Minister Shermatov visits Finland to exchange experiences in digital transformation

In late May, Minister of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan Sherzod Shermatov led a high-level delegation on a visit to Finland, organised by HAUS. The visit builds on the Memorandum of Understanding signed between HAUS and the Ministry of Digital Technologies in October 2025 and the momentum of the EU-funded Digital Connectivity for Central Asia (C4CA) initiative.

Finland’s standing as a global leader in digitalisation set the scene for the visit. Ranking first in Europe’s Digital Economy and Society Index and third in the UN’s e-Government Development Index, Finland represents both a model and a partner for countries advancing their digital transformation.

Within the C4CA programme, HAUS contributes to strengthening digital governance capacities of the public sector, promoting inclusive access to digital connectivity across Central Asia and facilitating advanced digital skills through university collaboration. The visit strengthened this cooperation and sought to create new partnerships in the digital sector, including attracting Finnish IT companies to Uzbekistan and opening pathways for Uzbek startups into European markets.

Advancing digital education cooperation

People and skills are at the heart of any digital transformation. Accordingly, digital education and skills development formed a central part of the week’s agenda.

HAUS Managing Director Kyösti Väkeväinen and Deputy Director of Digital Education Development Center Jasur Askarov signed a Memorandum of Understanding outlining cooperation to strengthen digital skills in Uzbekistan through education and e-learning initiatives.

As part of the C4CA project, HAUS is developing a regional e-learning platform and tailored courses for public officials, drawing on its expertise in public sector training and digital capacity building.

The delegation also visited the Finnish National Agency for Education, where discussions covered teacher training, digital competencies and vocational education.

The visit resulted in a Memorandum of Understanding between the Center for the Development of Digital Education and the Finnish National Agency for Education, establishing a framework for long-term cooperation.

From digital services to secure connectivity

Minister Shermatov met with Minister of Transport and Communications Lulu Ranne. Finland’s strengths in engineering, innovation and digital governance were discussed as directly relevant to Uzbekistan’s digital transformation.

Finland’s experience in delivering seamless digital services, supported by strong data management systems, provided a valuable reference point for Uzbekistan’s ongoing reforms. More broadly, deepening cooperation across digital government and secure digital connectivity was a central objective. Discussions with the Digital and Population Data Services Agency and Gofore focused on developing digital government and improving public services, including the use of AI to enhance efficiency and transparency. Meetings with HAUS and ESTDEV drew on practical experience from international projects in building interoperable, citizen-centred digital systems.

Alongside digital governance, connectivity and infrastructure emerged as key priorities. In discussions with Traficom, the parties reviewed cooperation opportunities in telecommunications, radio frequency management, and the development of secure digital infrastructure. Finland’s expertise in 5G and emerging 6G technologies, as well as efficient spectrum allocation and expanding connectivity in remote areas, was highlighted as particularly relevant.

During the visit, Minister Shermatov and the delegation met with Omnitele, a Finnish telecommunications consultancy conducting a region-wide connectivity feasibility study across Central Asia as part of the C4CA project. Discussions focused on the study’s findings on connectivity gaps and investment opportunities in Uzbekistan, with last-mile connectivity and approaches to ensuring affordable internet access across the region as key themes.

Across the week’s meetings, knowledge sharing and capacity building emerged as essential enablers of successful digital transformation, reflecting the broader ambition of the C4CA initiative and the strengthening partnership between Finland and Uzbekistan.