Dear Students,

Today I see more than a new cohort of students. I see hundreds of unwritten stories — future tourism leaders, researchers, heritage specialists, innovators and citizens of the world.

For you, this is the first day of university.
And what a place to begin that journey — Samarkand.
For centuries, people came here carrying silk, manuscripts, ideas and beliefs. Cultures met, learned and changed one another.

As Navoi wrote:
“Odamiy ersang, demagil odami,
Onikim yo‘q xalq g‘amidin g‘ami.”
In essence:
We cannot call ourselves truly human if we have no concern for the people around us.

I hope you carry this thought with you throughout your years at this University. Because education is not only about what you can achieve for yourself. It is also about what you can contribute to others.

You are entering this University at an extraordinary moment for Uzbekistan. Our country has set a bold national ambition: by 2030, to welcome 20 million foreign tourists and raise tourism’s contribution to the economy to 7 percent of GDP.
But this vision is not simply about numbers. It is about quality, world-class hospitality, digital and smart tourism, highly skilled professionals, sustainable destinations and creative industries.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev recently described tourism as a “humanitarian foundation” capable of creating an “economy of trust.”Tourism is an industry where a smile can become diplomacy, where hospitality can shape the image of an entire nation, where one encounter between two people can change how one culture understands another. That is why your future professions matter. That is why this University matters.

Our task at Silk Road University is not simply to prepare you to find jobs in a changing world. Our greater responsibility is to prepare you to shape that world.

Our University Strategy for 2026–2030 expresses this ambition clearly: We want this University to become a living laboratory of knowledge, culture and civilizations. Our strategy commits us to academic and research excellence, digital innovation, international partnerships, student success, and building a strong and globally recognized institution.

But strategies do not transform universities. People do, you do! I know that the possibility begins today!

To our international students: Thank you for trusting Uzbekistan and our University with part of your future. You are not visitors here. You are members of our academic community.

To our Uzbek students: You carry a special responsibility. Let every international student who studies beside you experience through you the intelligence, generosity, dignity and legendary hospitality of Uzbekistan.

From this day forward, the reputation of Silk Road University will be shaped not only by our buildings or our rankings.

It will be shaped by what you discover, how you treat other people, and what you contribute to society.

May the 2026–2027 academic year be the beginning of an extraordinary journey for each and every one of you.

Dear students, congratulations on the beginning of your new journey! May it be filled with discovery, success, and great achievements.
With respect,
Muxsinjon Xolmuxamedov, Rector, Silk Road International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage