In 2011, the Enterprise Award in Uzbekistan (under the Skills for Employability global project) reached all 1200 VET colleges with at least 3 teams of 5 young people in each college. A total of 18 000 young people and 1200 teachers took part in the competition and enterprise training.

The final took place on 1 December in the International Business Centre. The 2011 Enterprise Award was won by the team from Samarkand region with their project on Energy Efficiency.

The Enterprise Award support national reforms in Vocational Education and Training (VET) by strengthening links between education and industry, seeking to promote skills development and equip young people with the skills and competencies that employers require.   

The Award is delivered by British Council in collaboration with a number of partners: the Centre for Specialised Secondary Education, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan, “Komolot” youth movement, Youth Employment Support Centre under Fund Forum.

Steve McNulty, Country Director, British Council Uzbekistan, thanked all of the partners at the final, acknowledging their critical role in the ward and their ongoing support for enterprise development throughout Uzbekistan. ‘’It's fantastic to think that this final brings together young people from every region of the country and gives them an opportunity to demonstrate their entrepreneurial skills”, he added.

In particular, enterprise has been identified as a priority in VET sector by Centre for Specialised Secondary Education of Uzbekistan (CSSE). Ravshan Tolaganov, International Relations Department, CSSE clearly articulated CSSE’s commitment:  

“We are very glad that British Council is taking this very important aspect of our young people’s development as enterprise training forward in Uzbekistan. We regard Enterprise development of young people to be very high in our agenda and ready to support British Council in future activities”.   

As a result of this joint engagement, the development of enterprise skills will be embedded into annual activity for all colleges in Uzbekistan. In addition, in 2011, 70% of Enterprise programme, run by British Council, was funded by CSSE.

A global dimension to the relevance of enterprise was made by Rupert Joy, Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Uzbekistan, who was present at the Awards:

“As the world continues to struggle with the consequences of a serious global downturn, Uzbekistan – like Britain and other countries - needs young entrepreneurs, to create a dynamic and open economy, to create prosperity for the future”.

The Skills for Employability enterprise programme in Uzbekistan consists of package of enterprise training and an enterprise award:

Enterprise training aims to raise awareness of enterprise amongst teachers and young people (primarily VET students). Through a programme of cascade training in VET schools and other training organisations, this component has engaged young people in a programme of activity designed to instil a spirit of entrepreneurship and develop their ‘employability skills’.

The Enterprise award engages young people in a series of fun and innovative activities at college, regional and national levels that encourage creativity, teamwork and problem solving. The award takes the form of a competition, with small teams within all VET colleges in Uzbekistan (1200 colleges in 2011) competing against each other according to a common challenge. Peer-nominated ‘winners’ from each participating VET college are entered into a regional event, competing against the winners from other schools in the region for title of ‘regional enterprise award winner’. Leading teams from each region of Uzbekistan then participate in a high-profile national event to showcase young people’s ideas and award prizes to the winners (such as business development grants, work-placements offered by Youth Employment Support Centre, global virtual competition).

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Uzbek-British cooperation in the field of higher education counts its successful history for the last 15 years, since the Memorandum on Cooperation was signed between two governments and the office of British Council was opened in Tashkent in 1996.

The British Council projects in Uzbekistan aim to support national reforms in the field of education and to create opportunities for professional development and improving English language skills for students, teachers, employers and entrepreneurs.