The Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan Investment Company (AUIC) took part in the graduation ceremony for the first master’s degree cohort of the American University of Technology (AUT). Held on the university’s campus in Tashkent, the event also featured the inauguration of AUT’s new rector, Professor Victoria Fontan, who succeeds the university’s founding rector, Professor Said Irandoust.
AUT was established in 2024 by a decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and operates in partnership with Arizona State University (ASU) and Cintana Education. Notably, several graduates completed a dual-degree programme and received qualifications from both AUT and ASU — a university that has been recognised by U.S. News & World Report as the most innovative university in the United States for the eleventh consecutive year.
In 2025, AUIC invested USD 2 million in AUT’s equity, with the funds directed towards developing the university’s infrastructure and strengthening its facilities and technical resources.
“Higher education is a long-term asset. AUT’s first master’s degree cohort demonstrates that this investment is delivering tangible results: the university is preparing specialists whose skills are in demand in the labour market and building an academic environment aligned with international standards. For AUIC, this is a contribution to the institutional development of Uzbekistan’s education system,” said Nazim Hajiyev, Chief Executive Officer of AUIC.
AUIC views its participation in the project as a means of facilitating the transfer of educational and management practices, supporting international academic cooperation and strengthening Uzbekistan’s human capital.
