Expanded vocational education and training programs, as well as short-term courses, will help Afghan citizens study a number of disciplines, including humanities, pedagogical and engineering.

The project will be implemented in cooperation with the Educational Center for the Training of Afghan Citizens in Termez (hereinafter referred to as the Center), which has technical capabilities, as well as qualified human resources with extensive experience in this field. The Center can also mobilize educational and training resources of relevant institutions in Uzbekistan.

A total of 345 Afghan citizens will receive educational grants, as well as diplomas and certificates upon completion of training within the framework of the project:

• 145 students from Afghanistan, including 24 women who are currently studying at the Center, will continue their education;
• 100 Afghan citizens will be trained as part of a one-year TPOP program;
• 100 Afghan citizens will take short-term professional courses;
• The European Union has allocated 1 million euros for this initiative, which will be implemented by UNDP in 2022.

The Ministry of Higher and Secondary Special Education is a key partner in the implementation of the project.

"It is very important to provide opportunities to citizens of Afghanistan temporarily residing in Uzbekistan. This will allow young citizens of Afghanistan to acquire skills and specialties to ensure their livelihood," said Mr. Komiljon Karimov, First Deputy Minister of Higher and Secondary Special Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

This initiative will create opportunities to further strengthen the Center's capacity and eventually turn it into an educational center for Afghanistan, which will open the doors for Afghan citizens to access educational services from a wide range of universities, institutes and colleges in Uzbekistan. The Center will become a platform for opening the EU Knowledge Center and launching an online distance learning tool in it.