NEW PALTZ — An educational grant awarded to SUNY New Paltz by the United States Information Agency’s (USIA) College and University Partnership Program is enabling New Paltz to host four faculty members from one of the most respected universities in Central Asia, Tashkent State Economic University (TSEU) in Uzbekistan. According to Hadi Salavitabar, director of business programs at New Paltz, the visiting scholars Komuna Djuraeva, Dilshod Matyakubov, Diloram Tuliaganova and Gulnora Usmanova arrived February 4 and will return to Uzbekistan following SUNY New Paltz commencement in May.
Salavitabar is the project director of the competitive $200,000 USIA grant which SUNY New Paltz was awarded in August 1999 to enter into a three-year agreement with TSEU to assist it in the development of new business curriculum based on Western practices. This funding permits SUNY New Paltz to host four TSEU faculty members each semester through Fall 2001 and several New Paltz faculty members to travel to Uzbekistan in Spring 2002 to administer additional training for the establishment of an international business program at TSEU.
“We are very pleased that SUNY New Paltz has been recognized for its leadership in international education through this grant from the USIA,” said David Lavallee, provost and vice president for academic affairs at New Paltz. He added, “These scholars will introduce our students to an interesting history of economic development at the same time as they learn about modern American business practices.”
Salavitabar said that SUNY New Paltz is providing the visiting scholars with residence hall rooms, board, computers and transportation. “Each will be teamed with a faculty member of the Business Administration Department on campus to work on research projects and other educational opportunities that may arise,” he said. Scholars will complete two courses in New Paltz’s new master of business administration program, participate in meetings and governance of the business program and the university, and intern in different campus offices such as Admissions and International Programs. Salavitabar explained, “The idea is to train them in our admissions procedures, our business program, and our way of educating students, so that when they go back to Uzbekistan, they can help us in establishing an international business program there.” According to Salavitabar, the scholars will also be introduced to economic business leaders in the community for possible future business relations between the mid-Hudson region and Uzbekistan.
To arrange interviews with visiting scholars, please contact Salavitabar at (845) 257-2930 or 338-6852.
Historical Background of Uzbekistan The Republic of Uzbekistan, a country located in Central Asia, is bordered by Kazakstan on the northwest and north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan on the east and southeast, Afghanistan on the south, and Turkmenistan on the southwest. It has an area of 172,700 square miles. The Soviet government established the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic as a constituent (union) republic of the U.S.S.R. in 1924; Uzbekistan declared its independence from the Soviet Union on Aug. 31, 1991. It has a multiparty republic with a single legislative body (Supreme Assembly). The capital is Tashkent (Toshkent).
