News

Ahead of the International Media Forum titled “Islamic Civilization: New Perspective — New Discoveries,” scheduled to be held in Tashkent and Samarkand on August 24–28, 2026, an event titled “Islamic civilization and modern media: through the eyes of young journalists” was organized.

The event, jointly organized by the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan and the University of Journalism and Mass Communications of Uzbekistan, brought together local and international journalists, executives of leading media companies, representatives of news agencies, television channels, international publications and digital platforms, as well as young journalists.

As noted during the event, in today’s rapidly changing world, the demand for objective and timely information is growing sharply, as it is in all other spheres. This, in turn, requires journalists and media professionals to possess a high level of knowledge and master modern technologies. At a time when our country is entering a new stage of development and openness, transparency, and freedom of speech and expression are increasingly becoming integral principles of our society, this responsibility is becoming even greater.

The development of mass media, the quantitative and qualitative growth of state and non-state periodicals, television and radio studios, editorial and printing complexes, as well as the emergence of civil society institutions, advertising agencies, information services, media communications, and online journalism have created a need to train competitive journalists capable of working effectively in a new and evolving environment. Established with these very objectives in mind, the University of Journalism and Mass Communications of Uzbekistan is one of the country’s leading educational institutions for training qualified media professionals and enhancing the knowledge and professional skills of young journalists.

Today, in New Uzbekistan, it is of great importance to communicate to the wider public the essence of the large-scale and irreversible reforms being implemented under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and particularly to apply modern media technologies in presenting to the world the new scientific, cultural, educational, and technological initiatives of the Islamic Civilization Center, established at the initiative of the Head of State. In particular, making use of the capabilities of the University of Journalism and Mass Communications could yield positive results in promoting the heritage of Islamic civilization in the international media landscape while engaging the global community.

For this purpose, during the event, a Cooperation Agreement was signed between the Islamic Civilization Center and the University of Journalism and Mass Communications of Uzbekistan. The document provides for the implementation of a joint scientific and educational program for young journalists. It brings together educational activities, research, master classes, and media projects dedicated to the history, culture, and scholarly heritage of Uzbekistan.

In today’s world, it is increasingly important for journalists to have a thorough knowledge of the history of their homeland. Therefore, the Islamic Civilization Center and the University plan to jointly introduce a “Guide Journalism” course. It is important that this subject be incorporated into the core curriculum rather than offered as an extracurricular course.

Under the agreement, students studying national history, the history of culture and art, and travel journalism will be provided with opportunities to undertake professional internships at the Center, while specialized off-site classes relevant to their fields of study will be organized in a specially designated classroom. The agreement also provides for the systematic involvement of selected talented university students in the Center’s scientific, educational, and organizational activities; the development of the potential of young professionals who are proficient in foreign languages and capable of working at the international level; and the integration of education, practical training, and professional practice.

Under the agreement, a permanent special group of 50 talented, proactive, and responsible university students will be selected, and a dedicated training course will be established. The selected students will be trained under a special curriculum developed by specialists from the Islamic Civilization Center and the University. The training will take place in specially designated classrooms at the Islamic Civilization Center. The program will prioritize the study of foreign languages, including Arabic, English, French, German, and others. Candidates will therefore be selected based on their level of foreign-language proficiency. The 50 selected students are also expected to receive a special scholarship from the Islamic Civilization Center, with their talent, discipline, and eagerness to learn taken into consideration.

In short, the cooperation will provide students with opportunities to participate in the development of television, documentary, publishing, and digital projects, work with museum collections and historical sources, and learn from the experience of leading representatives of the national and international media community.

As part of the event, Firdavs Abdukhalikov, Director of the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan, was awarded the title of Honorary Professor of the University of Journalism and Mass Communications of Uzbekistan.

It should be noted that the event was held as part of the “Islamic Civilization: New Perspective — New Discoveries” International Media Forum, taking place in Tashkent and Samarkand from August 24 to 28.

The Forum brings together 300 representatives of the media and expert community from nearly 50 countries. The main venue of the Forum is the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan.