The role of the Uzbek State University of World Languages in the development of foreign languages in the higher education system (1992-2024)
Keywords:
Uzbek State University of World Languages, Uzbekistan, foreign language education, higher education, language policy, national reform, teacher training, CEFR, multilingualismAbstract
This article examines the pivotal and transformative role of the Uzbek State University of World Languages (UzSWLU) in the development of the foreign language education system in Uzbekistan’s higher education from its independence in 1992 to 2024. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Uzbekistan embarked on a nation-building project that identified foreign language proficiency as a critical component for economic development, international integration, and cultural sovereignty. This paper argues that UzSWLU has served not merely as a premier educational institution but as the primary methodological, pedagogical, and policy-implementing engine driving this national agenda. The analysis is structured chronologically, tracing the university's evolution through distinct phases: its foundational years focused on overcoming the Soviet legacy; a period of standardization and curriculum development; a reform-driven era marked by the adoption of international standards like the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR); and its current status as a modern center for research and innovation. The article concludes that UzSWLU has been indispensable in professionalizing language teaching, modernizing pedagogical approaches, and supplying the nation with highly qualified specialists, thereby acting as the cornerstone of Uzbekistan's strategy to cultivate a globally competitive, multilingual generation.
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