Members of the LESLIE project team took part in the Spain–Uzbekistan University Forum, held on 10 June 2026 at the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC), Vicálvaro Campus, Madrid. The event brought together representatives of higher education institutions, public authorities, internationalisation agencies, and academic stakeholders from Spain and Uzbekistan to explore new opportunities for cooperation, mobility, innovation, and institutional partnership.
The LESLIE project was represented at the Forum Dr. Abror Juraev, from Bukhara State University, and by Dr. Javier Rodrigo-Ilarri and Dr. María-Elena Rodrigo-Clavero, from the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV). Their participation provided an excellent opportunity to present the LESLIE project to the participants and to highlight its relevance as a practical example of structured academic cooperation between Spanish and Uzbek higher education institutions.
The Forum opened with an institutional session involving senior representatives from Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Westminster International University in Tashkent, the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Spain, and the Spanish Service for the Internationalisation of Education (SEPIE). The opening discussions focused on the current context of Spain–Uzbekistan academic relations, the internationalisation of higher education, and the strategic role of universities in strengthening long-term cooperation between both countries.
A key part of the programme was dedicated to the analysis of the higher education systems in Spain and Uzbekistan. These sessions provided a useful framework for identifying areas of convergence between both systems, including curriculum modernisation, institutional capacity building, international mobility, quality assurance, digital transformation, and the development of new cooperation models between universities.
The LESLIE project was introduced to participants as an example of effective collaboration between higher education institutions from Spain and Uzbekistan. The project’s objectives and partnership approach were presented in the broader context of Erasmus+ cooperation, with particular emphasis on its contribution to institutional development, knowledge exchange, and the strengthening of academic links between European and Central Asian universities.
During the session “Erasmus+ as a key framework for Spain–Uzbekistan cooperation”, Dr. Abror Juraev participated as a panellist together with representatives from SEPIE, the University of Valladolid, and Namangan State Technical University. This session underlined the importance of Erasmus+ as a strategic instrument for supporting international cooperation, capacity building, academic mobility, and innovation in higher education.
Prof. Javier Rodrigo-Ilarri also participated as a panellist in the session “Opportunities for Cooperation: Green and Digital Transition”. This panel addressed emerging areas of collaboration linked to sustainability, environmental challenges, digital transformation, and the role of universities in supporting the green transition. These themes are closely aligned with the broader objectives of the LESLIE project, particularly in relation to capacity building, institutional modernisation, and the development of skills for sustainable and innovative higher education.
The presence of the LESLIE team at the Spain–Uzbekistan University Forum was especially valuable for dissemination purposes. The event provided a high-level platform to make the project visible among universities, institutional representatives, and decision-makers from both countries. It also allowed the LESLIE consortium to position the project as a concrete and successful example of mutual cooperation between Spanish and Uzbek higher education institutions.
Beyond formal presentations, the Forum included networking sessions and bilateral meetings that enabled participants to exchange experiences, identify common priorities, and discuss potential future collaborations. These interactions are particularly relevant for reinforcing the sustainability of the LESLIE project and for opening new channels of cooperation between partner universities.
The participation of Bukhara State University and Universitat Politècnica de València in the Forum reflects the strong commitment of the LESLIE consortium to international collaboration, academic innovation, and the promotion of long-term institutional partnerships. By presenting LESLIE in this setting, the project contributed to the wider dialogue on Spain–Uzbekistan cooperation and demonstrated the added value of Erasmus+ projects in building bridges between higher education systems.
The Spain–Uzbekistan University Forum therefore represented an excellent dissemination opportunity for LESLIE and confirmed the project’s role as a relevant initiative within the expanding framework of cooperation between Spain and Uzbekistan.
