The meeting between Phil Baty, Chief Global Affairs Office at Times Higher Education (THE), and Ravshan Usmanov, Uzbekistan's Ambassador to the United Kingdom, was a vivid testament to how rapidly Uzbekistan is strengthening its position on the international educational stage. At the center of this historic dialogue was one of the country's most significant achievements—Uzbekistan has, for the first time in its history, entered the prestigious Times Higher Education World University Rankings, which will be published at the World Academic Summit in Manchester, UK, this October.

For the first time in the 20-year history of the rankings, three Uzbek universities will debut on this international list, symbolizing a new phase in the development of higher education in Uzbekistan. This achievement has been made possible by continuous efforts to reform the educational system and improve the quality of educational institutions.

The British side enthusiastically highlighted the successful collaboration with the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sh. Mirziyoyev, the Government of the country, the Ministry of Preschool and School Education of Uzbekistan, as well as New Uzbekistan University in preparation for the First Central Asian Educational Forum, which will take place on October 16-17 this year.

During the discussion, special attention was paid to the significance of the First Central Asian Educational Forum, which will bring together leading international speakers, including such prominent figures as Vijay Kumar from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dr. Ebrahim Alhajri, President of Khalifa University, Professor Waqar Ahmad, President of Nazarbayev University, representatives of the British Council, THE, and many others. This forum promises to be an important step toward integration and mutual exchange of experience in the field of education on a global level, emphasizing Uzbekistan's historical role in the educational and cultural dialogue of Central Asia.

Another important aspect of the meeting was the discussion of the THE Impact Rankings 2024, which considers universities' contributions to achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. This year was record-breaking for Uzbekistan—53 universities were represented in the rankings, whereas in 2020, only one university from the country was featured. This impressive achievement demonstrates Uzbekistan's commitment to actively participating in global initiatives and contributing to sustainable development on the international stage.

In conclusion, Phil Baty invited the Uzbek delegation to participate in the world's largest gathering of education and vocational training ministers—the Education World Forum, which will be held in Westminster, London, in May. This invitation reflects not only the recognition of Uzbekistan's achievements but also its growing authority in the global educational community.