The prospects for Tajik-Russian cooperation in science and education will largely depend on both parties’ ability to transition to a comprehensive, programmatic, and targeted model of interaction—one focused on creating a shared scientific and technological space, developing an innovative economy, and training a highly qualified new generation of specialists, writes Guzel Majtdinova.
In today’s context, Tajik-Russian scientific and educational cooperation is a key element in shaping the humanitarian dimension of Eurasian integration. It reflects both historical continuity and adaptation to a transforming international relations architecture. Cooperation in science, education, and culture between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tajikistan rests on a historically established common educational, cultural, and linguistic space—a foundation that ensures a high degree of mutual compatibility across educational standards, scientific schools, and institutional practices.
The preservation of Russian as a language of interethnic communication and science in Tajikistan facilitates integration into the broader Eurasian and global scientific space. Tajikistan’s public policy demonstrates a pragmatic approach to supporting the Russian language: the development of Russian-language education, the expansion of the school network, and the implementation of joint educational projects confirm its vital role as a tool for social mobility and foreign economic integration.
For Tajikistan, cooperation with Russia in scientific and educational spheres is a key foreign policy priority, contributing to modernisation, the training of highly qualified personnel, and the introduction of innovative technologies. Russia, in turn, is actively implementing projects in Tajikistan to support the Russian language, develop school education, and train teachers.
Russia has traditionally been Tajikistan’s main educational partner. According to the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education, more than 30,000 Tajik citizens are currently studying at Russian higher education institutions. Moreover, statistics show that of the more than 40,000 Tajik students studying abroad, the vast majority are enrolled in Russian universities, demonstrating the persistence of a common educational space formed during the Soviet period. In recent years, Russia has steadily increased the number of state-funded places for Tajik citizens, reaching 1,000 for the 20252026 academic year.
The development of branch campuses of Russian universities and the operation of interstate educational institutions remain important priorities. Among these, the Russian-Tajik (Slavic) University (RTSU) holds a special place as a model of integrated education. Russia has constructed a building for the Faculty of Russian Philology at RTSU, and the university is expanding and deepening its training of specialists in the natural sciences, following Russian standards and language of instruction.
Based on agreements reached between the leaders of Tajikistan and Russia in 2017, five schools (each with 1,200 places) with Russian as the language of instruction have been built in Tajikistan’s largest cities—Dushanbe, Tursunzade, Bokhtar, Khujand, and Kulyab. Reflecting active foreign policy efforts to strengthen the position of the Russian language, there are currently 38 secondary schools in Tajikistan where instruction is conducted entirely in Russian.
Furthermore, Russian curricula are taught at the following institutions: Secondary School No. 6 of the Russian Ministry of Defence (Dushanbe); the Russian-Tajik Secondary School of RTSU; Secondary School No. 4 of the Russian Ministry of Defence (Bokhtar); Secondary School No. 7 at RTSU (Kulyab); and a branch of Secondary School No. 83 named after E.E. Tabakov, holder of the Order of Courage, (Nurek). In total, over 2,000 students attend these Russian schools. In addition, approximately 170 mixed schools (Tajik-Russian, Tajik-Russian-English, Tajik-Russian-Uzbek, and Russian-Uzbek) operate in Tajikistan, enrolling around 170,000 students, with many offering Russian-language instruction.
Since 2017, Tajikistan has been implementing a joint project, “Russian Teacher Abroad,” carried out by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Tajikistan together with the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation. This project brings Russian teachers to Tajikistan annually to teach in schools across several cities .
Scientific cooperation between the two countries is advancing through the expansion of joint research, academic exchanges, and the training of research personnel. This collaboration spans a wide range of fields, from fundamental research to applied development, including energy, hydrology, agriculture, and the humanities. Cooperation is implemented through agreements between universities, research centres, and academic institutions. Notably, the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan alone maintains partnerships with over 60 Russian universities, demonstrating the formation of a comprehensive network of scientific and educational contacts that integrates Tajikistan into the Eurasian scientific space. Against the backdrop of a transforming Eurasian international relations architecture, scientific and educational cooperation serves as a tool for adapting national education systems to global challenges, including digitalisation, the development of a knowledge economy, and growing competition in the international educational market.
An additional dimension of Tajik-Russian cooperation at this stage is deepening scientific and technical collaboration, which is becoming increasingly applied and technology-oriented. In 2023 alone, the following agreements were signed: the Agreement on Mutual Recognition of Academic Degrees and Academic Ranks; the Agreement on Cooperation in Healthcare, Medical Education, and Science; and the Agreement between the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan and the National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute.” The Pavlovsky Institute of Zoology and Parasitology has established scientific collaboration with the Koltsov Institute of Developmental Biology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Joining the International Centre for Neutron Research at the PIK reactor in Gatchina provides Tajik researchers with access to cutting-edge methods in materials science, nuclear physics, and biomedical research. The practical significance of this cooperation lies in the potential application of results in energy, pharmaceuticals, and industry—particularly important for a country with limited domestic research infrastructure. Furthermore, the opening of a branch of the Kurchatov Institute at the S.U. Umarov Physical-Technical Institute in Dushanbe creates the preconditions for localising scientific expertise and gradually establishing national centres for technological development.
Tajik-Russian cooperation in space technology and Earth remote sensing also shows significant potential. In 2024, the Agreement on Cooperation in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space for Peaceful Purposes entered into force. Since 2007, the Tajik Hissar Observatory has participated in the ISON (Pulkovo Cooperation of Optical Observers) project, with regular observations under the joint ISON program having resumed at the AZT-8 telescope. The use of Russian space systems allows Tajikistan to address challenges in water resource monitoring, natural hazard forecasting, and agricultural management. Given Tajikistan’s high dependence on agriculture and hydropower, the introduction of such technologies improves public administration efficiency and reduces vulnerability to climate and natural hazards, demonstrating a shift from pure scientific cooperation towards sustainable development.
Interaction in digital technologies deserves special attention, as it is laying the foundation for Tajikistan’s integration into the Eurasian digital space. The development of telecommunications infrastructure with the participation of Russian companies, along with the introduction of artificial intelligence and digital platforms in financial management, indicates a gradual digital transformation of the economy. Currently, negotiations are underway between the Government of the Russian Federation and the General Director of MegaFon Tajikistan on expanding digitalisation and introducing Russian technologies, including artificial intelligence, into Tajikistan’s telecommunications industry.
In the energy sector, scientific and technical cooperation is being realised through joint projects in hydropower and water resource management. The operation of Sangtuda HPP-1 and discussions of new agreements in 2025 demonstrate the sustainability of the energy partnership and its modernisation potential. The biomedical field is also taking on an innovative character. Joint research in epidemiology, bioengineering, and public health enables the adoption of modern medical technologies and standards. One successful example was the seminars held for Tajik specialists at the V. Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Perinatology in Moscow and the St. Petersburg Research Institute of Childhood Infections.
Taken together, these areas indicate the emergence of a comprehensive model of scientific and technical cooperation, in which Russia acts not only as an educational and scientific partner but also as a source of technology, infrastructure, and innovative solutions. The formation of research consortia in high-energy physics, astrophysics, geology, and seismology would help combine the scientific potential of both parties and ensure the practical relevance of research—especially given the high seismic activity in Central Asia and the need to improve early warning systems and natural hazard monitoring. The development of joint scientific and technological clusters in energy, hydropower, water and climate research, agricultural technology, and biomedicine holds significant potential, as these areas are directly linked to ensuring Tajikistan’s sustainable development. At the same time, the importance of integrating science, education, and industry is growing. Implementing joint projects in green energy, rational water use, and sustainable agriculture is crucial, as these align with both Tajikistan’s national priorities and current international environmental trends.
In the educational sector, further expansion of joint programmes and dual degrees is essential, particularly in engineering, digital technology, medicine, and management. Given the accelerated digitalisation of Tajikistan’s economy, training specialists in artificial intelligence, big data analytics, cybersecurity, and digital public administration is especially important. Furthermore, it would be crucial to develop a unified system for training scientific personnel by expanding joint postgraduate programmes, providing grant support for young researchers, and creating joint dissertation councils and research schools. Thus, the prospects for Tajik-Russian cooperation in science and education will largely depend on both parties’ ability to transition to a comprehensive, programmatic, and targeted model of interaction—one focused on creating a shared scientific and technological space, developing an innovative economy, and training a highly qualified new generation of specialists. Implementing these tasks will not only enhance the effectiveness of bilateral cooperation but also strengthen the positions of Tajikistan and Russia within the emerging architecture of Eurasian scientific, educational, and technological interaction.
