From Preschool to Higher Education: The Center for Teacher Education, School, and Vocational Education Research Visits Uzbekistan

In October 2026, guests from the Center for Teacher Education, School, and Vocational Education Research (ZLSB) traveled to Uzbekistan at the invitation of the Andijan State Pedagogical Institute (ASPI). The goal of the educational trip was to deepen and expand the cooperation with ASPI—which began in 2025 with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)—as well as with other institutions. The focus was on professional development workshops for Uzbek university faculty in Andijan. Over the course of two days, the ZLSB team provided subject-specific and university-level teaching insights for instructors in STEM subjects and the humanities.

The trip first took Axel Gehrmann (Director of the ZLSB) and Peggy Germer (Head of Continuing Education at the ZLSB) to the Uzbek capital, Tashkent. There, they met with education representatives from various institutions and discussed potential joint projects.

At the Chirchik State Pedagogical University (CHDPU), the guests discussed key areas of strategic cooperation in teacher education with Vice Rector Doniyor Ahmadjanov. Afterward, Jabbor Usarov, Dean of the Faculty of Education, provided insights into the integration of inclusive content into teacher education. The visit opened up new perspectives for both sides regarding joint professional development activities in the field of inclusive education.

Another stop was at the “Abdulla Avloni National Institute of Pedagogical Excellence, ” which is responsible in Uzbekistan for the initial and continuing education of teachers as well as for educational research. The institute is named after Abdulla Avloni, who is considered one of the most significant Uzbek educators and enlightenment figures of the early 20th century.
The guests spoke with Rector Abduvali Ismailov and other representatives about issues related to professional development and continuing education. They also toured the memorial museum, the library, the JALINGA Studio, and the STEAM Center, and learned about ongoing initiatives for the professional development of teaching staff.

Afterward, the group traveled about 350 kilometers to Andijan in the eastern part of the Fergana Valley, one of the most densely populated regions in Central Asia. Their first stop was Kindergarten No. 39, which demonstrated the importance placed here on early childhood education and its integration with the university. In lovingly designed activity areas, the 3- to 6-year-olds explored various professions on the day of the visit. They made pottery, baked, sewed, styled hair, and built things. Additionally, the preschool year at age six is mandatory for all children.

A particular highlight was the visit to School No. 39, where ASPI students were completing their practical teacher training. In chemistry and geography classes, it became clear how closely theory and practice are intertwined in teacher training and how intensively the school and the university work together to support the prospective teachers.

A visit to a pilot production line for building buses at the Cambell company demonstrated just how closely education and the professional world can be linked. Here, vocational students and graduates of the technical university are trained together.

At ASPI itself, the German guests learned about various training structures in English and in the languages of neighboring countries. This led to a very stimulating exchange with teacher education students, faculty members, and the University Executive Board.
Particularly interesting was the tour of the Admissions Office and the Academic Affairs Office. Previous visits by ASPI representatives to the ZLSB had sparked an exchange of ideas here, and the similarities between the two institutions were unmistakable.

The core academic focus of the trip was a two-day professional development workshop led by the German guests on innovative structures for the theoretical and practical phases of teacher education. Together, the participants examined selected areas of activity within the individual phases of teacher education. In comparative workshops, they jointly identified and reflected on potential opportunities for teaching and learning in a higher education context.

The training program concluded with a special celebratory highlight. Rector Baxtiyor Rasulov conferred upon Axel Gehrmann and Peggy Germer the title of Honorary Professor at ASPI, an honor regarded as a sign of the highest esteem.

The two expressed their gratitude for the great attention and recognition and emphasized their willingness to continue the academic and pedagogical collaboration. A virtual meeting will therefore take place as early as November to discuss involvement in international projects and the continuation of the professional development programs.

Special thanks go to Rector Baxtiyor Rasulov, the members of the University Executive Board, and the entire ASPI. The guests also thanked Akramjon Matkarimov, who accompanied and supported them throughout nearly their entire stay in Uzbekistan.