DUSHANBE, October 18, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- An official ceremony of opening of the German Center at Tajik Technologic University in Dushanbe was held on October 17. 

The ceremony was attended by German Ambassador to Tajikistan, Ms. Doris Hertrampf, and representatives of the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) Dushanbe Office.  

Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, Bozorali Azizov, vice-chancellor of Tajik Technologic University for scientific work and international ties, said that their university has developed relations with advanced countries in terms of student exchange. 

“Our University has an International Faculty and every year, more than 80 our students go to the United States to continue studies or learn English,” said Azizov, “However, we plan to expand out ties with the European universities and Germany is very attractive in this respect.  To continue studies in Germany students should know German well, and that is why it has been decided to establish the German Department at the International Faculty.”  

According to him, Germany is also attractive because education there is free of charge.   “Therefore, an opportunity of free education and highly-developed technologies offered by German universities and research institutes are very attractive for us,” the vice-chancellor said. 

The Center, provided with computers, video equipment, literature and necessary educational supplies, has been established under support of the German Embassy in Dushanbe and the German Academic Exchange Service.  

In the future, Tajik Technologic University plans to open department, at which students could not only learn German but also study primary disciplines in German that would quite a good basis for further training abroad.    

Azizov noted that four students of their university currently study in Germany.  

For his party, Mr. Kaid Frankie (phonetically spelled), the head of the information department within the DAAD Dushanbe Office, noted that the German side paid a special attention to development of engineering disciplines in Tajikistan.  “Tajik students studying engineering discipline have poor knowledge of German,” he said, noting that specialists in engineering specialties with good knowledge of German are needed for expansion of economic relations between Germany and Tajikistan.