IT Park and the World Bank discussed the development of IT-education

On April 5, 2022, a meeting was held in IT Park with representatives of the World Bank as part of the preparatory mission for the project “Digital Uzbekistan”.

The event was attended by Ms. Nicole Klingen, acting global Director for Digital Development and Manager of Digital Development Practice in the Europe and Central Asia Region, and Mr. Juan Navas-Sabater, Leading Digital Development Specialist, Head of the Working Group on the project “Digital Uzbekistan”, as well as Director of IT Park Farhod Ibragimov and deputy Director of IT Park Abdulahad Kuchkarov.

During the meeting, the mission participants discussed the key components of the project, noting that the main focus is on the development of the BPO-market in Uzbekistan.  The experts discussed what conditions have already been created to maintain the functionality of this market and what measures have been taken in the educational system to provide the BPO-market with specialists.

The participants exchanged views on the importance of further development of IT-Centers, BPO-schools and co-working centers in partnership with the private sector. In addition, the parties paid attention to data security issues.

Also, Ms. Nicole Klingen noted the positive dynamics of the growth in the number of women in the IT-industry, a large number of projects for development of women's entrepreneurship, such as «Tumaris Tech», «Tumaris Edu», «ITWomenUz», «TechBika».

At the end of the session, the participants agreed to discuss at the next meeting the example of Armenia on the structure of regional development within the framework of IT-Centers, as well as touch on issues of ownership and management.

Furthermore, the World Bank delegation visited the IT Park branch in Jizzakh, to meet the Governor of Jizzakh region Ergash Alibekovich Saliev, team lead of IT Park’s branch in Jizzakh Nazira Mukhitdinova and students of the local IT center.

The guests got acquainted with the activities of the branch, along with opportunities created for BPO companies in Uzbekistan, such as: furnished office space with no rent (initial 6 months); full exemption from all types of taxes, personal income tax rate - 7,5%; reduction of tax on dividends for foreign companies to 5%; dividends and wage payouts to foreign founders/specialists in foreign currency as part of earnings from services export; Assistance with recruitment.