Starting from February 1, 2024, the Khatlon Entrepreneurs' Association as an associate partner will participate in the implementation of the project “Open Food Innovation University – OFINU”, funded by the European Union Erasmus+ Programme.
The consortium is composed of the Technological University of Tajikistan, Kulob Institute of Technology and Innovative Management, Branch of the Technological University of Tajikistan in Isfara and two universities from Uzbekistan and two from European Union. The lead partner is Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies (LBTU). The project is coordinated by LBTU Lifelong Education Centre, having ten years’ experience in the development and implementation of higher education modernisation related projects in Central Asia.
The project aims to develop and introduce in the involved Central Asia universities a new form of studies in which teaching and learning takes place in a modular format and in which together with full-time students participate external learners - listeners to study modules - people, having intention to acquire food processing related knowledge and/or to acquire higher education. For example, specialists in food processing industries or those who wish to become specialists. To this end, a legal basis will be created and strengthened, study modules developed, academic staff of partners trained, and the material base, needed for studies, developed.
External learners will participate in certain modules together with full-time students, thus obtaining the credits determined for each module after completion of the training, acquiring the necessary knowledge, as well as gradually accumulating credits that allow the acquisition of a higher education diploma. This approach will enable people who have already entered the labour market to learn, increase their competitiveness in the labour market, as well as to increase the employment potential of students studying full-time programmes.
Significant role in the project is given to the associated partners – five food processing enterprises and one business association (including in Tajikistan – Khatlon Entrepreneurs' Association, JSC "Kombinati shiri Dushanbe" and LLC “Oriyon Rustam”), who will participate in the new study modules designing process, will take part in their validation, and will delegate staff to take part in the piloting. Though associated partners have been chosen, other interested food producers are welcomed for participation.
For more information please contact: Kulob Institute of Technology and Innovative Management, (Habibullo ABDULLOZODA, e-mail: habibullon@gmail.com);
The OFINU project will be in implementation from February 2024 until January 2027.
The project is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.