The potential to produce clean, carbon-free electricity from solar sources in most countries dwarfs their current demand for electricity. Based on the World Bank Report No. 149846 dated June 22, 2022 on the potential of solar photovoltaic energy by country, it can be safely stated that about 20% of the world's population lives in 70 countries with excellent conditions for solar photovoltaic energy. In countries with high potential, the solar energy resource is relatively constant in different months of the year. The Republic of Uzbekistan is one of the countries with a high potential of solar energy; this fact directly affects the energy policy of the country, as a result of which special attention is paid to the development of "green" energy in the Development Strategy of New Uzbekistan, designed for 2022–2026. According to the long-term plan, by 2026 the capacity of solar energy plants in Uzbekistan will increase to 8,000 MW, which will be up to 18% of the country's needs. The growth in demand for solar energy provokes an increase in demand for highly qualified specialists in this area; filling this gap is crucial to fulfill the energy policy targets of Uzbekistan and to ensure enabling conditions for the growing of this sector and attraction of ever increasing direct foreign investments.

The project is aimed at solving the problem of the lack of qualified highly specialized professionals in the installation, management, exploitation, maintenance of solar energy systems and its components in the Republic of Uzbekistan. The project is put forward in accordance with the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan and is aimed at solving the tasks set in the Decrees of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the resolutions of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The main objective of the project is to develop educational programs and curricula for training in Uzbekistan bachelors in solar energy engineering (innovative curricula and training courses), as well as programs and advanced training courses for relevant adults (e.g. reskilling of electrical engineers) in the field of solar energy engineering.

General outputs of the project:

• Development of improved training standards and educational programs in the field of solar energy engineering, as well as the maintenance and exploitation of solar energy systems on the basis of European experience;
• Development of curriculum for bachelor courses and methods of teaching them in the field of solar energy engineering on the basis of world standards;
• Development of curriculum for bachelor courses and methods of teaching them in the field of maintenance and exploitation of solar energy systems on the basis of world standards;
• Development of training courses for training, advanced training and retraining of relevant solar energy specialists;
• Development of the content of educational materials for teaching courses in the field of solar energy engineering and maintenance and exploitation of solar energy systems based on the study of European experience;
• Testing, adaptation and accreditation of developed curricula, materials and methods;
• Development and publication of collections of didactic materials and reference books of a new generation, intended for the practical assimilation of courses on solar energy;
• Development of training center which includes a co-working center for students functioning on the territory of the created laboratory rooms for advanced training and retraining of energy engineers in the field of solar energy sources;
• Involvement of women, unemployed and socially disadvantaged people in training courses and programs.

Expected results of the project:

• 3 ECTS-accredited bachelor programs and curriculums in renewable energy (on solar energy systems);
• 4 partner HEIs' existing programs will be updated;
• 12 newly developed courses for the bachelor program (72 ECTS);
• 1 developed web platform for the content of educational materials and guidelines for the implementation of practical and laboratory work (including books, manuals, video materials);
• 7 innovative laboratory rooms with equipment and autonomous power supply based on solar energy systems;
• 2 training centers functioning on the territory of the created laboratory rooms for training and retraining of specialists which includes 2 leading student and mentor co-working centers focused on projects based on the development and implementation of various solar energy devices;
• Engineering Society for Renewable Energy Supply Systems including teachers and graduates of courses;
• Organization of an annual conference on solar energy and educational processes related to this industry, the materials of which are published by the Engineering Society for Renewable Energy Supply Systems;
• The admission plan is established by the Cabinet of Ministers based on the specific needs of the regions (approximately 150 students);
• More than 100 technical specialists will be trained in the training centers during three years;
• 69 teachers and specialists will be trained by partners from the EU;

The implementation of the DEBSEUz project, with the support and taking into account the positive experience of European partners, will successfully solve the enormous tasks of the Republic of Uzbekistan to ensure the affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for future generations.

At the same time, it will contribute to a significant rise in higher education to prepare engineers in the solar energy systems of the country at the European level.