Uzbek officers graduate from NATO-sponsored language course
A first group of Uzbek officers graduated from a pilot English language course on 24 March, which was launched last year for Uzbekistan’s defence ministry by the NATO Liaison Office in Central Asia.
The graduation ceremony was hosted by the head of the defence ministry’s Partnership for Peace Training Centre, Colonel Dusniyazov. It was attended by the NATO Liaison Officer for Central Asia, Rosaria Puglisi, and the defence attachés of some NATO countries.
Thirteen middle-to-high-ranking serving officers received certificates attesting the level of English achieved during the six-month training programme. "Enhancing your English language skills allows you to take part in NATO partnership and cooperation activities, thus providing you with an opportunity of professional growth while better serving your country," the NATO Liaison Officer told graduating officers.
The course was well received by the trainees. “This is a helpful training," commented Lieutenant Colonel Rustam Tashmatov, who is already making use of his newly learned skills in interpreting for defence ministry staff.
In line with the defence ministry’s request for NATO to assist in improving military education, the pilot course will be extended for a second year.
In the same spirit, on 23 March, Ms Puglisi presented a new batch of academic books to the NATO Multimedia Corner in the Armed Forces Academy. Set up in 2015, this is the first NATO Multimedia Corner established in a military higher educational institution of a partner country.