Israeli delegation led by HIT participated in the unique STEMM conference in Uzbekistan

 

Israeli delegation led by Prof. Eduard Yakubov President of HIT Holon Institute of Technology participated in the STEMM Science conference in Uzbekistan.

 

A remarkable, inaugural collaboration took place last week between executives from Israel’s HIT Holon Institute of Technology, senior government officials and academic leaders from Uzbekistan. The STEMM Science conference (Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine) was held in Uzbekistan on May 13-17, 2019 in three locations: Tashkent, Bukhara and Samarkand, with additional events being held in continuation to previous mutual agreements and projects developed by the Institute and governmental agencies in Uzbekistan.

 

 

The conference, initiated by HIT’s President Prof. Eduard Yakubov, included representatives from the National University of Uzbekistan (NUUz), the Samarkand State University (SSU), the Bukhara State University (BSU), the Bukhara Engineering Technological Institute (BETI) and the Israeli humanitarian organization ‘Eye From Zion’ – a volunteer-based medical organization that provided eye care and treatments to the local community.

 

The purpose of the conference was to bring together scientists and experts from different scientific fields to present their latest innovations and encourage collaboration in these areas. During the five days of the conference talks were given and discussions held on the following topics: Instructional Technologies, Medicine and Data Science, Industrial Mathematics, Nanotechnology, Complex Analysis and current scientific problems. The conference addressed recent challenges in the various STEMM disciplines and was attended by ministers, parliament members, industry representatives, start-ups involved in Big Data applications, and organizations dedicated to Digital Health, E-commerce, Instructional Technologies, Product Specification and more. This unique multi-disciplinary conference represents our era’s necessary and crucial links between an industry characterized by innovative technological horizons and academic and practical research.

 

Members of the Steering Committee:
Prof. Eduard Yakubov – HIT President
Prof. Adir Pridor – Chairman of HIT Executive Committee
Prof. Avazjon Marakhimov – Rector of the National University of Uzbekistan
Prof. Rustam Khalmuradov – Rector of the Samarkand State University
DSc. Obidjon Khamidov – Rector of the Bukhara State University
Prof. Nusratilla Barakaev Rajabovich – Rector of the Bukhara Engineering and Technology Institute

 

For updated information about the conference: www.hit.ac.il/sites/stemm/about

 

 

From right to left: Prof. Avazjon Marakhimov – Rector of the National University of Uzbekistan, Mr. Samuel Goldberg – HIT CEO,  Prof. Eduard Yakubov – HIT President, Mr. Sarvarkhon Bozrukkhonov – Deputy Minister of Higher Education in Uzbekistan, and Mr. Edward Shapira – Ambassador of Israel to Uzbekistan.
Photograph taken at the National University of Uzbekistan before the opening of the STEMM conference in Tashkent on 16 May, 2019.

 

 

On Sunday May 12, upon arrival of the Israeli delegation, a meeting was held at the Ministry of Innovative Development of Uzbekistan with Minister Dr. Ibrokhim Abdurakhmonov. The meeting was held further to a Strategic agreement signed in November 2018 between HIT and the Ministry.

 

The second and third days of the conference – May 13-14, held at Bukhara State University (BSU), focused on technology, learning and design. Prof. Gila Kurtz and Dr. Dan Kohen-Vacs, both faculty members at HIT’s Faculty of Instructional Technologies, talked about future Instructional technologies. Dr. Yael Eylat Van-Essen from HIT’s Faculty of Design discussed technology and design. In parallel to the conference the university hosted a group of high-achieving children who won first prizes at important international Mathematics and Physics Olympiads.

 

The following agreements were signed in the presence of Bukhara’s Deputy Governor Mr. Jamul Nasirov:

• An MoU and an addendum on faculty and student exchanges with DSc. Obidjon Khamidov - Rector of the Bukhara State University
• An MoU with Prof. Nusratilla Barakaev Rajabovich - Rector of the Bukhara Engineering and Technology Institute
• An MoU with Director Dr. Nusserath Morodov from the Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agriculture, Bukhara branch

 

 

HIT President Prof. Eduard Yakubov, HIT CEO Mr. Samuel Goldberg and founder of WaterGen Co.
Mr. Michael Rutman, visited the Bukhara Orphanage. During this very emotional visit, Mr. Rutman donated an innovative device developed by the company, which converts air into water and Prof. Eduard Yakubov donated five full HIT scholarships for the orphans.

 

The delegation's visit at the Bukhara Orphanage

 

Prof. Eduard Yakubov also met with Deputy Governor Mr. Jamul Nasirov and the Mayor of Bukhara
Mr. Karim Kamolov. During the meeting a declaration of intent was presented on behalf of Mr. Moti Sasson, Mayor of the city of Holon, Israel, towards the future signing of a twin cities agreement.

 

On May 14-15 the conference continued at the Samarkand State University with two main panels. The first, focusing on medicine, attracted 200 physicians and Ministry of Health officials. It was led by Mr. Nati Marcus from “Eye From Zion” in a special collaboration with Dr. Refael Barkan, Head of Research, Innovation and International Ventures Authority, HIT. The second panel, led by Dr. Arriel Benis, dealt with Data Science and was attended by representatives from the USA and Samarkand.

 

Prof. Avazjon Marakhimov – Rector of the National University of Uzbekistan and Prof. Eduard Yakubov President of HIT

 

On May 15, the conference, led by Prof. Adir Pridor - Chairman of HIT’s Executive Committee and attended by the Mayor of Samarkand Mr. Furkat Rakhimov, University Rectors and HIT’s President Prof. Eduard Yakubov, focused on Applied Mathematics, Nanotechnology and Instructional Technologies. In addition to the conference, the Rector of the University hosted a meeting at the Academy of Medicine with Prof. Eduard Yakubov and Mrs. Tony Levy, during which  additional future collaboration was discussed.

 

The center of attention was without a doubt, the delegation of Israeli ophthalmologists organized by the “Eye From Zion” organization, who came in order to provide eye treatments to the local population. Throughout the week delegation members performed dozens of operations and eye treatments on local residents. It was very exciting and many tears of happiness were shed by the doctors – both Israeli and local, the patients, their family members and the local team.

 

On the 16^th and 17^th of May the STEMM conference was adjourned, in the presence of The Israeli Ambassador to Uzbekistan Mr. Edward Shapira, Uzbekistan’s Deputy Minister of Higher Education Mr. Sarvarkhon Bozrukkhonov and HIT President Prof. Eduard Yakubov. To a crowded hall of 800 people, 10 panels were presented, covering all STEMM disciplines. A special panel led by Dr. Julia Levitskaya from the Uzbekistan Ministry of Innovation dealt with innovative biological technologies. Another central medical panel, held at the National Eye Health Center, was led by Dr. Yosefov and attended by senior physicians from the Ministry of Health.

 

Opening the conference in Tashkent

 

A high point of the events was Prof. Eduard Yakubov’s visit to the Center for Innovation and New Technologies located at the office building of the President of Uzbekistan. The Center was established in 2017 by the President of Uzbekistan Mr. Shavkat Mirziyoyev based on expertise and training received from HIT. During this important meeting that was held with Mr. Sherzod Yakubov, Director of the Academic Cooperation Unit, a road map was set for the continued collaboration with HIT and it was agreed that a delegation from the Center for Innovation will arrive in Israel for continued meetings in the near future.

 

 

 

Posted: 22/05/2019