A branch of the National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute" is planned to open in Uzbekistan. It will be established on the basis of the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic. The plans were announced during a video conference between Tashkent and Moscow, organized by the Sputnik Uzbekistan press center and dedicated to the training of specialists for the nuclear industry.
In parallel, Kurchatov Institute laboratories will also appear at the Tashkent branch of MEPhI. According to Alexander Blagov, Vice President of the NRC "Kurchatov Institute", a common scientific heritage and similar educational approaches create favorable conditions for expanding cooperation, including the formation of a long-term strategy for scientific and technical interaction.
The Agency for Atomic Energy under the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan emphasized that nuclear energy is becoming one of the key industries. According to Davran Isanbekov, head of the relevant department, the demand for personnel is growing not only in nuclear technologies and energy, but also in related fields — IT, robotics and automation.
To date, the Tashkent branch of MEPhI has already trained 160 specialists. By 2030, the university plans to train more than 300 students in areas related to nuclear technology and energy. Practical training takes place at operating nuclear power plants, including the Novovoronezh NPP.
In addition, in February 2026, with the support of the "Uzatom" agency, the first winter school for schoolchildren will start at the branch. The university also operates an engineering school with an emphasis on practice and mentoring, which allows students to acquire applied skills that are in demand in industry and high-tech industries.