From June 9 to 13 this year, the First Forum of Rectors of Universities of Uzbekistan and Spain is being held in the cities of Madrid and Barcelona with the aim of further strengthening cooperation between higher education institutions of the two countries.

The official opening ceremony of the forum took place on June 10 at the Vicálvaro Campus of Rey Juan Carlos University, one of Spain’s prestigious higher education institutions.

The event was attended by the university’s Rector Abraham Duarte Muñoz, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the Kingdom of Spain Farrukh Tursunov, Rector of Westminster International University in Tashkent and Vice President of the International Ranking Expert Group (IREG) Komiljon Karimov, as well as representatives of SEPIE.

Within the framework of the forum, the Rector of Jizzakh Polytechnic Institute held a series of meetings with the leadership of University of Vigo, Technical University of Madrid, and Polytechnic University of Catalonia.

During the discussions, the parties exchanged views on cooperation in education, scientific research, academic exchange programs, mobility of professors and students, joint research projects, and participation in international grant initiatives.

At the conclusion of the meetings, agreements were reached on signing memoranda of understanding and establishing long-term partnership relations between the institutions.

Currently, the forum activities are continuing at University of Barcelona, one of the oldest and most distinguished universities in Spain. Founded in 1450, the university today educates more than 60,000 students and includes over 16 faculties and numerous research centers. Its historic main building was constructed between 1863 and 1882.

The University of Barcelona enjoys international recognition for its academic excellence, research capacity, and extensive global partnerships. According to the 2026 international rankings, the university is ranked:
✔️ 160th in QS World University Rankings;
✔️ 82nd in U.S. News Best Global Universities and 28th among European universities;
✔️ 145th in Times Higher Education (THE);
✔️ Within the 151–200 range in the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU).

This forum serves as an important platform for elevating academic cooperation between Uzbekistan and Spain to a new level, expanding joint educational programs, and strengthening international research collaboration.