Today (5 November 2024) marked the final day of the International Conference “Construction, Industry and Energy of Turkmenistan” (CIET 2024) bringing together industry leaders, government officials, and academic experts to discuss the future of Turkmenistan’s construction, industrial, and energy sectors.
The fifth session, led by Tanryguly Atayev, Deputy Chairman of SC “Turkmenhimiya”; Serdar Saparov, Deputy Minister of Energy; and Azat Ataev, Deputy Minister of Education, focused on the impact of technological innovations and the essential role of training qualified personnel.
The discussion highlighted the prospects for digitalization of industrial processes, including automation, data analysis and the Internet of Things. The universities showcased successful scientific research and achievements with the potential to drive the development of high-tech products and enhance production efficiency. Rectors emphasized that these technologies span across various fields, including biotechnology, eco-friendly materials, renewable energy, and digital solutions for production management.
University representatives extended invitations to business and industry leaders to collaborate on projects leveraging these technologies. Universities proposed to act as hubs for commercializing scientific advancements, transforming them into marketable products and services.
Speakers noted that while digital transformation increases efficiency, it also requires infrastructure modernization and cybersecurity measures. More importantly, technological progress dictates the need to increase the potential of human capital.
The speakers emphasized that by investing in higher and vocational education and fostering scientific interest among young people, Turkmenistan can solidify its global market position. After all, youth are the driving force behind innovation.
It’s worth noting the high caliber of the speakers, including four Candidates of Science and two Doctors of Science, all with extensive experience in energy, industry, and the chemical industry.
Rectors of leading universities, including Bayrammyrat Atamanov (Yagshygeldi Kakayev International University of Oil and Gas), Nurnepes Kuliyev (Turkmen State Institute of Telecommunications and Informatics), Serdar Nazarov (Turkmen State Energy Institute) and Batyr Mammadov (Turkmen State Institute of Architecture and Civil Engineering), shared their experience in training specialists for the digital economy. They also provided information about the educational infrastructure of their universities.
Deputy Minister of Education Azat Atayev, who moderated the session, summarized the results of the session, noting the following:
• The role of intellectual property in manufacturing and industry is increasing. Its importance in the knowledge-based economy is growing.
• It is proposed to create coordinating councils for the development of relevant industries at universities, which could also include interested employers, and stakeholders could set a guideline for the development of the research potential of universities.
• A proposal was also made to establish a coordinating council on competencies and qualifications for a more flexible response to the demands of the labor market.
• The third proposal concerns the organization of start-up sites, which could become a kind of foundations for the development of science and the youth movement.
According to Atayev, these proposals will be taken into account in the development of the strategy of higher education in Turkmenistan for the period 2026-2052.
Innovative projects were also presented at the session, emphasizing Turkmenistan’s commitment to modernization and sustainable development and positioning the country as a regional leader. ///nCa, 5 November 2024