On 25-26 June 2015, the first meeting of EU and Central Asian Ministers of Education was held in Riga, Latvia. With Poland, the UK, Estonia Spain and Sweden representing the EU, and Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan representing Central Asia, the meeting focused on the future cooperation in higher education and Vocational Education & Training (VET) between the two areas.
Although education in Central Asia has undergone substantial reform over the last years, ministers from both sides stressed the need for further modernisation and for strengthening of the links between education, research and labour market in Central Asia. A second meeting, scheduled two years from now, might bring to light whether and to what extent the good intentions outlined in the Joint Communiqué will be put into practice.
