Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Uzbekistan office hosted a two-day Knowledge Exchange Program focused on gender and development at two institutes in Namangan on 29 and 30 April 2025.

The first session took place at Namangan State Pedagogical Institute (NamDPI), followed by a second at Namangan State Institute of Foreign Languages named after Is'hoqxon Ibrat (NSIFL). Both seminars centered around the theme "Women's Rights and Career Development," attracting strong interest from students.

Leading the sessions was Ms. Iroda Malikova, Secretary of the KOICA Alumni Association and a graduate of Yonsei University, where she earned her master’s degree in Gender and Rural Community Development. Drawing from her academic journey in Korea, Ms. Malikova spoke on the historical progress of the women's rights movement and emphasized the importance of striving for a more equal society.

More than 200 students participated across the two events, engaging actively with the subject matter. KOICA Uzbekistan Alumni expressed hopes that such outreach efforts would help extend knowledge-sharing initiatives beyond Tashkent into regional areas.

The KOICA Knowledge Exchange Program allows alumni of Korean training programs to return to Uzbekistan and share their expertise with local communities. Since 1992, over 2,600 Uzbek public officials and professionals have benefited from KOICA CIAT (Capacity Improvement and Advancement for Tomorrow) program. This initiative remains a cornerstone in enhancing bilateral relations between Korea and Uzbekistan through capacity-building and knowledge sharing.