The Uzbekistan Governance Change Academy Network (GCAN) for universities
The GCAN is a community of practice in Uzbekistan Higher Education.
It is part of a wider British Council Programme working with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovations of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Its primary focus is to:
- support the development of good governance in Uzbekistan universities
- build capacity and capability in preparation to implement a code of governance in higher education and to share good practice in relation to the principles of a code of governance.
Ultimately a Code of Governance in higher education will contribute to systemic and sustainable development and support the Ministry’s strategy to realise its internationalisation ambitions.
From October 2025 to April 2026 the GCAN will be supported by Advance-HE.
1. Principles of the GCAN
Systemic, sustainable change happens through committed networks of people connected in a learning environment by a singular purpose and goals, each working semi-autonomously within their own context, with their teams and governing bodies.
Change must be strategic, cultural and operational meaning evolving systems, structures and processes that enable and support the new position and enabling people changing behaviours, attitudes and practices.
Participants of GCAN are responsible for their own learning and development and it is expected that participants will be proactive in sharing and learning.
2. GCAN Aims and commitments
The aim of the G-Can is to enable a group of Uzbek universities to harness their autonomy with confidence and appropriate leadership, governance and management capabilities.
This focused initiative is not training; it is experiential learning and development to:
- provide mechanisms for positive change in governance practices which will test and enable a future, university-wide code of governance
- explore if and how other national governance practices might be relevant to the Uzbek context
- facilitate shared learning and growth in an established future community of practice for good governance.
Participants commit to:
- sharing the learning and development discussed in the GCAN at their institutions and feeding back to group their experiences
- attending the following:
- Online facilitated workshop: 11 December 2025, 14.30–15.30
- Online facilitated workshop: 23 January 2026, 14.30–15.30
- Face-to-face workshop in Tashkent on either 25, 26 or 27 February 2026 (final date and time to be confirmed).
3. GCAN Structure
The GCAN is for senior leaders at universities who are responsible for working with the Board of Independent Governors.
- Rector
- Vice Rector
- Head of Department
- Head of Quality Assurance Department
- Head of anti-corruption management
- Dean
A maximum of three employees from each higher education institution can participate.
The GCAN Network can communicate as whole group through two mechanisms:
- A telegram group arranged by the British Council, for short messages, information and arrangements.
- An online community platform called ‘Connect’ arranged by Advance HE to be used for longer messages and sharing of resources.
In the next six months the group will be offered support:
- Two short online facilitated sessions. The group will engage in agreeing the topics for discussion and if participants join, they will be expected to prepare and engage in discussions.
- One face-to-face session in March 2026 for an immersive development workshop. Only those who have actively participated in the group and joined the online sessions will be invited to the face-to-face workshop.
4. Benefits of being part of the group
The G-CAN will position participants to better leverage their autonomy with enhanced confidence and relevant capability, (leadership, governance, management) as governance develops across all universities.
Participants will co-create shared learning and good practice examples and better support their university in preparing for change in the future.
Participants will continue to explore good practice for use in future codes of governance.
5. Criteria to join
- Your university must have a Board (governing body), which has some decision-making responsibilities – https://tsuos.uz/kengashlar.
- The Board (governing body) must have a majority of independent members. Board members who do not work for the university but sit on the Board of the University.
- If you are not an official autonomous university you need to provide a document stating the responsibilities of your Board.
If you have any additional questions, please contact Indira Ikhlasova at Indira.Ikhlasova@britishcouncil.org.
Uzbekistan governance development for universities 2025/26
As part of a wider British Council Programme working with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovations of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the British Council is accepting applications for the following pilot projects which aim to support the development of good governance in Uzbekistan universities.
- Project 1: To develop and pilot a new induction programme for university governors/board members.
- Project 2: To support the creation of a new senior role in Universities – Secretary to the Board, through a pilot induction programme.
Both projects will be designed to support capability building in universities and based on the principles of working to a code of governance in higher education. This will contribute to systemic and sustainable development and support the Ministry’s strategy to realise its internationalisation ambitions.
Both pilot projects will run from November 2025 to March 2026 and will be supported by Advance-HE.
The project will aim to build the capacity, capability and confidence needed to implement a future code of governance, creating a more autonomous sector within a regulatory framework.
1. Principles of the programmes
Systemic, sustainable change happens through a committed network of people connected in a learning environment by a singular purpose and goals, each working semi-autonomously within their own context, with their teams and governing bodies.
Change must be strategic, cultural and operational meaning evolving systems, structures and processes that enable and support transformation, enabling people changing behaviours, attitudes and practices.
Participants of the pilot groups will be required to engage with the project and to commit to testing and trialling aspects of it in their own universities. This could involve working differently or it could involve conversations with colleagues to stimulate thinking, get feedback and socialise the concepts developed through the programme.
Participants will also be required to engage in feedback at the end of the programme so that an evidence base can be offered to the Ministry to help determine next steps.
2.1 Project 1 – Aims and criteria to participate – Governor Development Pilot Programme
This programme is aimed at supporting the independent members of the Board (governing body) to govern more autonomously. The pilot programme will need to consider the relationship between the independent board members and the Rector. Therefore, we invite two participants from each university – an independent governor whose is from an industry background and the Rector to engage in the pilot programme.
We are seeking 12 to 15 universities to participate, and they can include any university who has been engaged in the Working Group of Rectors developing the draft code of governance or any university involved in the Governance Change Academy Network (GCAN).
2.2 Project 2 – Aims and criteria to participate – Creation of a new senior role in Universities – Secretary to the Board
This programme is based on good international governance practice and is aimed at creating a senior role in universities responsible for supporting the Board in strategic oversight and decision making and facilitating more autonomous Boards.
The pilot programme will look to establish the cast for such a role and the participants will need to be currently working in the university at a senior level with exposure to the governing body. They will need to understand the cultural and regulatory requirements of a university at a senior level.
We invite one participant from each university – a senior executive who currently engages with the Board (governing body) to join the pilot programme. This is open to any university which has been engaged in the Working Group of Rectors developing the draft code of governance or any university involved in the Governance Change Academy Network (GCAN).
3. Pilot programme commitments
For both programmes there will be an online session in December and January. This will discuss elements of the pilot programmes. All participants will need to prepare for these sessions, engage in them online and undertake follow up.
There will also be a face-to-face session for both programmes in February which all participants will be required to attend. All dates are below for information.
4. Benefits of being part of the group
These pilot projects will position participants to prepare for a future code of governance in higher education and to provide valuable feedback to the Ministry to inform future developments.
Participants will co-create shared learning and good practice examples and better support their university in preparing for change in the future.
5. Criteria to join
- Your university must have a Board (governing body), which has some decision-making responsibilities – https://tsuos.uz/kengashlar.
- The Board (governing body) must have a majority of independent members. Board members who do not work for the university but sit on the Board of the University.
- If you are not an official autonomous university, you need to provide a document stating the responsibilities of your Board.
6. To apply for one or both of the pilot projects you need to:
- Confirm that your university meets the criteria above.
- Provide the names and titles of the nominated participants and – in the case of the Governor –please provide information about how long they have been a governor on your Board and what their role is outside of the university.
- Confirm that all participants can commit to the requirements outlined in section 3 above.
- Ideally participants of both programmes will be able to speak English, but this is desirable not essential.
December 2025 online session
- Pilot Group Governors workshop: 16 December 2025, 15.00–16.30
- Pilot Group University Secretaries workshop: 18 December 2025, 15.00–16.30
January 2026 online session
- Pilot Group University Secretaries workshop: 29 January 2026, 15.15–16.45
- Pilot Group Governors workshop: 30 January 2026, 15.15–16.45
Final face-to-face workshops and pilot programme: 26–27 February 2026
If you have any additional questions, please contact Indira Ikhlasova at Indira.Ikhlasova@britishcouncil.org.