On 24 February, His Excellency Oybek Shakhavdinov, Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Hungary, visited Semmelweis University and met with Rector Béla Merkely. Their discussions focused on preparations for the 3rd Uzbek–Hungarian Rectors’ Forum, organised under the auspices of the Hungarian Rectors’ Conference, currently chaired by Rector Merkely. At Semmelweis University, strengthening academic and diplomatic relations is key to creating new opportunities for cooperation between Hungarian and Uzbek higher education institutions.
Semmelweis University was represented not only by Rector Béla Merkely, but also by Dr. Tamás Hegedüs, Director of International Relations and Alumni, and Dr. Klaudia Vivien Nagy, Chief Clinical Physician at the Department of Aviation and Space Medicine of the Városmajor Heart and Vascular Center.
The forum itself took place between 5–7 March 2026 in Samarkand, Jizzakh, and Tashkent, bringing together participants, including a Hungarian delegation of more than thirty, and resulting in the signing of more than forty cooperation agreements among the participating institutions. Discussions centred on the future of higher education in the digital era, including artificial intelligence, innovative teaching models, and the development of globally competitive universities.
Semmelweis University signed cooperation agreements with four Uzbek institutions—Samarkand State Medical University, Tashkent State Medical University, Navoi State University, and International University of Turkic States—aimed at expanding education and research collaboration, as well as enhancing student and staff mobility.
The programme also included site visits and continued in Jizzakh with the opening of the INNO Technopark, highlighting connections between academia and industry. The forum concluded in Tashkent with a visit to the Uzbek Olympic Village, where a further agreement was signed with the Ministry of Sport to promote joint initiatives in sports medicine, space medicine, and rehabilitation.
