A postgraduate student of the Biology Faculty at Saratov State University (SSU), Nipesmyrat Gylychov, originally from Turkmenistan, has won the international competition “Best Student of the CIS,” according to the news agency Orient. More than two thousand students from various CIS countries took part in the contest, competing in science, arts, sports, and social activities. The project is organized by the “Parasat” and “Zhana Kazakhstan” centers and is aimed at supporting talented and active young people. Gylychov’s victory continues his academic track record: he graduated with honors from both his bachelor’s and master’s programs at SSU, and previously received the title “Foreign Student of the Year” at the regional level. He is currently engaged in research, publishes in academic journals, is a co-author of three textbooks, and combines his postgraduate studies with teaching biology at a school whose students regularly win prizes at academic Olympiads.
On June 16, the International University for the Humanities and Development began accepting applications for study at higher education institutions in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China under bachelor’s degree programs for the 2026–2027 academic year. This was reported by the news agency “Turkmenistan: Golden Age”. Citizens of Turkmenistan aged 18 to 25 who have completed general secondary or secondary vocational education and possess English language proficiency are eligible to participate. Information on the list of specialties, number of available places, and study conditions is provided by the admissions committee. The list of required documents is available on the official website of the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan. Documents must be translated into English. If necessary, the admissions committee may request additional information about applicants. Preference in the selection process is given to candidates with SAT, TOEFL, IELTS, and HSK certificates, as well as winners and participants of international and national subject Olympiads. The application period will run until June 21. On June 23, the International University for the Humanities and Development will hold a selection interview for candidates who show high results. The interview will cover general education subjects.
The priorities of scientific and technological development in Russia and Turkmenistan largely coincide, creating a solid foundation for expanding cooperation between scientists of the two countries. This was stated by Vice President of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), Academician Viktor Rudenko, at the conference “Science, Technology and Innovative Technologies in the Era of the Revival of a New Epoch of a Powerful State” held in Ashgabat, according to the news portal Turkmenportal. According to him, this alignment opens opportunities for cooperation across virtually all key areas of science and directs joint efforts toward applied and breakthrough results. He noted that recent years have seen a growing emphasis on the practical application of scientific developments. The institutional framework for cooperation is provided by the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan. In 2024, the Technology Center of the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan was granted the status of an international scientific and technological park. Rudenko also emphasized that global science is currently experiencing a new technological revolution driven by advances in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, nanotechnology, digitalization, and green energy. In his assessment, these processes are shaping a new technological paradigm based on human capital. The conference was held in Ashgabat in a hybrid format and was dedicated to Turkmenistan’s Science Day, bringing together representatives of scientific organizations from several countries.
Students from higher education institutions of Turkmenistan achieved strong results at the “Lomonosov–2026” Universiade in linguistics, regional studies, and cultural studies, organized by Lomonosov Moscow State University, according to the information agency “Turkmenistan: Golden Age”. In the “Linguistics” category, representatives of Turkmenistan won 11 prize places, including 3 first places and 8 second places. First places were awarded to Guncha Musaeva (3rd year, Turkmen National Institute of World Languages named after Dovletmammet Azadi), Yaran Khudaiberdyev (1st year master’s student, Turkmen Agricultural University named after S. A. Niyazov), and Leyli Romanova (3rd year, Turkmen State Pedagogical Institute named after Seyitnazar Seydi). Second places were awarded to students of the Turkmen National Institute of World Languages named after D. Azadi — Aymaral Dzhumabaeva (3rd year), Leyli Durdiyeva (2nd year), Kristina Semenova (3rd year), as well as students of Turkmen State University named after Magtymguly — Mukhammet Nurmammedov (1st year), Lale Rzaguliyeva (4th year), Zuleikha Orazova (4th year), and Byagul Orazmuradova (3rd year). A prize position was also taken by Kamila Khudaybergenova, a 4th-year student of the State Medical University of Turkmenistan named after M. Garryev. The competition was held in two stages: in the correspondence round, participants submitted abstracts of linguistic research, while the in-person round took place in Moscow and included foreign language tasks. The Turkmenistan team in the final consisted of 29 students from five universities. The team leaders were lecturer Maiysa Ataeva from the D. Azadi Turkmen National Institute of World Languages and lecturer Jennet Shamyyeva from Turkmen State University named after Magtymguly. Turkmen students have participated in the “Linguistics” category of the “Lomonosov” Universiade for the fourth time and have consistently demonstrated strong results.
Professional development courses were completed at Makhtumkuli Turkmen State University (TSU) under the English Language Specialist (ELS) program with the support of the U.S. Embassy in Turkmenistan, the IIC reports. The project aimed to promote the exchange of experience in English language teaching and the integration of modern digital technologies into the educational process. The training was conducted in two stages: first for university instructors and then for students. The sessions were led by Brent Anthony Andre, an ELS program expert from the American University of Armenia, allowing the course content to be tailored to different audiences and enhancing its practical value. The program focused on the use of artificial intelligence in education, the development of academic writing and international communication skills, as well as the application of online platforms for independent learning. Upon completion of the courses, participants received certificates. The program served as further evidence of the university’s growing international cooperation and its commitment to improving the quality of specialist training.
Turkmen school students will participate in the cultural and educational project “Train of Memory.” This was reported by the Russian Ambassador to Turkmenistan, Ivan Volynkin, in an article published in the newspaper Neutral Turkmenistan on the occasion of Russia Day, according to the news website Turkmenportal. According to the diplomat, the project will involve school students from 18 countries, including Turkmenistan. The two-week journey to sites of military glory from the times of the Great Patriotic War will begin on the eve of the 85th anniversary of its outbreak. The “Train of Memory” project was initiated by the heads of the upper chambers of the parliaments of Russia and Belarus. Its goal is to preserve the historical memory of the heroism of wartime generations, develop youth dialogue, and introduce participants to the culture and traditions of different countries. This year, the route will cover eight cities in Belarus and five cities in Russia. Tenth-grade students will take part in the project.
On June 10, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to Pakistan, Atajan Movlamov, visited the National University of Modern Languages and held a meeting with the university’s leadership. This was reported by the press service of the Turkmen diplomatic mission. The two sides discussed the current state and prospects of cooperation in the fields of education, science, and culture, with particular attention paid to the expansion of academic ties and joint projects. The importance of educational and cultural exchanges for strengthening mutual understanding between countries was emphasized, as well as the development of language training and scientific cooperation. Following the meeting, both sides confirmed their intention to develop partnerships between educational institutions of Turkmenistan and Pakistan.
The final stage of the international ICT contest Huawei ICT Competition 2025–2026 Global Final was held in Shenzhen, China. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan. Turkmenistan was represented in the Practical Competition – Network Track by Shirmuhammet Vepayev, Chief Specialist for Digital Systems and Information Security at the Ministry of Education; Arslan Italmazov, a student of the Institute of Telecommunications and Informatics; and Yagshygeldi Kakayev International University of Oil and Gas students Yslam Hayytmuhammedov and Gurban Orazmammedov. More than 1.18 million participants from over 2,000 universities and more than 100 countries took part in the Huawei ICT Competition 2025–2026 Global Final. The final stage was preceded by national and regional qualifying rounds, after which 500 participants from more than 40 countries advanced to Shenzhen, forming 170 teams. The final competition included an eight-hour practical challenge focused on enterprise network design and defense, routing configuration, and network troubleshooting. As a result, the Turkmen team secured third place in its category at the global final.
On June 10, 2026, the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Georgia, D. Seyitmammedov, held a meeting with the Minister of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia, G. Mikandadze. This was reported by the news agency “Turkmenistan: Golden Age”. The parties discussed issues of bilateral cooperation in the fields of education, science, and youth policy. Special attention was given to improving the legal and regulatory framework governing interaction between the two countries in the scientific and educational sphere. The prospects for developing academic mobility, expanding exchanges of students and teaching staff, as well as implementing joint educational programs were also considered. Strengthening inter-university cooperation and introducing advanced practices in personnel training were discussed. Following the meeting, the parties confirmed their interest in further developing scientific cooperation and their readiness to support new initiatives in this area.
An international educational seminar has begun in Ashgabat within the framework of the ERASMUS+ programme under the ESGCA project, aimed at introducing environmental and social governance standards into the higher education system. This was reported by the IIC. The official opening ceremony took place at the Yagshygeldi Kakayev International University of Oil and Gas. Representatives of the university administration delivered welcoming remarks, along with the rector of the University of Genoa (Italy), who joined the ceremony online. On the first day, participants attended lectures by university professors dedicated to the key principles and approaches of the ESG concept. In the evening, a delegation of Italian professors arrived at Ashgabat International Airport. The guests were welcomed by representatives of the Turkmen university and escorted to the “Sport” hotel. The working programme of the foreign specialists in Ashgabat will last for one week.
On June 8, a meeting was held at the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan between Deputy Minister of Education Azat Ataev and a U.S. delegation led by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Sarah Rogers. The information was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan. The parties discussed prospects for expanding cooperation in the field of education, with particular attention given to strengthening inter-university ties, promoting academic mobility, improving English language teaching, and introducing digital technologies into specialist training. It was noted that cooperation is being carried out on a systematic basis within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2023 and the jointly developed Roadmap. The Turkmen side provided information on ongoing reforms in the education system, including the implementation of the Higher Education Development Strategy through 2052, international accreditation of universities, digitalization of the sector, and the strengthening of links between education, science, and industry. The American delegation positively assessed the progress of bilateral cooperation and proposed expanding joint projects, including through partnerships with Kent State University, the FLEX program, and the network of alumni of U.S. educational programs. Turkmenistan confirmed its interest in further cooperation with American organizations in the areas of accreditation, educational quality assessment, educational analytics, and international testing systems, as well as collaboration with digital platforms, including Coursera and OpenAI. Following the talks, the parties agreed to update the joint Roadmap by incorporating new areas related to digital ecosystems, artificial intelligence technologies, international accreditation, and the development of university partnerships. It was emphasized that the experience gained and the existing cooperation mechanisms create favorable conditions for elevating Turkmen-American cooperation in education to a new qualitative level.
A ceremony for the transfer of books took place at the S.A. Niyazov Turkmen Agricultural University as part of the “Read Japan” project of The Nippon Foundation. This was reported by the publication “Turkmenistan: Golden Age”. The event was attended by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Turkmenistan, Hiroshi Sasaki, as well as representatives of the diplomatic mission. The university received educational, scientific, and fiction publications dedicated to science, environmental protection, sustainable development, clean energy, and green technologies. The new collection also includes books on Japanese culture, art, language, and literature, as well as dictionaries. During the visit, the Japanese delegation became acquainted with the university’s activities, its educational programs, and scientific work. The two sides discussed prospects for further cooperation and the implementation of joint projects. It was noted that the “Read Japan” project contributes to the development of cultural and educational ties and strengthens cooperation between Turkmenistan and Japan in the fields of science and education.