On November 3, 2026, a delegation led by Erney Videtich, Acting Director General of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, visited Mirzo Ulugbek National University of Uzbekistan.
The meeting with the delegation was attended by Shuhrat Toshmatov, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs; Komil Inakov, Vice-Rector for International Relations; Akramiddin Umarov, Dean of the Faculty of Geology and Engineering Geology; and Nargiza Nurmuhammedova, Head of the Department for the Training of Academic and Research Personnel. The parties discussed promising areas of bilateral cooperation.
The main objective of the visit was to advance practical cooperation in research and education in the fields of critical raw materials, geology, geotechnology, materials science, and mineral resources.
The 15-member delegation included representatives of the diplomatic corps, including Branko Rakoves, Ambassador of Slovenia to Uzbekistan, as well as representatives of the University of Ljubljana, the Jožef Stefan Institute, the Geological Survey of Slovenia (GeoZS), the SPIRIT Slovenia agency, and the private sector.
During the discussions, particular attention was given to conducting joint research in geology, mineralogy, petrology, and geotechnics, as well as studying data on mineral resources. Opportunities for cooperation with the Jožef Stefan Institute in inorganic chemistry, the analysis of nanostructured materials, and the exchange of expertise between laboratories were also considered. With the University of Ljubljana, the parties discussed establishing academic mobility programmes for academic staff and students, organizing joint fieldwork, research internships, and lectures. In addition, they explored opportunities to transfer research findings into industrial production, adapt scientific developments to industry needs, and participate jointly in international grant projects.
The meeting highlighted the positive experience of academic exchange between the National University of Uzbekistan and the University of Ljubljana. In particular, in 2026, Slovenian Professor Martina Ožbot Currie delivered lectures at the National University of Uzbekistan.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the parties agreed to appoint coordinators responsible for specific areas of cooperation, identify 2–3 priority research topics, and develop a Roadmap outlining concrete measures for further collaboration.