Entrance exams held in ASTU branch in Tashkent

Astrakhan State Technical University became the first university in the region that opened its branch abroad.  Uzbek colleagues and experts assess this event as historic for our countries. Prior to this, training in high-demand specialties for the fishing industry was not conducted in any university in Uzbekistan. Such direction as animal product engineering (from raw fish) is considered rare even in our country.

Tashkent branch of Astrakhan State Technical University has recently held entrance exams. According to the Head of ASTU International relations department Eugenia Yukina, 1319 applications were submitted for 500 state-funded and commercial vacancies in four areas of full-time and extramural learning. Thus, the average competition is 2.7 people per vacancy. The most popular specialty among Uzbek applicants is economics, namely 7 people per vacancy. There are also many people who want to get a degree in ecology, aquatic bioresources and aquaculture, ecology and nature management, animal product engineering.

"In Uzbekistan, entrance tests are controlled by the same rules as passing the unified state exam in Russia," Eugenia Yukina said. - No faults or violations were observed".

Taking into account the increased epidemiological threat, all exams were held on October 15-16 in two shifts with social distancing in the open air on an alley surrounded by pine trees. Applicants were given means of protection for respiratory organs.  Their hands were treated with sanitizers and surfaces were disinfected.

Applications for admission to ASTU were submitted by school graduates from almost all regions of Uzbekistan. Some applicants came even from the city of Urgench which is located at more than a thousand kilometers from the capital of the Republic.

"These are beautiful young men and women. they are respectful and tolerant," Eugenia Yukina notices. - They are really eager to learn. There were applicants who came to take the entrance tests with a broken leg. And they were using crutches. Also a girl from Khoresm, who recently had an accident with injuries, also attended the exams. But along with everyone else, they fought for a place in the first year."

ASTU branch operates on the site of Zootechnical faculty of Tashkent State Agrarian University that was transferred to ASTU on a free lease. A separate three - story academic building is provided for students. They are free to use impressive sports facilities: a stadium, a swimming pool and a medical center. 

The training will be conducted in Russian based on plans of research programs approved by the main institution - Astrakhan State Technical University. Teachers from Uzbekistan and specialists of ASTU will conduct classes for students of the branch.

At the moment, the Executive head of the branch, the dean, heads of departments and methodological offices have started working. The selection of specialists was carried out collectively after a presentation on the direction of their work. The main requirements include fluency in Russian and Uzbek languages, high professional level and work experience.  "A friendly team was created, which ensured a clear application campaign and testing," - Eugenia Yukina says.

In addition to the four educational programs in the fisheries sector, the branch is planning to open an additional professional training program and an educational program for learning Russian as a foreign language.

Classes at the Tashkent branch of ASTU will begin on November 1.