COMPASS project launches first mission in Uzbekistan:
A milestone for academic nursing and midwifery education in Central Asia
Tashkent / Termez, Uzbekistan - February 2026
The first international visit as part of the COMPASS - Competency-Oriented Outcomes in Midwifery and Nursing Professionalization and Academic Systems Strengthening project took place successfully from 27 January to 12 February 2026 and marks an important step towards strengthening academic nursing and midwifery education in Uzbekistan.
The COMPASS project is commissioned by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) Uzbekistan and funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ ). The aim of the project is to support Uzbekistan in the development of competence-based, internationally oriented bachelor's degree programmes in nursing and midwifery and thus contribute to improving the quality of care, the health outcomes of the Uzbek population and the long-term professionalization of health personnel.
Strong international and national partnership
The international delegation consisted of nursing and midwifery experts from Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society, HWG LU for short, (Germany) and JAMK University of Applied Sciences (Finland). The team of experts included:
- Prof. Dr. Michaela Michel-Schuldt (HWG LU)
- Prof. Dr. Karen Fried (HWG LU)
- Meike Kolfenbach (HWG LU)
- Dr. Johanna Heikkilä (JAMK University of Applied Sciences)
- Virpi Liljeström (JAMK University of Applied Sciences)
- Dr. Klara T. Yadgarova (national expert for maternal health)
- Shakrizoda Tashmatova (national nursing expert)
They worked closely with national experts from Tashkent State Medical University (TSMU), representatives of the Uzbek Ministry of Health and regional experts from Tashkent and Termez.
From Tashkent to Termez: laying the foundations
The visit began in Tashkent with talks with high-ranking representatives of the Ministry of Health and a national workshop at Tashkent State Medical University. The workshop focused on the definition of professional roles, areas of activity and core competencies of academically trained nurses and midwives, aligned with the health needs of the population and international standards.
Building on the knowledge gained at the workshop, the delegation then traveled to Termez in the Surxondaryo region on the border with Afghanistan. According to the World Health Organization, there is a significant shortage of qualified nurses and midwives in this region, making it a priority region for the development of academic study programs. In this context, COMPASS is particularly well positioned to make a lasting impact.
A historic milestone for nursing and midwifery education
During intensive working sessions in Termez, international and national experts jointly developed the
- Competence frameworks for bachelor's degree programs in nursing and midwifery
- curricula and module structures
- Initial exemplary modules for both degree programs
- Foundations for competence-based clinical practice assignments as well as skills and simulation teaching
A key milestone of the visit was the agreement to clearly distinguish midwifery as an independent profession from nursing and to implement it as a direct entry Bachelor's degree program. This makes the Bachelor's degree program in Midwifery at TSMU Tashkent (Termez branch) one of the first direct entry Bachelor's programs for midwives in the entire Central Asian region.
Outlook
The COMPASS partners are proud of the significant progress made during this first project visit. The close collaboration between Uzbek institutions, international academic partners and GIZ has created a strong foundation for the next phases of the project.
The next steps include finalizing the newly developed competencies for nurses and midwives, submitting the curricula to the Ministry of Health and completing the curriculum development by May.
The consortium looks forward to continuing the work with a view to the official launch of the bachelor's degree programs in nursing and midwifery in September 2026, contributing to a modern, competency-based healthcare system and improved health outcomes for the population of Uzbekistan.
Contact:
Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society
Department of Social and Health Care
Prof. Dr. Michaela Michel-Schuldt / Prof. Dr. Karen Fried
Professors of Midwifery
michaela.michel-schuldt@hwg-lu.de / karen.fried@hwg-lu.de
