The Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan, together with the National Erasmus+ Office in Uzbekistan, hosted the annual Pre-Departure Orientation for the 13 Uzbek students selected for the Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters programmes for the 2026/2027 academic year. The event took place on 1 July 2026 at the EU Residence in Tashkent in a hybrid format, bringing together selected students, Erasmus Mundus alumni, representatives of EU Member States' embassies, international organisations and education experts to prepare participants for their academic and cultural journey across Europe.
Opening the event, Ambassador of the European Union to Uzbekistan Toivo Klaar congratulated the selected students, stating: "As Erasmus Mundus Scholars, you will become an important bridge between Europe and Uzbekistan. The strongest connections between our regions are not built by roads or railways, but by people." He also underlined the EU's longstanding commitment to expanding educational cooperation with Uzbekistan and highlighted the growing role of Erasmus+ in strengthening people-to-people ties between Europe and Central Asia.
This year's cohort includes 13 students from Uzbekistan who will pursue master's degrees in disciplines such as law and gender studies, economics, environmental sustainability, engineering, cybersecurity, clinical linguistics, cultural entrepreneurship, nuclear applications and European politics. Students will begin their studies at leading universities in France, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, Finland, Poland, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Serbia and the United Kingdom, before continuing mobility periods at partner universities across Europe.
The programme featured remarks from Sara Noshadi, Head of the UNESCO Office in Uzbekistan and an Erasmus Mundus alumna, along with contributions from representatives of the embassies of France, Germany, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom. Practical sessions delivered by Erasmus Mundus alumni and current students shared first-hand experiences on studying abroad, building international networks and making the most of the Erasmus experience. A dedicated training session on intercultural communication and academic success abroad provided participants with tools to navigate multicultural learning environments.
The orientation reinforced the importance of the growing Erasmus Mundus alumni community in Uzbekistan. Students were encouraged to remain engaged with fellow scholars, alumni and the wider Erasmus+ network throughout their studies and after returning home, helping strengthen long-term cooperation between Uzbekistan and the EU.
Since its launch, the Erasmus+ programme has supported more than 16 million participants worldwide. Erasmus Mundus alone has funded 349 joint master's programmes involving higher education institutions from around the world and has awarded scholarships to more than 34,000 students from 179 countries, including 154 students from Uzbekistan since 2015. In 2026, 13 students from Uzbekistan were selected, including 7 Erasmus Mundus scholarship holders and 6 self-funded students.