OREANDA-NEWS  Russia will increase the number of quotas for students from Central Asian countries in the 2023-2024 academic year, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin said during the third Central Asian conference of the Valdai International Discussion Club, which is being held at Tomsk State University (TSU).

"In the 2023-2024 academic year, we are significantly increasing the quota for training citizens of Kazakhstan - plus 200 places, Kyrgyzstan - also plus 200, Uzbekistan - plus 50 places and Tajikistan - plus 152 places," Galuzin said, speaking via video link.

According to him, about 185 thousand students from Central Asian countries are currently studying in Russia, of which about 68 thousand students receive education at the expense of the Russian budget.

In addition, Galuzin added that in the near future it is planned to open branches of leading Russian universities in a number of Central Asian countries.

"It is planned to open branches of leading Russian universities in Kyrgyzstan: Lomonosov Moscow State University, Kazan Federal University and the Higher School of Economics, in Uzbekistan - the Russian Humanitarian University, the Moscow State University of Geodesy and Cartography and the North Caucasus Federal University," the Deputy Minister said.

Also, according to him, a project on the establishment of a joint Russian-Turkmen university in Ashgabat is at the approval stage.

"All this will be a solid addition to the 25 branches of our universities already operating in the region (Central Asia - IF)," Galuzin summed up.