plan to return in first days of March as I promised. I can't wait to start teaching at WIUT.
Best regards,
Olga Yugay
WIUT graduate 2007
WIUT Teacher assistant on academic leave
Olga..great to see you on my blog and for the comments you made. I am enthusiast for the development of International cooperation and development in Education. WIUT is at the forefront but is one example of a successful cooperation producing an environment within a country like Uzbekistan that can create and maintain change towards a global contribution. Its not faultless but the model of cooperation with the University of Westminster I believe leads to sustainable development and a higher quality of education globally
ReplyDeleteWith graduate like you coming back with another educational experience then WIUT will flourish. Be great to see you back and learn of your experience.
Tashkent is snowing at the moment
Alan
Hi Alan,
ReplyDeleteIt is fascinating to see you are blogging. It is one more way to see the real WIUT people are sharing their vision through this channel.
I would like to give some points I have in mind on why WIUT is quite a unique uni in CIS.
WIUT gave us very deep understanding of running businesses locally with global insight. Also WIUT equipped us with outstanding academic background. That helps when you should look for and process and analyze tons of data. Our uni taught us how to communicate with people so that it would be easy to build up effective business relationships no matter where your partners are from.
My modest (very very modest) knowledge on the areas where brilliant lectures at WIUT were delivered is supporting me today in hiring right people, making right choices for the company and the future of the business. It already saved tons of money for the business and will bring even more.
Being in Russia and meeting with lots of quite interesting business people with different educational background (USA, UK, Germany unis) I see that WIUT is just a global university. Alan, your team has been doing very nice job. You are just opening the world to WIUT students.
Best regards,
Bakhty Khujaev
----------------
More contacts at bmk.tel
When I came to Uzbekistan to help develop and establish WIUT. I wondered what was possible. It was in the depth of a crises, struggling to effect many of the policies adopt after independence, there was such low esteem in the abilities and potential of students and graduates. I was shocked. I had been working in the UK as a Dean of a Large Business School and had developed an interest and expertise in reform of Higher Education in countries in transition. I could not believe that Uzbekistan had such a deficit of confidence and talent. I was determined that WIUT would be a example of what Uzbekistan could do...and wow Bakhty your contribution to my blog says it all.
ReplyDeleteYour eloquent mastery of English to craft your views and the analysis that lies behind your arguments is testimony that it is possible to create a new generation. WIUT is an example that could be used elsewhere. It does not rely on 'imported staff' flown in to save the system to show how its done....instead through a process of engaging the minds of young academics in Uzbekistan it has developed an indigenous capacity to teach and for students to learn and Graduates to practice high order thinking, critical analysis and levels of integrity that are second to none.
I wonder if others believe the same? I get frustrated when I am asked how many 'foreign teachers to you have' I say 90% all Uzbek!!! Why is it that there is such a distain for teachers, and therefore students and graduates who hold an Uzbek passport and a reverance for those who hold a 'foreign or certain types of foreign passport' Ok this is a common theme but..
Finally I can see my graduates..now colleagues...who are making a difference, look forward to the likes of yourself in the realms of the big Corporates
Ta for the comments.
Mr. France,
ReplyDeleteI have a small suggestion, which I believe will have a positive impact on overall quality of WIUT graduates.
The idea it to organize suggestive classes of Russian and Uzbek language, with emphasis on business communication section.
Let's face it, not all WIUT graduates will be working in multi-national corporations or international organizations using English in every day operations and communication. A good number of them will be working within Uzbekistan, and to say the least, that's what WIUT was organized for - to develop professionals who will participate in the further development of Uzbekistan.
Such graduates will be using more Russian or Uzbek and less English at workplace. Yes, for many of us the former two are native, but over the course of 4 years much of the competence is lost and professional use is not gained.
The idea is supported at least by Sarvar Umarov and Alisher Tashpulatov. I have asked Alisher to pass the notion to Students Union and to Asror Nigmanov.
I hope WIUT will not stop developing and will continue to offer what it takes to be a successful professional.
Furkat Kholbaev
BSc in Economics, WIUT'09
I got into your blog accidently through facebook page of WIUT which I became fan of. And I am not WIUT student nor teacher, I am just ordinary student of other University in Tashkent which is not affiliated with any foreign collage. So first thing : Congratulations Mr.France for bloging its indeed a new trend here in Tashkent ;)
ReplyDeleteLet me say something, I have few friends who are students at WIUT and I can see huge difference in them comparing to other students in Tashkent and being honestly event to myself. Students of WIUT have spirit for their own school which they do present at high level and level of knowledge they do receive at university is much higher comparing to others. I do hear a lot about Student Union of WIUT and had to interact with some of its representatives due to my work as well. I was impressed by their knowledge and skills to deliver WIUT interests in proper way.
Thou being honestly also not everyone in WIUT are like that, I had to run into some students with just interest to have WIUT degree just because its branded one in Tashkent, but its were just selected individuals, so now worries. ;)
I’d like to sum up saying that I do believe that WIUT is really leading University in the country.
Way to GO !
Regards,
Davron
Welcome Davron..and thanks for the contribution...and it shows there are good students in other universities who are able to critical evaluate, and are honest in their assessment of the value and nature of education. It is a shame that the other universities..other than WIUT have not progressed, they are stuck in a time warp. There are good students, such as yourself that deserve better, there are good staff in those universities that want to do better, but the systems and the culture prevent them flourishing and therefore enable their students to develop. WIUT is not so unique others could be like WIUT, and I would love them to be so. There are staff in those universities with the capability and desire to make a difference but they are often crushed in their ambitions. Its hard to change a whole system, a whole institution, thats why the Uzbek govt created WIUT, perhaps they should have shaken the universities, but it would have been traumatic for the majority of staff who probably are not able or willing to change. My colleagues are younger and open to development, I do have older colleagues with young minds who also have developed.
ReplyDeleteWIUT was created to provide gradate capacity for the development of Uzbekistan, and beyond as our graduates are making a difference in other countries. It was to demonstrate that it was possible to develop and maintain an international standard Uzbek University. This was achieved not by importing 'foreign' academics such as the American universities but to develop the talent in Uzbekistan. Therefore demonstrating that other universities could do the same, it will take time but it will happen. WIUT has launched an education professional course, and is setting up Learning Centres in the Region so that the impact and expertise of WIUT spreads.
It is a 'brand' like all universities, Oxford, Havard, Yale, LSE, Cambridge, etc....and yep some students want the brand...but they have to work for it and some fail to get it. Those who are merely interested in the label mostly fail to wear it. WIUT has to be independent and to be so has to be financially stable, therefore WIUT recruits the best and the brightest and sometimes those whose eyes are dazzled. But even those do change.
Davron, welcome again and I hope the other followers of this Blog make a contribution...
Keep rocking
Alan
Hi freewe
ReplyDeleteYou raise a very interesting point. WIUT is an English medium university, teaching, learning and assessment all in English..but the advantage of WIUT graduates is that they have more than English. Interesting that you say WIUT students lose the ability to use their native language...I suppose they do not learn to use their native language as a professional student then graduate. They will talk to their Mum in their native language, although I do know that some of my colleagues have started to speak in English as if it was their native tongue. And my colleagues also say that it is very difficult to teach in their native tongue, they prefer english and end up using english inadvertantely.
You have sparked an idea that WIUT should not be dominated by English, it has to provide graduates with the capabilty to operate in their own native tongue.
Will pursue
And thanks for your contribution
Alan
I am pretty much sure there are basics and something that lies on these basics in terms of being at WUIT. So let us see what the basics are in my opinion:
ReplyDelete1. Culture. WIUT staff members have done enormous job to create that culture. It helps us all today in adding more nice features to academic process and creates that very unique and universal understanding how things at organzations should work.
2. Language. This is British uni and you should take that into account. No Russian, no Uzbek.
3. Energy and competence. This is again a third part of the basics we have at WIUT. Without these you cannot build up a proper team, and there is no chance to make appropriate decisions on your own being independently minded if there is no competence.
I am certain enough to consider Uzbek or Russian business communication classes just useless. Guys, if you think you spend most of your time within WIUT premises not having a single chance to talk to serious people in real world of real business, I am afraid you chose the wrong uni. Please do not make uni to turn into kindergarten. Uni's job is to make leaders that are self-responsible for own development.
If you guys lack time or opportunity to find our how to communicate properly with business people or just people please try to devote at least a fourth of your time to meeting with those people and asking. Asking them how they do the things that makes them successful, asking how to make proper decisions, asking them to share some life exprerience. This is the ONLY thing any business person should do - ask and learn and try and then again ask and learn.
I am sorry if I seem inadequate about that proposal on additional classes, but there is no need to get some more nannies for those to whom we entrust the future of the nation.
Do you know how to learn to swim? Just swim. Period.
Well the temperature is rising with the debate on language....I am not sure, one of the assets that WIUT students possess in addition to their learning and development at WIUT is that they studied in English but also they have more than one language. I agree that it is not wise to teach in English but there are materials on the subject in other languages that students could and I hope use.
ReplyDeleteBeing Bi lingual is an valuable asset that should not be lost...but as to providing Russian and Uzbek for native speakers ain't such a good thing
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletehello Dear Sir!!! U dont noe me i am outsider! I was Googling around and wanted to learn more about Uzbekistan WIUT so opened the side and surprised that u hv blog and actually I could talk and share my thoughts about ur uni!!! I don’t think its the best, cuz whileI was googling and saw that WIU not even listed top 100 ! (index- http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/datablog/2009/oct/08/top-100-universities-world) so tell me how it could be the best if its only top in some how Central Asia which ppl mistakes with middle east!! Thank u and no offence By the way does ur university has part time classes?? I could see on web page!! Cheers
ReplyDeleteHello Shukrat
ReplyDeleteIts not ranked in the guardian as that is for UK universities, Its a new uni in Uzbekistan and there is no ranking system. WIUT is considered to be in Uzbekistan one of if not the best University thats from employers and other stakeholders not from a ranking system.
We do have a Masters in International Business and Management for professionals on a part time basis.
Well, Mr. France and Bakhty, I didn't mean to offer class(es) in Russian/Uzbek which would count towards degree. My idea was to offer SUGGESTIVE class which would help to develop a range of skills of WIUT graduates. Mr. France, you have correctly pointed out that being bilingual is an asset. However, I think you do agree that there is some if not very substantial difference in using ANY language ordinarily in daily life and using it professionally, i.e. in business, to communicate projects plans; to prepare reports and etc.
ReplyDeleteNevertheless, I am just communicating my suggestion which is also supported by at least a couple of WIUT graduates and current students.
Hello, Sir. In Uzbekistan, is the diploma that is awarded based on study completed at WIUT cnsidered to be a true state Diploma of Uzbekistan, or is it considered to be a British qualification? I am aware that the records are kept at Westminster (in the UK), but given the recognition the WIUT apparently has in Uzbekistan, I would imagine that a state Diploma should be issued, correct?
ReplyDeleteAll
ReplyDeleteSorry been inactive but lots of work at the moment.
To O no state Diploma is given as the University of Westminster awards the diploma or Bachelor degree certificate...
Excuse me but I see that all topics and comments were in January-April, so will you answer to my questions Mr.France if I leave them here
ReplyDeleteHello Alan,
ReplyDeleteI want to join the Westminster university this year, I am form Pakistan, I am continuously email at advice@wiut.uz but not getting any replies..