October 27, 2008
Economics:
Future of investment policy
Building a home in an hour
Demonopolization Committee studies 696 goods & service markets
International conference “Innovation-2008” starts
Society:
National model of inclusive education
New technologies – practical result
Cardiologists and neuropathologists work together
ECONOMY
FUTURE OF INVESTMENT POLICY
President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov has signed a resolution “On investment program of the Republic of Uzbekistan for 2009”, Uzbekistan Today reported.
The document focuses on further development of favorable investment climate in Uzbekistan, intensification of investment activities, attraction and effective utilization of direct foreign investments for the implementation of programs on modernization, technical and technological re-equipment of leading industries and agriculture, introduction of foremost technologies, expansion of localization and creation of new workplaces.
Implementation of the resolution must provide growth of the basic economic indicators, enable higher liquidity and quality of manufactured products, to increase finished goods export, to successfully develop high technology branches of manufacture and also to promote further steady, dynamical and forward development of Uzbekistan.
Within the limits of the document the developed key parameters of the investment program of the Republic of Uzbekistan for 2009 are approved by the Ministry of Economy jointly with the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade, Ministry of Finance, other ministries and bodies of Uzbekistan and economic entities. Limits of the centralized capital investments for 2009 at the expense of the state budget, off-budget republican road fund, school education foundation and fund for irrigation land reclamation were confirmed.
Also, the republic confirmed the target list of construction of comprehensive schools for 2009 to be constructed by means of soft loans of the Saudi Fund for Development and OPEC Fund, the target program of investment projects for 2009, carried out with attraction of credits of Fund for Reconstruction and Development of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the target program of investment projects for 2009, implemented with attraction of foreign guaranteed credits of the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Furthermore, the resolution approved the target list of buildings for 2009 under projects on modernization, technical and technological re-equipment, carried out by means of own funds of enterprises and the target program of investment projects for 2009, implemented with attraction of direct foreign investments and credits and summary list of promising investment suggestions, which are subject to development in 2009.
BUILDING A HOME IN AN HOUR
More than 70 enterprises from Uzbekistan, Germany, Russia, Spain, Italy, South Korea, and China exhibited their produce at the Fifth International Exhibition “Construction. Building equipment. Construction materials”.
ZarExpo Company acted as the organizer of the exhibition with the assistance of the State Committee on Architecture and Construction, Architecture Union, Trade and Industrial Chamber of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Building equipment, decoration materials, decoration equipment, roofing and isolation, technology of glass and wood processing were presented at the exhibition.
It was not the first time that the majority of enterprises participated in the exhibition, which, obviously, showed the high level of its effectiveness.
As the director of the sales department of Zlatous Excavator Factory, Vadim Astashin, said, if in 2005 we signed contracts on the delivery of four units of our equipment, in 2006 – 8 units, and in 2008 – 12 units. Thus, Uzbekistan became one of the biggest customers of our factory throughout the CIS.
South Korean Shinhan Company’s exposition ground drew a special interest of the guests. It presented residential and non-residential houses that could be assembled in an hour.
“Lightness of the construction allows to manage without foundation, and reduction of construction works is reached thanks to pinned connections” – said representative of Shinhan, Albina Bagautdinova. “Convenience of control of quality, low cost – these are the advantages to deliver “fast houses and buildings” of any area and configuration on a turnkey basis.”
The variety of presented produce and services at the exhibition “Construction. Building equipment. Construction materials - Expoconstruction” evoked even more interest with potential customers. The rich choice, good exposition facilities, personal contacts and negotiations, in total, allowed to effectively solve the tasks of both guests and enterprises-exponents.
The out-of-doors exposition of the Uzbek-Chinese trade firm piqued the guest’s interest.
DEMONOPOLIZATION COMMITTEE STUDIES 696 GOODS & SERVICE MARKETS
State Demonopolization Committee of Uzbekistan regularly studies goods and service markets of the country in order to ensure and form equal conditions and competition, eliminate barriers and abuse of dominating position and unfair competition. The committee created an Expert Council on analyzes of goods and service markets and financial markets, assessment of competition environment and exposure of anti-competition actions. During nine months of 2008, the committee studied over 696 goods and service markets, including such sectors as international cargo transportation, services of machinery-tractor fleets, alcohol, wires and cables, etc. Based on the results of these studies, the committee submitted corresponding decisions and draft normative acts to improve competition environment in these markets, Uzreport Information portal reported.
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE “INNOVATION-2008” STARTS
International conference “Innovation-2008” began its work at the Tashkent State Technical University named Abu Rayhan Beruni. The organizers of event are the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Education, the Uzbek branch of the International Academy of Sciences of Higher School, the Center for Strategic Innovations and Information at the Tashkent State Technical University, Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Plant. The forum gathered scientists, researchers, industrialists, businessmen and specialists from Russia, the Netherlands, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, UzA reported.
The participants in the two-day conference will consider issues of efficient use of the achievements of scientists in the country and in the world, their integration into production, as well as enhancing international cooperation. The reports on innovative processes in the economy, advanced technologies, saving natural resources, mining and metallurgy, ecology, information systems, information security problems will be heard.
According to rector of the Tashkent State Technical University S. Shoobidov, academic activities, integration of science and industry, rational use of scientific developments are among priority policies of Uzbekistan.
Large-scale reforms in this direction help introduce modern technologies in all industries, produce export-replacing products from local raw materials, save natural resources and strengthen environmental stability.
For example, the achievements of the scientists of the Center for Strategic Innovations and Information are being effectively applied at the Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Plant. The cooperation of scientists and industrialists helps automate the management of processing raw materials, increase production volumes, improve product quality and save energy.
On 15 July this year, the head of the state signed a decree on additional measures to stimulate application of innovative projects and technologies in the production. It served as an additional impulse to introduction of new developments and innovations in the industrial production.
SOCIETY
NATIONAL MODEL OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION
Tashkent is getting prepared to the discussion of the national model of inclusive education. This will take place in the international forum devoted to the issues of modern trends in development of children’s social assistance forms. The forum will start its work on October 28.
“The peculiarity of the national model of inclusive education is that it is built taking into consideration local and international experience”, Matlyuba Akhunova, head of children’s social assistance department of the Ministry of public education stressed. “The meaning of inclusive education in Uzbekistan throws back to the centuries. It is known that the great medieval scientist al-Bukhoriy had weak eyesight, however he got his education in madrasah. But
What is inclusive education? It is when children being in difficult life situations whether disabled or left without the family education, could get their education in the same conditions as their peers. That is to say at present the old notion is gaining the new meaning – the inclusive education, not so long ago they called it an integrated one.”
Nowadays almost all wards of MEHRIBONLIK children’s homes in Uzbekistan are being educated in general schools. Only two of twenty eight children’s homes have own special schools, but soon we are going to transfer them to the ordinary schools.
By the way, here we have some changes too: if earlier special classes for the children’s homes’ wards had been created, nowadays they are not in practice. Physically challenged children have the right to choose between the general and special school. There are 86 specialized boarding schools in the republic: the state pays no less attention to their development than to the general ones. This distinguishes the Uzbek practice of educational development from those in the foreign countries where they take efforts in transferring all disabled children to the general education establishments.
At present, the main task facing the state is further development of inclusive education and strengthening of material and technical basis of its institutions. A bright example of this work is an implementation of the project on education development for disabled people, financed by means of the Asian Development Bank credit. Besides, the state programs on strengthening technical basis of MEHRIBONLIK children’s homes and specialized boarding schools have been prepared and at the present time they are in the process of approval.
The priority directions of activity of the forum’s organizers, among which there are the Ministry of Public Education, SEN YOLGIZ EMASSAN foundation, the republican centre of children’s social adaptation, is further formation of a positive public opinion on inclusive education.
NEW TECHNOLOGIES – PRACTICAL RESULT
Republican Stomatology Center is assisting clinics in mastering new technology of making nylon plastic dental plates.
“Today dentists of the whole world aspire to make nylon plastic dental plates instead of acrylic resin as it has been popular before,” stated Professor Matsafa Bekmetov, director of the Republican Stomatology Center. “A year ago we introduced this technology in the center and now we are distributing it in the country.”
Nylon plates allow higher esthetic results in teeth repairing, they are more durable than acrylic resin. The new material has a lot of medical advantages: the main is that it does not cause mouth allergy. Besides nylon is a soft material. It avoids the unpleasant procedure – natural teeth turning, when placing the plate. And the material is generally more practical.
At the same time the Republican Stomatology Center masters a number of other modern prosthetics techniques. Among the innovations there are fixed ceramic plates, which are made without the metal. Their advantage is that they save the patient from unpleasant feelings.
CARDIOLOGISTS AND NEUROPATHOLOGISTS WORK TOGETHER
Specialists of the Republican Specialized Cardiology Center reach high results in treatment of central nervous system disorder caused by cardiovascular diseases.
The center is constantly working on the “formula of success” for thirty years. Specialists of the first in CIS branch of cardio cerebral pathology are closely engaged in it. Doctors working here combine two directions in their activity – cardiology and neuropathology.
“The fact is that not any specialist can manage two specialties at the same time – it is difficult, while only a specialist who is equally competent in cardiovascular and neuropathological diseases can prescribe an effective therapy to the patient,” marked Azad Hodjaev, head of the center’s branch. “Our method consists in that we strengthen the heart and at the same time do not let nervous disorders. Our branch actively participates in development of cardio cerebral service of the country so that the qualified aid was available for everyone needed. We transfer our experience to the similar branch of the Scientific Research Institute of Therapy and Rehabilitation, which was created two years ago. We are developing a tandem of cardiologists and neuropathologists in regions of the country. It allows us to considerably improve the level of medical services.”