Brief abstract of the project funded by the European Union Erasmus program “UzMedEn” “New master's program training course programs in the field of medical engineering in Uzbekistan”

Modernization of healthcare institutions through the introduction of high-tech diagnostic and treatment tools is one of the important ways for ensuring the quality of medical care for the population. From this point of view, the training of highly qualified medical and technical specialists undoubtedly plays an important role in ensuring the quality of adherence to medical technologies, public services and obtaining reliable results. Currently, the country's health care facilities continue to encounter an acute shortage of medical and technical specialists (medical/clinical engineer). Considering that more than 80% of all diagnostic and treatment and rehabilitation procedures are carried out with the help of medical devices and technologies, the issue of training personnel in this specialty in the country becomes more than relevant.
         Therefore, starting in 2023, the “UzMedEn”  project in a consortium of nine universities in Europe and Uzbekistan (Riga Technical University (Latvia), Vilnius Technical University (Lithuania), Andijan Machine-Building Institute, Andijan State Medical Institute, Bukhara State Medical Institute, Bukhara Engineering and Institute of Technology, Tashkent University of Information Technologies, Turin Polytechnic University, Tashkent Kimyo International University) launched a medical engineering program in Uzbekistan. The project will be implemented during 2023-2025.

MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT
Development and implementation of a master's program in medical engineering with the participation of partner universities, as well as assistance to medical diagnostic institutions in the management and use of high-tech medical equipment through the organization and conduct of advanced training courses.
EXPECTED RESULTS OF THE PROJECT:
• For the first time, a master's program in medical engineering will be introduced into the system of higher education in Uzbekistan. It will be developed by a working group in a consortium of leading specialists from the abovementioned nine universities, including foreign partner universities;
• The implementation of the master's program will be aimed at training specialists in the use and management of high-tech medical equipment and technologies (medical engineers);
• The project provides for the organization of short-term training courses on the basis of foreign partner universities, which will ensure the sustainability of investments in the healthcare system through the integration of high-tech medical equipment and the implementation of the Lifelong Learning program;
• One laboratory will be organized and equipped in seven universities of the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as three advanced training centers on the basis of universities in Andijan, Bukhara and Tashkent;
• Special advanced training courses and retraining of specialists will be organized on the basis of the above partner universities on the management and proper use of high-tech medical equipment;
• From the 2024-2025 academic year, the training of masters in medical engineering will begin at least in three higher educational institutions of the country, including medical universities;
• The program will be aimed at both bachelors with technical education (graduates of technical universities in the field of electronics, information technology, industrial process automation, metrology, mechanics, physics), and those who have a basic medical education (medical universities graduates with bachelor's degree in medical biology, preventive medicine). This principle of training specialists will also be implemented for the first time in the system of higher education of the Republic of Uzbekistan.