The project is addressed to solve the lack of specialists in installing, maintenance, management of medical devices in Uzbekistan. The main objective of the project is to develop a master’s program and training courses in the field of medical engineering using new medical technologies in Uzbekistan through innovative curricula that meet world market requirements and EU best practices.Objectives of the project:Developing standards and curricula, courses, teaching methods and materials;Developing and implementing new four training courses;Developing and publishing a new generation of handbooks;Establishing the laboratories, Regional Training Centers and Medical engineers Society;Testing, adapting and accrediting curriculum, materials and methods;The involvement of females, migrants and people suffer from social and economic barriers to the training courses and master's programsThis objective is achieved from the following outcomes:1 ECTS-accredited Master Program in Medical Engineering;12 new developed courses for the master program;4 new training course programs; 1 web platform for sharing the four training materials (manuals, presentation and video) in MOOC;7 student labs and 3 Regional Training centers;Medical engineering society based on the training center;80 master students will study with the new curricula in a year;More than 200 technicians and unemployed people will be trained at the training centers in a year;49 academic staff and specialists will train at EU partners;Given the challenges, this project focuses on the Erasmus program’s “Sustainable Growth and Jobs” priority, which meets the needs of the relevant region.The project proposal is based on the analysis of the needs of partner universities and focuses on the development of higher education systems in the field of medical engineering in accordance with the Lisbon Strategy and the Bologna Process in Uzbek universities.

The demand for medical services in Uzbekistan, is growing rapidly, so the healthcare system has turned to new and innovative technologies to improve diagnosis, monitoring and treatment. In doing so, healthcare providers must rely on medical devices and implants that work properly and are managed in a cost-effective and efficient manner by qualified Biomedical Engineers.A report on the use of the recently purchased medical equipment carried out in some hospitals, highlighted the high rate of unused devices due to the lack of proper maintenance and repair. Consequently, the Ministry urged the need to prepare professionals in this field.The main objective of I2-PLEDGE is to establish an innovative Bachelor Degree Program able to provide bioengineers endowed with those technical and professional (and soft) skills necessary to meet the today’s technological challenges in a multidisciplinary environment.The activities include• Developing a pilot professional Bachelor Degree in Biomedical Engineering, adopting new teaching methods, materials and tools and integrating work experience and internships.• Teachers training on teaching methods and curriculum design at EU universities.Three universities will introduce the new professional curriculum and 4 will updates the existing ones.In each UZ university, at least 10 teachers will be trained and at least 20 students will start the new or updated degree.Beneficiaries of the project activities are the companies providing the medical devices, the hospitals and the healthcare system in general, besides the students and the society. The main results and outputs are• Reduction of the shortage of Biomedical Engineering professionals,• Correct use and maintenance of the medical devices, • Enhanced cooperation between UZ and EU in the field of Biomedical Engineering,• Training centre for teachers and specialists also for LLL,• Establishment of the Biomedical Engineers Register,• Web platform for cooperation.