Erasmus+ CBHE EMPOWER Project Final Conference Held at Central Asian University

On 12 October 2026, Central Asian University hosted the Final Conference of the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) project EMPOWER – “Enhancement of Entrepreneurship Skills Among Women”, co-funded by the European Union.

The conference served as the closing event of the EMPOWER project and brought together representatives of partner universities, international experts, researchers, students, and stakeholders to present project results and discuss issues related to women’s entrepreneurship, gender equality, education, leadership, and innovation.

The event opened with welcoming remarks from Ms. Renata Wrobel, Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union and Head of the Political, Press and Information Section, and Ms. Aziza Abdurakhmanova, Coordinator of the National Erasmus+ Office in Uzbekistan. Participants were also welcomed by Shirin Yunusova, Vice-Rector for Innovation and Research at Central Asian University.

Following the opening session, Janar Abuova, EMPOWER Project Coordinator at Central Asian University, presented an overview of the activities and achievements implemented within the project.

The conference featured keynote speeches by Christina Armutlieva, Gerard Cullen, Alena Naumann, Val Racheeva, Dr. Sougand Akbarian, and Jamshid Ali. Their presentations addressed topics including gender equality, women’s entrepreneurship, the role of language in women’s empowerment, and the participation of women in engineering and other professional fields.

The programme continued with parallel sessions involving more than 40 presenters from Central Asian University and partner institutions. Research and project outcomes were presented across six thematic areas:

• Women’s Entrepreneurship & Economic Empowerment
• Digital Transformation, AI & Business
• Leadership, Careers & Public Policy
• Education & Gender
• Gender Norms & Society
• Health, Wellbeing & Women in Medicine

The Final Conference also marked the opening of Erasmus+ International Days 2026, held from 12 to 17 October across Uzbekistan. The week-long programme continued with events in Tashkent, Jizzakh, Namangan, Fergana, Urgench, and Nukus, highlighting Erasmus+ opportunities, project achievements, and international cooperation in higher education.

The EMPOWER Final Conference provided an important platform for sharing the project’s results, exchanging experiences, strengthening cooperation among partner institutions, and promoting women’s participation in entrepreneurship, education, research, and professional development.

The organisers expressed their appreciation to all project partners, speakers, researchers, students, and participants who contributed to the successful completion of the EMPOWER project and its Final Conference.