TMCI (Uzbekistan), a College of HE and My Stay in Tashkent
It was chilly when I landed early in the morning on my flight from Gatwick, but soon the sun-drenched air of Tashkent greeted me. It was a familiar warmth that promised days of both professional fulfilment and personal reflection. My itinerary for this trip was uniquely layered. I had come to celebrate the academic achievement of Uzbek students, at three distinct graduation ceremonies, and to engage with the next generation of students at TMCI, with a lecture on Artificial Intelligence: what it can and cannot achieve for higher education students. It was days that perfectly captured the intersection of tradition and futuristic ambition that defines modern Uzbekistan.
Over the first few days, I had the honour of attending and addressing the graduates at three separate graduation ceremonies. Each had its own flavour, yet all shared a palpable sense of pride. The first ceremony for the graduates who had studied in English with UK universities, was a grand, formal, and romantic affair, held in the evening in front of the symbol of Singapore, the Merlion, adopted by TMC, which under Mr John Lee, has brought quality higher education to many countries in Central and Eastern Asia.
The air was thick with anticipation, punctuated by the rustle of gowns and the occasional nervous laugh. The speakers, of which I was one, not only congratulated the graduates on their achievement but also recognised the contributions of their teachers and parents
and relatives to the graduates’ success. My address attempted to weave together themes of national progress and individual responsibility. Then, greeting the graduates as they filed across the stage, their faces a mix of relief and exhilaration, I was struck by the sheer scale of this celebration. The applause, and occasional roar, from the audience was both enthusiastic and heartfelt.
The second ceremony, on the following morning, was for local students, who were taught in the Uzbek language, and was held in the stunning Uzbekistan sunlight. It was a smaller, more intimate affair. Here, the similar speeches felt more personal, and I found myself genuinely moved by their personal ties that had clearly formed over years of study. The final ceremony in the afternoon was dominated by young women, who had been studying psychology and pedagogy in the Uzbek language; their grace and humility was both delightful and inspiring. As I congratulated them, I felt a surge of optimism for the future of Uzbekistan.
The sheer volume of young men and women, over the two days, indicated the recognition of the importance of higher education not only In Uzbekistan but, I believe, also across the globe. These weren't just ceremonies, in which I was participating, but I was witnessing the launch of countless new journeys for the next generation of leaders and professionals.
At the end of the formal ceremonies, and after posing with numerous students and their families for those important graduation photographs, I discreetly retired, as the students began their own, contemporary, celebrations, gyrating to the music of a pop band!
The next day my focus shifted from celebration to academic matters, with a meeting of the Supervisory Board of TMCI, where future strategy is planned and formulated. In the afternoon it was my opportunity for intellectual engagement with the students. I had offered to give a lecture on Artificial Intelligence to the students, and it was gratifying to see so many wanting to attend. The venue was a modern, well-equipped lecture hall that buzzed with curiosity. As an anthropologist by profession, my goal was not just to define AI, but to demystify it and explore its practical applications within the ethical parameters of higher education. I spoke about the spectrum from narrow AI to the theoretical possibilities of artificial general intelligence, but I anchored the discussion in concrete examples. I talked about algorithms that can create predictive models that result in answers, that make course work for assessment irrelevant - AI can utilise the knowledge of massive databases unavailable to students. It is the reality that individual student’s answers to essay questions cannot hope to compete with AI’s access to knowledge and critical facilities. However, students need to be aware of the complex ethical landscapes of data abundance and algorithmic bias which, inevitably, can masquerade as an individual’s understanding of a topic. It leads to the serious question of how institutions assess the merit of individuals; and who wants to live in a society that does not recognise merit (when we need brain surgery, we need the best, not the pretence of surgical knowledge!).
The students were great. I know from years of experience how difficult it is for students to risk putting their heads above the parapet and ask questions of the teacher, especially in a language which is not their mother tongue. However, there was no shortage of questions, and the questions were sharp, insightful, and forward-thinking. I felt immensely proud of TMCI that they were spawning a generation who were not intimated by a formal occasion, conducted by an alien professor from a foreign land, but had the courage and desire to formulate relevant and intriguing questions. The session, at the end, was less of a lecture and more of a dynamic conversation, and it was exhilarating. I was delighted to feel that the presentatiom had created an intellectual energy that was a stark reminder that the future isn't just happening to us but it's being built by these eager, enquiring young minds in places like Tashkent.
Amidst these professional commitments, Tashkent wove its quiet magic around me I have to admit, although I am a seasoned traveller, I am still fascinating by the clash of two cultures, Islamic and Russian, that is Uzbekistan. I should possibly replace the word ‘clash’ by the concept of integration of different life-styles and beliefs; just as the blend of Soviet-era architecture, Islamic heritage, and gleaming new development is a constant, a backdrop to the modern developing country of Uzbekistan.
As my flight lifted off from Uzbekistan, leaving the sprawling city below, I felt a deep sense of gratitude. My stay had been more than just a series of events. It was a profound reminder of the universal language of achievement and the shared human desire to learn and improve. The three graduation ceremonies celebrated the culmination of years of hard work, while the lecture at TMCI looked forward to the next frontier of discovery. Tashkent, in its unique and warm-hearted way, had hosted a journey from tradition to tomorrow. I left not just with new contacts and memories, but with a renewed faith in the power of education and the boundless potential of AI to connect and heal. I will be, as ever, eternally grateful to my hosts at TMCI for their hospitality and friendliness.
Next stop, via a day in Bangkok, is Myanmar and another special experience awaits me there.
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