Tashkent Opens Center for Gerontology and Longevity

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — A Center for Gerontology and Longevity has been opened in Tashkent at the Tashkent branch of the Russian State Pedagogical University named after A. I. Herzen. The center is focused on developing and implementing educational and social programs aimed at improving the quality of life of older people.

The initiative was established with the support of the National Agency for Social Protection under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and on the initiative of the university rector Sergey Tarasov.

According to the university leadership, the development of systematic support for the elderly is a key priority of social policy. The university has been conducting research in this field since 2019, involving more than ten scientific and educational units.

Within the university structure, an institute for the development of information and educational technologies in gerontology is operating. A specialized fund of materials and publications has been formed, and joint research projects are being implemented with leading scientific centers in Saint Petersburg.

The establishment of the center in Tashkent is expected to strengthen the branch’s role as a modern educational hub focused on training qualified specialists and expanding international humanitarian cooperation, particularly in the field of active aging.

The university also announced plans to expand its academic programs. In the 2026–2027 academic year, new bachelor’s programs will include technological education, foreign languages, adaptive sports, computer science, artificial intelligence in education, and public relations and advertising.

Master’s programs will be expanded to include adaptive sports, psycho-pedagogical rehabilitation for people with disabilities, education for individuals with hearing and speech impairments, teaching Russian as a foreign language, and education quality management.

The Tashkent branch of the Russian State Pedagogical University, established in 2020, currently hosts around 1,000 students enrolled in bachelor’s and master’s programs.

In 2025, a coordinating academic and methodological center began operations, and in 2026 a new academic building is planned to open, with capacity for up to 2,000 students.

The branch has also been designated as the leading institution in Uzbekistan for training specialists in adaptive and inclusive sports.