Nordic University in the UNI2CARE Project: New Responsibilities under WP4

The meeting brought together representatives of higher education institutions from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Poland and Romania, international experts, and representatives of the European Union Delegation. Discussions focused on enhancing graduate employability, developing competencies aligned with labour market demands, and advancing cooperation between higher education institutions and employers.

During the project’s implementation planning meeting for “UNI2CARE – Integrated Career Ecosystem for Employability and Skills Development in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan,” particular attention was devoted to Work Package 4 (WP4), which focuses on establishing and strengthening Career Centres at universities.

Nordic University’s early-career researchers Abdurauf Tolipov and Farhod Irisqulov, serving as the university’s representatives responsible for WP4, took an active role in discussions on the work package’s objectives, implementation mechanisms, coordination with partner universities, and strategies for achieving the planned outcomes.

Nordic University’s researchers are taking a leading role in one of the project’s key practical components — WP4.

In particular, the initiative envisages establishing Career Centres at five partner universities across Central Asia, expanding the activities of Nordic University’s existing Youth Affairs and Career Centre, and transferring effective practices and methodological approaches to partner institutions.

The project’s overarching objective is to develop a unified national career platform powered by artificial intelligence, provide students with systematic support through personalised career development plans and diagnostic tools, and align educational outcomes with the evolving needs of the labour market.
Within this framework, Career Centres, the AI-powered platform, employer engagement, and professional competency development are being approached as interconnected elements of an integrated ecosystem.

For Nordic University, UNI2CARE represents more than participation in an international partnership. It is a strategic, practice-oriented initiative aimed at strengthening the integration of higher education, the labour market, and digital innovation.