University History

Despite the adoption of the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. PQ-3276 dated September 15, 2017, "On measures to further develop the provision of non-governmental educational services," the active development of this sector in our country remained quite slow. By the 2020s, the number of individuals desiring to become higher-educated specialists increased so significantly that the material and technical base of the nearly 70 state higher education institutions operating at that time could no longer fully satisfy the demand to admit the required number of students and train high-quality specialists. As a result, only 10-15 percent of applicants managed to enroll and become university students, while the percentage of those who "failed" reached 85-90 percent. In other words, a situation arose where 85-90 out of every 100 applicants were unable to enter higher education institutions.

To overcome this situation, the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. PQ-5161 dated June 25, 2021, "On measures for state support of non-governmental educational organizations and the creation of additional conditions for youth in the educational process" was adopted.

This decree can be considered a serious impetus for a sharp increase in the establishment of non-governmental higher education institutions.

In this context, among the first 20-25 non-governmental higher education institutions established in our Republic, the Bukhara Innovation Medical Institute (BITI) was founded. As the 2nd non-governmental higher education institution in the Bukhara region, it was established on the basis of the ZIYOMAX educational center, which has been operating since 2015 under the leadership of Umurov Feruz Fakhriddinovich, located at 407 O. Eshonov Street, Bukhara. The institute was founded by brothers Umurov Feruz and Farrukh Fakhriddinovich on the basis of license No. 033430 issued by the State Inspectorate for Quality Control in Education under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan on July 28, 2022.

For the initial academic year of BITI (2022-23), permission was granted to admit 480 students to train higher education specialists in two fields according to the license: General Medicine and Dentistry. Despite a much higher number of applicants, the permitted 480 applicants passed special entrance exams and became the first students of the institute.

Initially, the management team of the institute was formed, consisting of strictly honest, conscientious, deeply knowledgeable, and experienced staff who had earned the founder's trust. The team included:

• Head of Human Resources: Husenova Marguba Nuriddinovna
• Vice-Rector for Organizational Affairs: Odinayev Tolibjon Toirovich
• Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs: Burxonov Jasur Jamshidovich
• Faculty Dean: Raximov Giyos Rahmonovich
• Head of the Academic Department: Majitov Jahongir Zavliddinovich
• Head of the Department: Bahronova Komila Yodgorovna

Subsequently, through this leadership, a united team of professors and teachers was quickly formed, possessing deep convictions, capable of providing perfect solutions when necessary, and matching the status of specialists who train highly qualified professionals demanded by the state.

Noting that it was not easy for the institute to gain public recognition and build a strong reputation during its first academic year, we can confidently say that the united team accomplished this task perfectly. The emergence of a promising and confident team and higher education institution in the city of Bukhara was recognized by the public. Of course, a series of public events organized by the institute's management played a significant role in shaping this recognition.

Also, on September 30, 2022, a beautifully organized event was held where our medical students laid flowers at the monument of the great physician Abu Ali ibn Sina in Afshona, his birthplace, and took the traditional Hippocratic Oath, which was highly significant.

Furthermore, at the end of the academic year, the grand event "BITI is 1 Year Old" was held at the Bukhara City Youth Center to celebrate the 1st anniversary of the institute's establishment. The event served as an annual summary, where excellent and active students, as well as outstanding teachers and staff, were highlighted in "Best of the Year" categories and rewarded with valuable prizes from the founder.

In addition to the 480 first-year students admitted via testing in the initial year, groups were formed by transferring 2nd and 3rd-year students studying at other higher educational institutions of the Republic and abroad. Thus, at the end of the 1st academic year, the institute successfully completed the year with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-year students.

Another important historical event of the initial academic year was the appointment of the 2nd rector of the institute. To have greater opportunities to seriously focus on the future development strategy of the institute, the founder and 1st rector, Umurov Feruz Fakhriddinovich, appointed Amonova Matluba Mukhtorovna as the 2nd rector to manage internal operations.

Additionally, based on license No. 186527 dated December 13, 2023, the founder Umurov Farrukh Fakhriddinovich established the Bukhara Innovation Medical Technicum (BITT) at the base of the FADIL clinic, which became part of the BITI medical and educational cluster.

Starting the 2nd academic year (2023-24) fully relocated to its own new building rather than rented premises was a truly historic event for the institute. However, prior to this historic event, the university's united team had to conduct extensive research, sweat together, and do genuine hard labor. After gaining relative freedom by appointing the 2nd rector, the founder immediately set out to find a new building or a place to build one, serving as a foundation for the institute's expansion. Following research and reviewing many options, the buildings and land of a former Shoe Factory with an area of more than 2 hectares, located at 112 Namozgoh Street in Bukhara, were acquired through an electronic auction.

The institute's management promptly developed a plan on how to utilize the area and buildings, which had fallen into a state of disrepair due to years of abandonment. Plans were drafted to decide which parts to keep, reconstruct, or demolish, along with a landscaping layout. A master plan and 3D model of the newly planned buildings of the Bukhara Innovation Medical Institute were developed.

After conducting the necessary engineering and economic calculations, construction and landscaping work began. During this process, large amounts of debris accumulated at the former factory were removed, and old buildings not fitting the institute's project were demolished. Thanks to these enthusiastic efforts, the team accomplished unprecedented construction and landscaping work in a very short period—just 3-4 months. They managed to start the new 2023-24 academic year in their own clean, beautiful building equipped with all necessary rooms and facilities.

On the eve of the new academic year, in honor of the commissioning of the new building and the wide celebration of the 31st anniversary of our Republic's independence, a large festive table was set in the courtyard for students, parents, mentors, staff, and honorable guests. Following Uzbek tradition, pilaf was served to the public, and blessings were received from the elders. The grand opening ceremony of the institute's new building took place concurrently.

After the opening ceremony, guests toured the institute to familiarize themselves with the new building, exploring the classrooms and auditoriums to witness the created conditions with their own eyes. On the same day, an excursion to Afshona was organized for more than 500 newly enrolled 1st-year students via a convoy of modern buses, where they took the Hippocratic Oath and laid flowers at the feet of our ancestor Abu Ali ibn Sina.

At the beginning of the 2023-24 academic year, the number of students studying at the institute approached 1,500. Relocating to this new building holds special significance as it triggered a sharp acceleration in the institute's expansion across various sectors. Notably, spiritual, educational, scientific, and practical activities were established more effectively. Olympiads and conferences were organized, and special attention was given to international relations.

During this academic year, the first textbook of the institute was authored by the institute's professors, specifically Bahronova Komila Yodgorovna.

In terms of further developing the university's material and technical base, the commissioning of the institute's 1000-seat assembly hall was highly significant, allowing for large-scale events to be organized with ease. The opening ceremony of this hall remained a memorable grand show for students and teachers, featuring a large concert program by a beloved singer.

To encourage students to study harder and teachers to teach better, the founder introduced a series of valuable prizes right at the beginning of the 2023-24 academic year. Notably, it was announced that a Spark car would be awarded to the "Best Student" and a Nexia car to the "Best Teacher." At the end-of-year "BITI is 2 Years Old" event, these valuable gifts were formally presented to their winners.

The 2024-25 academic year began with the student population approaching 2,000. This year, to elevate the institute's prestige to the international arena, special attention was paid to upgrading its status from an institute to a university, determining the scale of specializations offered and striving for global recognition.

To bring this status up to standard, the founder and administration immediately initiated active efforts. As a result of these actions, based on license No. 222841 dated February 12, 2024, the institution was authorized to train specialists in more than 10 bachelor's degree programs. Furthermore, licenses were obtained to train specialists in over 10 fields of postgraduate education, namely clinical residency and master's degrees. Additionally, relevant permits for Personnel Advanced Training and Retraining were acquired on January 24, 2024.

Thanks to the efforts of the founder and management, the institute's status was successfully elevated to that of a university in a short period of time. Now, the higher education institution is named the "Bukhara Innovation University of Education and Medicine" (BITU) instead of the Bukhara Innovation Medical Institute.

In the 2024-25 academic year, more innovative approaches were attempted to motivate students and teachers. For instance, student incentives were directly tied to their academic grades. As a result, students studying with excellent and good grades gained the opportunity to receive up to a 40 percent discount on their tuition fees. In addition, 20-50 percent discounts were introduced for orphans, along with grants for 1st-year students who graduated school with a gold medal. Awarding a Gentra car as a gift to the "Best Teacher of the Year" held special motivational significance.

Taking into account the growing demand in the 2024-2025 academic year, special attention was paid to constructing educational and auxiliary buildings in parallel with the academic process to better satisfy the need for auditoriums and other facilities.