PRESS RELEASE

ACTIVITIES OF THE TAJIK STATE PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY NAMED AFTER SADRIDDIN AYNI IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2026

In the first half of 2026, the Rectorate of the Tajik State Pedagogical University named after Sadriddin Ayni carried out its activities in accordance with the instructions and directives of the Founder of Peace and National Unity – Leader of the Nation, President of the Republic of Tajikistan, His Excellency Emomali Rahmon, the resolutions of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, the decisions of the Board of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Tajikistan, and other regulatory legal acts, making consistent efforts to advance the University's educational, scientific, educational (student development), international, and financial and administrative activities.

During this period, the University's faculty members and staff carried out substantial work to implement the strategic objectives of the national education system, improve the quality of education, and strengthen the University's position as a leading institution for the preparation of highly qualified teaching professionals.

During the reporting period, the University organized its educational activities in accordance with the requirements of the State Educational Standards. Necessary measures were implemented to improve the quality of education, introduce modern teaching methods, and enhance the professional competencies of academic staff.

- Currently, the University has 17,902 students (including 13,318 female students), of whom 6,048 (2,913 female students) are enrolled in full-time programs and 11,854 (10,405 female students) in part-time programs.

- Overall, the University educates approximately 19,000 students, including around 6,000 full-time and 13,000 part-time students.

- Academic programs are offered in 93 specialties.

- The University consists of 14 faculties and 63 departments.

- The number of Russian-language academic groups increased from 34 to 54.

- During the reporting period, faculty members produced 1,459 video lectures, which is 464 more than during the corresponding period of the previous year (995), demonstrating the continued digitalization of the educational process.

- During this period, 13 new specialties were introduced for full-time study and 8 new specialties for part-time study. Admission of applicants to these programs is currently underway.

- As part of the University's structural reforms, the Faculty of English and Oriental Languages was divided into two independent faculties: the Faculty of English and the Faculty of Chinese and Korean Languages.

- During the reporting period, 780 third- and fourth-year students were assigned to various educational institutions to undertake their teaching practicum.

- In the 2025–2026 academic year, final state examinations for a number of specialties were conducted on a pilot basis through the National Testing Center system.

- This year, 744 graduates of teacher education programs were assigned to cities and districts across the country to complete their extended pedagogical internship.

- In 2026, 72 graduates completed their studies with honors, including 32 bachelor's degree graduates and 40 master's degree graduates. In comparison, 36 graduates received honors diplomas in the previous year, including 16 bachelor's and 20 master's graduates.

- The number of recipients of the Presidential Scholarship increased from 6 to 10.

- During the first half of 2026, students of the University's Lyceum won 26 prizes at national and international competitions and Olympiads, representing an increase of 11 awards compared with the corresponding period of the previous year (15).

One of the University's principal priorities is the development of science and research and the strengthening of the research capacity of its academic staff.

- The proportion of academic staff holding scientific degrees and academic titles increased to 52.5% during the first half of 2026, representing a 2.5 percentage-point increase compared with the same period of the previous year.

- The number of holders of doctoral and candidate degrees increased from 315 to 336, an increase of 21.

- During the first six months of the current year, the University's faculty members and researchers successfully defended 26 dissertations, including 8 Doctor of Science dissertations, 9 Candidate of Science dissertations, and 9 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) dissertations, which is 12 more than during the corresponding period of 2025.

- University researchers established four new Dissertation Councils in the fields of History, Linguistics, Chemistry, and Geography, bringing the total number of Dissertation Councils to eight. At the same time, preparatory work is underway to establish two additional Dissertation Councils in the fields of Philosophy and Methodology of Language and Literature Teaching.

- During the reporting period, the University's researchers published 37 monographs, which is 13 more than during the corresponding period of the previous year (24).

- A total of 33 textbooks were published during the reporting period, including 10 in the fields of natural sciences, exact sciences, and mathematics. Compared with the same period of the previous year, this represents an increase of 5 textbooks, including 2 in the exact sciences.

- The University's publishing activities also demonstrated significant growth. The total number of scientific and scientific-methodological publications increased from 1,156 to 1,351, representing an increase of 195 publications. These included: popular science articles: from 260 to 342; articles published in Web of Science and Scopus indexed journals: from 6 to 10; articles published in peer-reviewed journals recognized by the Higher Attestation Commissions of the Republic of Tajikistan and the Russian Federation: from 416 to 478; articles published in journals indexed in the Russian Science Citation Index (RSCI): from 113 to 125; articles published in the journal Bulletin of the Pedagogical University: from 347 to 362; methodological articles: from 14 to 34.

- Currently, the University is implementing four scientific research projects and one Presidential Grant, for a total of five research projects.

- The University actively participated in national and international competitions. During the reporting period, two faculty members were awarded the title "Scientist of the Year", while one student received the title "Master's Student of the Year". In addition, 21 participants qualified for the city stage of the national competition "Knowledge Begins with Reading Books," 17 participants qualified for "Science – the Light of Enlightenment," 5 participants for "Tajikistan – My Beloved Homeland," and 7 participants for the competition "Whoever Reads the Shahnameh…" At the national competition for the Rector's Cup of the International University of Tourism and Entrepreneurship of Tajikistan, representatives of the University won first and second places. The University's students also achieved outstanding results in the National Academic Olympiad, winning prizes in 14 academic subjects. In addition, one student won third place in the national competition "Youth Against Corruption."

- During the reporting period, the University organized 591 scientific events, which is 63 more than during the corresponding period of the previous year. These included: 9 international conferences; 11 national conferences; 17 university conferences; 181 scientific seminars; 120 round-table discussions; 272 departmental research clubs; 3 meetings of the "Best Reader of the Works of the Leader of the Nation" club; 3 Shahnameh Reading club meetings; 5 Wisdom club meetings.

- During the reporting period, the University's Center for Professional Development and Staff Retraining organized and conducted professional development and retraining courses for 241 faculty members and staff from nine higher education institutions and secondary vocational education institutions across the country.

The University also organized a wide range of activities aimed at fostering patriotism, national identity, and respect for cultural values among young people.

- In the first half of 2026, in accordance with its annual work plan, the University's Department of Student Affairs organized and conducted more than 450 events at the national, city, district, and university levels dedicated to national holidays and significant historical dates.

- To ensure the implementation and monitoring of the Laws of the Republic of Tajikistan "On Responsibility for the Education and Upbringing of Children" and "On the Regulation of Traditions, Celebrations and Ceremonies in the Republic of Tajikistan," the University conducted 47 open educational sessions and 100 meetings and discussions with students' parents.

The University considers international cooperation to be one of the key priorities of its strategic development and continues to expand its partnerships with higher education institutions around the world.

- As part of its efforts to participate in two of the world's most prestigious university rankings—QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) and Times Higher Education World University Rankings—the University has systematically undertaken the necessary preparatory work and documentation procedures.

- The Tajik State Pedagogical University named after Sadriddin Aini has been officially registered as a research institution in the international scientific database Scopus (Elsevier).

- To promote foreign language education, the University established cooperation with the British Effecta program, through which more than 50 faculty members and over 500 students have been engaged in English language training.

- Within the framework of academic mobility programs, 26 students were sent to pursue studies at higher education institutions in Belarus, the Republic of Korea, and Kazakhstan.

- In addition, two faculty members completed professional development programs in Russia and Germany, while 16 faculty members participated in international conferences and other academic events through official visits to the United Kingdom, France, Russia, India, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, the Republic of Korea, China, and Uzbekistan.

- The University currently enrolls 350 international students across all levels of study. They represent eight countries: Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, Russia, China, and the Republic of Korea.

- To improve the social welfare of faculty members, the University has undertaken a number of important initiatives. Construction has commenced on a 15-story residential building comprising 140 apartments designated for members of the University's academic staff.

Conclusion. During the first half of 2026, the Tajik State Pedagogical University named after Sadriddin Ayni continued its activities with a high sense of responsibility, consistently pursuing the development of the national education system, preparing highly qualified teachers capable of meeting contemporary educational demands, and strengthening its position as one of the country's leading higher education institutions. Through the successful implementation of its educational, research, student development, and international initiatives, the University has made substantial progress toward enhancing the quality of higher education and the preparation of highly qualified specialists.