Published on 14 June 2022
Congratulations on graduating from the University of Sunderland – even though you are 2,800 miles from Wearside.
The growing reputation of the North East University as an internationally renowned centre of learning excellence was further reinforced this summer.
Representatives from the University travelled to Uzbekistan of oversee graduation ceremonies at THE Management Development Institute of Singapore in Tashkent (MDIS).
MDIS is one of the first international university branches opened in Uzbekistan and has been a partner of the University of Sunderland for the past 15 years.
They are approved to run Sunderland programmes in BA (Hons) Fashion Product and Promotion, BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance, BA (Hons) Business and Financial Management, BA (Hons) Business and Marketing Management and MBA.
MDIS Tashkent is the University’s single largest Transnational Education partner (TNE), with over 1,900 students enrolled on University of Sunderland programmes during 2021/22.
Ian Moody, Deputy Director of International at the University, was asked to officiate and confer degrees at the Institute’s graduation ceremonies.
Ian said: “This was a fantastic celebration, and it was amazing to see so many successful students graduate and celebrate our highly valued partnership which dates back more than a decade.”
The partnership allows students in Uzbekistan to gain University of Sunderland degrees.
Ian added: “While I was there, we also attended the opening of the new Campus Building which is going to provide our students in Tashkent with state-of-the-art facilities.”
The visit comes just weeks after a delegation from Uzbekistan visited Sunderland.
The University is currently involved as a key partner in the development of the new International Pharmaceutical Technical University in the country.
The pharmaceutical experts visited Wearside to sign a Collaborative Partner Agreement which aims to be key in growing and developing Uzbekistan’s pharmaceutical industry.
The country’s government has now provided 80 hectares of land on the outskirts of Tashkent, the country’s capital, for the development of the project.
As part of the return visit, Ian and the Sunderland team got a chance to see the development for themselves.
He said: “It was great to see first-hand the progress on the construction of our new partnership with the International Pharmaceutical Technical University.
“The site is vast and state-of-the-art and it will provide our students with an excellent student experience as well as training them to the highest of standards.”
The University of Sunderland’s involvement in the project spans across several areas, including the training of the park’s future employees, with many students already studying in the city.
The University will be delivering a number of our Health Science and Technology programmes in partnership with the new University in Uzbekistan and will also be involved in research and development.