On March 23, Termez State University in Uzbekistan launched the first Training Course on Silk Road Archaeology, Science, and Cultural Heritage Conservation. This program, a collaboration between eight institutions from China and Uzbekistan, aims to enhance skills in Silk Road archaeology and cultural heritage conservation, fostering China-Uzbekistan cultural exchanges under the Belt and Road Initiative.

The course is co-hosted by Northwest University, the China-Central Asia Belt and Road Joint Laboratory for Human and Environment, and the Silk Road Archaeological Cooperation Research Center, alongside Uzbek institutions such as Termez State University and the Samarkand Institute of Archaeology. This marks Northwest University’s first specialized training program for Uzbekistan's academic and research institutions.

Over 100 experts and scholars from Uzbekistan attended the opening ceremony. Twenty-two young and mid-career academics and postgraduate students will complete the training, forming a core team for bilateral talent exchanges in cultural heritage conservation.

Distinguished representatives from both countries addressed the ceremony, expressing high hopes for the program. Speakers included Professor Shaydullaev Alisher Shapulatovich, Vice Rector of Termez State University, and Academician Akhmadali Askarov of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan. They emphasized the program’s significance in strengthening Silk Road heritage conservation.

The two-week course features an innovative design combining lectures, lab sessions, and field investigations. The curriculum covers areas like Chinese and Silk Road archaeology and artifact conservation, blending theory with practice. The teaching team includes faculty from Northwest University and renowned Uzbek scholars, providing comprehensive training in advanced archaeological technologies.

This program introduces Northwest University’s successful "Trinity" archaeological education system to Central Asia, aiming to cultivate high-level professionals and deepen cooperation in Silk Road archaeology, enhancing exchanges under the Belt and Road Initiative.