On October 27, in connection with the proclamation of 2025 as the International Year of Peace and Trust, the International University for the Humanities and Development hosted an international scientific conference titled “Sustainable Development Goals: Advancing High-Quality Education and Human Capital through Teaching Methodology and Innovations.”
It should be noted that, Turkmenistan is currently making a significant contribution to the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Among these goals, one of the most important is ensuring access to quality education. In this direction, great efforts are being made in the country’s higher educational institutions, including the International University for the Humanities and Development.
Chynar Rustemova, Executive Secretary of the National Commission of Turkmenistan for UNESCO and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan, Stephen Conlon, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to Turkmenistan, Fabrizio Ricciardelli, Director of Kent State University’s Florence campus (Italy), attended the conference. As well as Andrew Linn, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research of the University of Westminster, Atageldi Khaljanov, Head of the Department of International Economic Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Tao Zhan, Director of the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education participated to international conference. And also Maria Giovanna Farci, Lecturer in Italian Language at the Department of Languages of the International University for the Humanities and Development, as well as members of the faculty and students of the university.
An exhibition organized in the university’s lobby attracted great attention from foreign guests, that is showcased international achievements of IUHD students — medals and certificates — which reflected the high successes attained in the field of education. After the exhibition, the conference continued in the university’s main assembly hall. Following the opening ceremony, the Rector of the International University for the Humanities and Development, Maral Kuliyeva, delivered a welcoming speech.
All speakers noted that the development of teaching methodologies and innovations for sustainable development aims to improve the education system with modern technologies and new approaches, including digitalization and individual approaches to each student. The main objectives are to enhance teaching methods based on innovations, improve the content and methods of instruction, and introduce practices of personalized learning.
The application of innovations and new technologies in education is an essential part of modern learning. To improve the quality of education and create conditions for comprehensive learning, a wide variety of methods and software tools are required. All this helps create favorable conditions for the development of human capital.
National programs that fully align with international standards are being successfully implemented at an accelerated pace. The work carried out in the nation’s higher educational institutions, including the International University for the Humanities and Development, vividly confirms this. Guided by the words of the esteemed President — “Education is the foundation of all our achievements, happiness, and prosperity, the bright path of our great past and future” — the university implements large-scale programs and agreements signed with leading universities around the world.
During the conference, the University of Westminster presented the IUHD with a special certificate under the program “Accelerating English Language Learning in Central Asia (AELLCA).” This served as clear evidence of the university’s significant contribution to promoting multilingual diplomacy both globally and within the Independent, Permanently Neutral State of Turkmenistan.
The conference program ended up with musical performances by the university’s “Owaz” vocal-instrumental ensemble and the “Dostluk” dance group.
