On April 26-29, 2023, the "Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers” (TIIAME) National Research University, Uzbekistan hosted the International Conference on "Rankings and University International Exposure." The conference was organized by IREG Observatory Academics Rankings, an institutional non-profit association of ranking organizations, universities, and other bodies interested in university rankings and academic excellence. The conference featured esteemed speakers from universities, ranking institutions, and other higher education institutions worldwide. Prof. Dr. Ir. Riri Fitri Sari, M.Sc., M.M, the Chairperson of UI GreenMetric, had the opportunity to attend and deliver a presentation at one of the conference sessions.

On April 26, 2023, conference participants began to arrive at the event venue. Prior to the official commencement of the conference, several pre-conference activities took place at the Tashkent State University of Economics, located at 49 Islam Karimov Street, Tashkent. These activities included the IREG Executive Committee meeting, addressing various university ranking-related issues, and the Elsevier Workshop titled "Local Challenges, International Impact," led by Marat Fatkhullin, Vice President of Elsevier, and Kirill Ivanow from Research Intelligence CC, Turkey, Western & Central Asia. Additionally, an IREG Welcome reception was held on the campus of Tashkent State University of Economics, providing an opportunity for participants to socialize and establish connections before the official start of the conference.

Welcoming dinner at the IREG Conference 2023

Group photo with the President and Vice President of Abu Dhabi University

On the second day, Thursday, April 27, the IREG Conference took place at TIIAME National Research University in Tashkent. The event commenced with the opening session from Bahadir Mirzaev, the Rector of TIIAME National Research University, Uzbekistan; Ibrokhim Abdurakhmonov, the Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation of Uzbekistan, and Waldemar Siwinski, the President of IREG Observatory on Academic Ranking and Excellence. Following that, there was a special session from Komiljon Karimov, the First Deputy Minister, Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of Uzbekistan, who discussed the reforms in the higher education system of the Republic of Uzbekistan

On the way to the venue for the second day of the event, together with the Rector of Adam Mickiewicz University, Poland

The event then proceeded with a keynote speech by Seeram Ramakrishna from the National University of Singapore. The speech focused on the future direction of science and the main challenges faced by scientists today. Subsequently, the first session titled "University and Rankings - A difficult neighborhood?" was led by Thomas Parker from the Institute for Higher Education Policy in Washington DC, United States. This was followed by a Sponsor Presentation by M'hamed Aisati, the Vice President of Data and Analytical Services at Elsevier, Netherlands.

The second session delved into the theme of "Rankings - Competition and Social Responsibility," led by Gero Federkeil, the Vice President of IREG Observatory and Head of U-Multirank, Germany. This was followed by the third session, which explored "The World of Rankings in Challenging Times," led by Alex Usher, the President of Higher Education Strategy Associates, Canada. The event continued with the fourth session on "Will rankings catch up with changing social expectations and geopolitical shifts?" led by Piotr Stepnowski. Prof. Riri Fitri Sari also participated as one of the invited speakers during this session.

The presentation by Prof. Dr. Ir. Riri Fitri Sari at the IREG Conference 2023

The second day of the conference concluded with a Conference Gala Dinner held at a restaurant in Tashkent. The dinner provided an opportunity for conference participants to relax, interact, and foster relationships with colleagues and experts in the field of academic rankings. The Gala Dinner served as an important moment for networking and exchanging experiences among the conference attendees.

Met with the Rector of Bukhara State University

Conference Gala Dinner

On the third day, the event commenced with a keynote session by Alex Usher, the President of Higher Education Strategy Associates from Canada. He delivered a keynote speech on breakthrough changes in global higher education and a place for modernized rankings. The fifth session of the event, titled "Uzbek Universities - Focus on Excellence and International Visibility," was led by Kongratbay Sharipov, the Rector of Tashkent State University of Economics. Additionally, there was a special lecture by Marian Preda, the Rector of the University of Bucharest, Romania, discussing the role of university networks and the EU initiative “European Universities” in strengthening international academic cooperation. The event then continued with the sixth session on the theme "The Role of Research in Rankings," led by Habib Fardoun, a professor at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, followed by the closing session led by Bahadir Mirzaev, the Rector of TIIAME National Research University, Uzbekistan.

On April 29th (the fourth day), conference participants had the opportunity to participate in an optional cultural and historical program in Samarkand. After the program concluded, the participants would be transfered back to Tashkent

Met with Elina from RUDN University, one of the National Coordinators of UI GreenMetric