06.11.2026

5.3.1 Tracking access measures

Bukhara State University is a public university. Admission to bachelor’s programmes is based on the single national entrance test organised by the Agency for Assessment of Knowledge and Competences under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Applicants register and submit their documents online at my.uzbmb.uz, sit the standardised test and are allocated to universities and programmes according to their scores and the approved admission quotas. The university does not hold a separate entrance examination; the only exception is the small number of special-talent places in sports, arts and journalism, which require a professional-creative exam organised by the university and broadcast online on its admissions website.

Admission data are open and updated in real time. The “Statistics” section of my.uzbmb.uz (https://my.uzbmb.uz/stat) shows the number of registered applicants and their distribution by gender, language of instruction and region for every university and programme. In the 2025 admission campaign, 732,411 applicants registered for the national entrance test; 386,112 of them (52.7 %) were women and 346,299 (47.3 %) men. According to the Agency’s final report, 197,685 applicants were recommended for admission to state universities for the 2025/2026 academic year, of whom 101,238 (51.2 %) were women; 94,983 were admitted on state grants and 102,702 on fee-paying places.

Bukhara region shows an even higher share of women. According to the regional statistics office, 46.6 thousand students were admitted to the region’s higher education institutions in 2025/2026, of whom 30.6 thousand (65.7 %) were women; women also make up 55.5 % of all 117.7 thousand students enrolled in the region.

Bukhara State University uses the Agency’s data and its own admission records to track women’s application and acceptance rates.

5.3.2 Policy for women applications and entry

Bukhara State University’s policy on women’s access and participation is set out in the University Charter, the Internal Rules of the University and the national regulations on admission and support of women that the university applies and publishes on its website. Together they cover application, acceptance, entry and participation.

Under clause 3.1 of the Charter, admission is conducted strictly under the Cabinet of Ministers’ admission regulations (Resolution No. 468, as amended by Resolution No. 634 of 4 October 2024), through the single national entrance test; selection is based on test scores only, which rules out discrimination at entry. The university applies Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 322 of 9 June 2022, which provides a special admission route for women with at least five years of work experience in their specialty. Women’s share of applications and admissions is tracked through the Agency’s open statistics (my.uzbmb.uz/stat).

The university implements the state measures that remove financial barriers for women: Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 447 of 15 August 2022 (tuition fees of women in master’s programmes covered by the state budget), Resolution No. 457 of 18 August 2022 (education credit for women studying on a fee-paying basis), Resolution No. 181 of 2 May 2023 (material and social support of students) and the Presidential decree of 5 August 2025 (tuition fees of female students from low-income families, orphans and single mothers paid from local budgets). Clause 3.3 of the Charter guarantees stipends, and clause 3.6 guarantees dormitory places for students in need of housing. Admissions staff and the Department for Work with Women inform applicants about these measures and assist eligible women with applications. In 2025, 237 female students received state-funded tuition support.

The Charter (clauses 3.4 and 3.13) and the Internal Rules (clauses 84 and 89) grant academic leave for pregnancy, childbirth and childcare and prohibit expulsion of students during such leave. The Internal Rules prohibit discrimination in employment and training (clause 12) and treat harassment of women and acts demeaning their dignity as grounds for dismissal of staff (clause 27); pregnant women and parents of children under 14 are entitled to flexible or part-time schedules (clauses 37 and 91). Students may appeal disciplinary decisions (clause 86). The university’s Gender Equality Centre and Department for Work with Women support female students and staff, and the Legal Awareness section of the website publishes materials on women’s rights and the state programmes for women and families. The university reports the share of women among applicants, admitted students, graduates and staff annually.

5.3.3 Women’s access schemes

Bukhara State University runs several schemes that support women’s entry into higher education and their progress through it, combining state measures that the university implements with its own support structures.

Tuition support for women in master’s programmes. Under Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 447 of 15 August 2022, the tuition fees of women studying in master’s programmes are paid from the state budget. In 2025, 237 women studied in master’s programmes of Bukhara State University free of charge under this scheme. The Admissions Office and the Department for Work with Women inform female applicants about the scheme and process their applications.

Financial support for women on fee-paying places. Female students studying on a contract basis can take an education loan under Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 457 of 18 August 2022, and from the 2025/2026 academic year the tuition fees of female students from low-income families, orphans and single mothers are paid from local budgets under the Presidential decree of 5 August 2025. Students in need receive material assistance under Resolution No. 181 of 2 May 2023, and female students who need housing are given places in university dormitories (Charter, clause 3.6). The university admits women with at least five years of work experience in their specialty through the special route set by Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 322 of 9 June 2022, and takes part in the national programme of additional state-grant places for women without higher education. Evening and distance forms of study (800 and 975 places in the 2025/2026 admission plan) allow women with families and jobs to combine study and work.

The Gender Equality Centre and the Department for Work with Women provide advice and support to female students; the Charter (clauses 3.4, 3.13) and the Internal Rules (clauses 84, 89) guarantee academic leave for pregnancy, childbirth and childcare without loss of student status. Female students are encouraged to take part in research: in 2025 two women researchers of the university, an associate professor and a doctoral student, won the national “Olima ayollar” (Women Scientists) competition for state-funded applied research projects, and the university presents such examples to female students as role models.

Six departments of the University — Archaeology and History of Bukhara (B.M. Yuldosheva), Uzbek Language and Literature (D.Kh. Quvvatova), Uzbek Linguistics and Journalism (G.I. Tairova), Marketing and Management (S.U. Tadzhiyeva), Biotechnology and Food Safety (Sh.U. Mirzayeva), and Differential Equations (Sh.B. Merajova) — put forward applied research projects for the 103rd round of the “Women Scientists” competition. Prof. G.R. Khidirova, Head of the Department of Tourism and Hotel Management, also entered a project in the 100th round of the “Uzbekistan–Italy” joint competition, run together with the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (MIUR).

Fatima Mukhsinova, a Jurisprudence student at Bukhara State University and a member of the “School of Women Leaders”, took part in an international internship in Latvia under the project “Support to Building the Capacity of Public Administration in Uzbekistan”. During the visit she learned about the work of several organisations: the MARTA Centre, which supports victims of gender-based violence; Riga TechGirls, which brings women into the IT sector; the CyberKnife Centre in Sigulda, which provides non-invasive medical treatment; Cerību Spārni, which runs inclusive programmes for people with disabilities; two women-led creative businesses, AWARDS & MEDAL STUDIO and MADARA Cosmetics; and the Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum, where she was introduced to the country’s heritage and culture.

5.3.4 Women’s application in underrepresented subjects

Bukhara State University encourages women to apply for subjects in which they are underrepresented, above all in STEAM fields. Nationally, women account for 64 % of students in physics and 60 % in mathematics, but only 45 % in information and communication technologies, 34 % in services and 32 % in manufacturing and processing. To widen access, 4,000 state grants have been allocated to women across the country, and the university uses these and its own measures to bring more girls into technical and natural science programmes.

One of the main tools is the multi-stage olympiad in mathematics, physics, informatics and information technologies, chemistry and biology that the university holds for school leavers. It is open to 11th-grade pupils of secondary schools, academic lyceums and vocational schools from all regions who wish to study at Bukhara State University. Winners of the first three places at the final stage are admitted to the university on a preferential basis without entrance exams, and girls are given priority in the olympiad. Alongside the olympiad, the university organises contests and STEAM activities that target girls in schools of the region.

The university also runs free preparatory courses for school leavers, in line with the order of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation on preparatory courses for applicants, including children from poor and low-income families and girls. School leavers are interviewed to identify their interests and directed to the relevant courses. For example, in 2025 a graduate of School No. 16 of Bukhara city who was interested in computer graphics was enrolled, after an interview, in free preparatory courses in mathematics and physics to prepare for admission to an IT-related programme.

These measures are reflected in admissions: the share of girls among students admitted to the university’s STEAM programmes continues to grow, and in several of these programmes girls now outnumber boys.

5.4.1 Indicator: Proportion of senior female academics

5.5.1 Indicator: Proportion of female degrees awarded

5.6 Women’s progress measures

5.6.1   Policy of non-discrimination against women

Bukhara State University's commitment to non-discrimination against women is embedded in its Code of Ethics (Odob-axloq kodeksi), a binding institutional document approved by the University Academic Council and enacted by order of the Rector, signed and sealed by the University. The Code applies to all staff, students, and doctoral researchers. Article 16 of Chapter 3 explicitly prohibits any conduct that demeans the honor and dignity of women, including harassment, and requires all members of the university community to observe generally accepted standards of respectful conduct. Article 15 further prohibits disrespect for human dignity, humiliation of any person, rudeness, and offensive language in all interactions within the university. The Code was developed in 10.02.2022 in line with the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. ZRU-562 "On Guarantees of Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women and Men" (2 September 2019) and the model ethical rules of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation. The University Ethics Commission monitors compliance with the Code and imposes disciplinary measures for violations.

5.6.2 Non-discrimination policies for transgender

5.6.3 Maternity policy

Bukhara State University's maternity provisions are set out in its Collective Agreement (2023–2025), a binding document negotiated between the Rector and the Trade Union Committee and applicable to all employees, including part-time staff. Chapter XII of the Agreement specifically regulates women's work and guarantees for employees with family responsibilities. Under Article 108, the University extends paid maternity leave by three calendar days beyond the statutory period, and under Article 109 the full period of childcare leave up to the child's third birthday is counted towards length of service and preserves the right to paid annual leave. Parents of children under three work a reduced 35-hour week (Article 107), and parents of children under two are entitled to paid feeding breaks of at least thirty minutes every three hours, counted as working time (Articles 110–112). Pregnant women and mothers of children under fourteen may request a part-time schedule (Article 41), and mothers of children under three have a priority right to temporary transfer to more suitable work (Article 30). Article 113 commits the University to providing monthly financial assistance to parents on childcare leave with a child aged two to three, to offering up to three additional days off per month to parents of young children, to supporting women's access to retraining and further qualification, and to contributing to the national Gender Equality Strategy 2030. Article 114 further guarantees equal opportunities for women in recruitment and promotion and the elimination of pay inequality. Beyond these entitlements, the Agreement recognises women with family responsibilities as a protected category in redundancy decisions (Article 26) and provides fathers with three days of paid leave on the birth of a child (Article 50).

5.6.4 Childcare facilities for students

Bukhara State University supports student parents through a partnership with "Robots Kids", a 60-place innovative family kindergarten opened in Bukhara with the support of the Bukhara Regional Administration. Children of BukhSU students, including recent mothers returning to their studies, receive priority admission, a reduced fee, and university subsidies. The kindergarten operates on a full-day schedule aligned with the academic timetable, allowing student mothers to attend classes and examinations while their children receive care and early education in drawing, reading, English, logic, robotics and STEM, and physical development. Information for student parents on how to access the facility is published on the University website

5.6.5 Childcare facilities for staff and faculty

Bukhara State University supports employees with young children through a combination of contractual guarantees and access to childcare. Under the Collective Agreement between the University and the Trade Union Committee [2026–2028], the University assists staff with pre-school-age children in obtaining priority or subsidised places at partner kindergartens, including "Robots Kids", an innovative early-education centre opened in Bukhara and may cover part of the cost from its extra-budgetary funds. This builds on existing provisions of the Agreement: a reduced 35-hour working week for parents of children under three (Article 107), paid feeding breaks for parents of children under two (Articles 110–112), monthly financial assistance for parents on childcare leave with a child aged two to three and up to three additional days off per month for parents of young children (Article 113), and annual placements for staff children in summer health camps (Article 99). Together these measures allow staff, and in particular women returning from maternity leave, to combine work with childcare responsibilities.

5.6.6 Women’s mentoring schemes

The University has a formally established Women's Advisory Council, and every faculty has a Dean's Adviser on Women's Affairs. Together they form a structure responsible, at the faculty level, for supporting female students in all aspects of university life and for providing them with academic and personal guidance through mentoring.

Bukhara State University, in cooperation with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, hosted a series of interactive roundtables and mentoring sessions. The primary objective of the initiative was to honor the academic contributions of female faculty, highlight emerging research led by women, and inspire undergraduates to pursue long-term careers in academia. During the event, senior female professors and seasoned researchers met with students under the university’s Master-Apprentice mentoring program to offer practical career guidance, share research insights, and discuss strategies for securing academic grants. Additionally, high-achieving young female scholars and PhD candidates received recognition for their recent publications and contributions to regional research projects, while discussions emphasized creating a more supportive environment for balancing academic life with family commitments. This event clearly demonstrates Bukhara State University's ongoing institutional commitment to advancing women's participation in higher education and actively maintaining mentoring networks that help female students transition smoothly into scientific research.

In alignment with Bukhara State University’s commitment to providing safe, equitable, and supportive living spaces for female students, a targeted monitoring visit was conducted at the Faculty of Philology’s student dormitory. D. Mirova, Leading Specialist of the Women's Affairs Department, U.R. Torayeva, Faculty Advisor on Women's Issues, and faculty tutors jointly led the initiative.

During the visit, officials conducted a comprehensive facility and infrastructure audit, assessing overall residential conditions, room quality, kitchen hygiene, washroom facilities, and the consistent operation of the heating system. Furthermore, an open interactive session was hosted with resident female students to evaluate their academic progress, address social welfare needs, and resolve daily logistical challenges directly on-site. This monitoring measure demonstrates Bukhara State University’s active institutional support in creating safe, dignified, and conducive residential environments that enable female students to pursue higher education without environmental or logistical barriers.

5.6.7 Track women’s graduation rate

Bukhara State University monitors graduation outcomes by gender and by subject area as part of its annual statistical reporting. Women make up roughly seven in ten of our graduates, and this proportion is almost identical across fields: women account for about the same share of graduates in STEM as in arts, humanities and social sciences. This indicates that women at the university complete their degrees successfully in both traditional and science-oriented fields, and that STEM programmes do not show a notable drop in women’s completion compared with the university as a whole.

The university tracks graduate numbers for women and men separately by faculty, degree level (bachelor’s and master’s) and programme. The data are reviewed annually by Office Registrator, which compares gender profiles across programmes and flags any area where women’s or men’s completion falls behind.

5.6.8 Policies protecting those reporting discrimination.

Bukhara State University protects staff and students who report misconduct, including discrimination and harassment, through a set of internal regulations approved by Rector's Order No. 428-U of 20 October 2021. The Regulation on receiving and reviewing reports through communication channels (Annex 4) establishes several reporting routes — an online form and email, a dedicated Telegram bot (@buxdu_anti_corbot), a trust line, in-person appeals and the Presidential virtual reception and expressly allows anonymous reports. It sets out four guarantees for reporters: confidentiality (authorised staff may not disclose the report or the reporter's identity), non-persecution (a person who reports in good faith is not subject to any liability regardless of the content of the report), mandatory feedback on the outcome, and mandatory action where the report is confirmed. The Regulation on internal investigations (Annex 10) governs how reports of corruption and breaches of the Code of Ethics, which prohibits any conduct demeaning the honour and dignity of women are investigated. It excludes from the investigating group anyone with a conflict of interest, requires confidentiality of all materials, applies the presumption of innocence, and guarantees the reporter is informed of the result. At national level, Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 829 of 31 December 2020 provides for the protection of reporters and their families and for rewarding those who report wrongdoing.

5.6.9. Paternity policy

Bukhara State University (BSU) supports fathers’ participation in childcare through national legislation and its own internal regulations. Under the Labour Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan (in force since 2023), childcare leave until the child reaches two years (paid) and three years (unpaid) may be used in full or in part by the child’s father, grandparents or another relative actually caring for the child. Either parent of a child under three is entitled to a reduced 35-hour working week in budget-funded organisations, and discrimination on the grounds of sex and family status is prohibited. The Law “On Guarantees of Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women and Men” (2019) obliges employers to create conditions for combining work and family duties for both parents.

At the institutional level, the Internal Rules of Bukhara State University (2024), publicly available on the university website, implement these guarantees. They provide a 35-hour week for either parent of a child under three, part-time, flexible or remote work on request for a parent of a child under 14, exemption from probation for a father raising a young child alone, and protection from employer-initiated dismissal for employees with children under three. These provisions are reinforced by the Collective Agreement between the BSU administration and the Trade Union Committee for 2023–2025, as well as by the university’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy and Anti-discrimination Policy. All of these documents were adopted or reviewed within 2022–2026.

A draft law introducing five days of paid paternity leave within one month of a child’s birth passed its first reading in the Legislative Chamber in 2026. BSU will update its internal rules once the law is adopted.