Deputy Minister of Education of Turkmenistan Azat Atayev participated in the regional ministerial conference on demographic resilience titled “Leading Change: People-centered paths to demographic resilience,” held in Skopje, as reported education.gov.tm During the panel session dedicated to international and regional cooperation, Azat Atayev presented Turkmenistan’s systemic approach to utilizing the “window of demographic opportunity”.
In his speech, he highlighted issues of human capital development, improving the quality of education, forecasting future labor market needs, and training essential specialists for the economy. It was noted that demographic trends are directly linked to economic growth, youth employment, and labor productivity. In this regard, Turkmenistan views demographic opportunities as a strategic resource for forming an economy based on high added value.
A model that ensures the integration of economic and investment priorities into educational programs was particularly noted at the conference. By analyzing the skills of young people studying both domestically and abroad, the entry of qualified personnel into the labor market is planned in advance. Additionally, as a practical result, the “Atlas of Future Professions” was presented, covering 11 economic sectors and 156 new specialties based on international expertise.
Turkmenistan plans to develop a “National System for Strategic Human Capital Planning” for 2026–2027 in cooperation with the UNDP. This system will include a digital platform based on artificial intelligence technologies and an analytical model for forecasting vocational demand. Cooperation with UNFPA is aimed at strengthening demographic foresight and the capacity of the education system to effectively utilize the demographic dividend.
The participants were informed that Turkmenistan is carrying out relevant work aimed at developing international cooperation and creating effective dialogue platforms on important contemporary issues. It was also noted during the speech that, at the initiative of Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, the Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan, relevant preparations are underway to hold an international conference dedicated to demographic issues in Awaza in October of this year.”
