Uzbekistan to establish Tashkent International Fashion Academy: specialists for five industries
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed Decree PP-378 on 16 October 2026. The new state higher-education institution is built on a joint programme of the Tashkent Institute of Textile and Light Industry and the Paris International Fashion Academy; classes begin in the 2026/2027 academic year.
On 16 October 2026 President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed Decree PP-378 establishing the Tashkent International Fashion Academy. The new institution will have the status of a state higher-education organisation and will operate within the system of the Agency for the Development of the Light Industry.
The foundation
The academy is created on the basis of the joint educational programme run by the Tashkent Institute of Textile and Light Industry and the Paris International Fashion Academy. Students currently enrolled in that programme will continue their studies at the new institution and receive academy diplomas upon graduation.
Which sectors it trains for
The academy is oriented toward training specialists for the textile, garment, knitwear, leather and footwear industries — one of the larger export branches of Uzbekistan's economy — strengthening the talent base for light industry.
How studies are organised
Classes begin in the 2026/2027 academic year, with admissions carried out in the generally established manner. Beyond the joint programme, the academy may independently open bachelor's and master's degree tracks.
From the 2027/2028 academic year the institution will introduce a dual-education system combining theory with production practice. Graduates of technical colleges will also be able to enter the third year of the bachelor's programme. The decree further provides for multiple-entry visas for foreign specialists, academy staff, their family members and international students, and for a 400-bed student dormitory to be built under a public-private partnership by the end of 2028.
Economic context
Light industry is one of the larger export branches of Uzbekistan's economy: in January–August 2026 textile exports rose 26.9% year-on-year to US$2.1 billion, accounting for 9.4% of the country's total exports. Employment in the sector has reached about 623,000 people, according to official data.
