On 23 May, KNRTU held a meeting with representatives of the Gas Chemical Complex based on MTO (Methanol to Olefin) and the Karakul Free Economic Zone. The zone will become a new industrial and economic center of southern Uzbekistan and will create more than 2,300 new jobs. This complex will be the largest polymer production facility in Central Asia.

Ruslan R. Safin, Acting Vice Rector for Research and Innovation, introduced our university to the guests. He noted that KNRTU is both one of the largest universities in the Volga region and one of the leading national universities for training and research in chemical technology, biotechnology and petrochemistry.

“The university has extensive experience in developing and implementing educational programs in cooperation with the largest enterprises of the country and the region (PJSC Gazprom, PJSC SIBUR Holding, PJSC Tatneft). Currently, our university is involved in the federal projects Priority 2030 and Advanced Engineering Schools”, – explained Gulnaz G. Lutfullina, Director of Academic Office.

“Uzbekistan takes a special place among the foreign partners of our university. A significant number of Central Asian citizens study here. KNRTU implements various formats of training bachelors and masters from Uzbekistan, including online, and we are also ready to accept postgraduate and doctoral students”, – noted Nataliya Yu. Bashkirceva, Director of the Institute of Petroleum, Chemistry and Nanotechnologies, Professor Emeritus at the Tashkent Institute of Chemical Technology.

The delegation from Uzbekistan noted the potential of our university for training specialists in chemical engineering and petrochemistry. The large-scale production facility in the Karakul Free Economic Zone will need engineers who are fully trained and geared to the conditions of the particular company.

As a result of the meeting, the parties decided to draft an agreement on the joint training of engineers for the Gas Chemical Complex based on MTO and other enterprises of the Karakul Free Economic Zone in the nearest future.