From 28 to 30 April 2026, Tashkent hosted the international "Engineers of the Future" Festival. The event was initiated by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev during the SCO Tianjin Summit on 1 September 2025. The festival brought together around 14,000 young developers from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states and other countries.

The festival featured exhibitions, academic olympiads and competitions covering nine modern engineering fields, including aviation, agritechnology, mechanical engineering, robotics, green energy, architecture and medical engineering. Following the event, the establishment of the "Engineers of the Future" Research Consortium was announced.

The "Engineers of the Future" Festival held in Uzbekistan

The festival was organized by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of the Republic of Uzbekistan. It was attended by heads of education, science and innovation ministries, university rectors from SCO member states, as well as representatives of the SCO Secretariat, the United Nations and the World Federation of Engineering Organizations.

At the opening ceremony, organizers highlighted the strategic importance of developing a knowledge-based economy. Engineering and STEM disciplines were underscored as key drivers of sustainable economic growth. Special emphasis was placed on investing in human capital, expanding opportunities for young people, and creating conditions for women and girls to engage in technology-related professions.

The "Engineers of the Future" Festival held in Uzbekistan

Jiao Huaixin, Counsellor of the SCO Secretariat, delivered a speech highlighting the value of holding competitions and olympiads for young professionals in innovative fields — an initiative proposed by Uzbekistan.

Innovative cooperation is one of the core priorities of the SCO’s work. It was noted that the practical outcomes of the festival help build a unified platform for young innovators across SCO member states to showcase their talents and exchange experience.

The "Engineers of the Future" Festival held in Uzbekistan

On the sidelines of the event, the SCO Secretariat representative held a meeting with Aziz Mamyrov, First Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of the Kyrgyz Republic. The two sides discussed SCO cooperation in education and youth policy.