From February 23 to 25, the headquarters of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina in Halle became a platform for academic diplomacy, hosting the German-Central Asian Forum on Higher Education and Science. The key event on the agenda was a roundtable discussion with Markus Pleyer, State Secretary of the German Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space, and the heads of diplomatic missions from the countries in the region.
The meeting resulted in the signing of a Joint Declaration of Intent on Cooperation in Science, Research, and Innovation within the framework of the Z5+1 strategic format. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Berdimyrat Rejepov signed the document, laying the foundation for a long-term technological partnership, on behalf of Turkmenistan.
Speaking at the opening of the forum, the Turkmen diplomat emphasized large-scale reforms in the national higher education system and Ashgabat's readiness to intensify academic mobility. The strategic nature of the interaction was confirmed not only by officials, but also by representatives of leading German scientific centers.
The speech by Manfred Nawroth, Vice President of the German Arts Council, resonated particularly strongly. The renowned archaeologist and researcher emphasized the uniqueness of Turkmenistan's historical heritage, noting that sites such as Nisa, Gonur-Depe, and Ancient Merv remain key focal points for German science and serve as the basis for long-term joint research.
The discussions in Halle covered a wide range of applied issues: from supporting young scientists and implementing innovative solutions to implementing joint interdisciplinary projects. The forum at the Leopoldina demonstrated that the German-Central Asian partnership is moving beyond theoretical exchange to creating a shared innovation ecosystem. For Turkmenistan, this represents new opportunities for integrating advanced German technologies into the educational process and expanding the presence of domestic science in the global expert community.
