Cavendish Laboratory and British Management University forge landmark academic partnership

The Cavendish Laboratory and British Management University in Tashkent (BMU) signed an agreement creating the BMU-Cavendish Development Initiative on 17 April 2026.

This launches a pioneering initiative to establish a new framework for academic cooperation between a leading private university in Uzbekistan and a global research institution such as the Cavendish Laboratory.

This is the first formal agreement of its kind between the University of Cambridge and a university in Uzbekistan.

This collaboration marks a significant step with the potential to create new pathways for student and faculty exchange, foster joint research in areas such as Materials for AI, Health, and a Sustainable Future, and explore the scope for teaching and capacity‑building initiatives.

Professor Yuri Loktionov, BMU’s Rector and an expert in university management and international collaboration said: “By uniting BMU’s dynamic, internationally oriented academic environment with Cambridge’s tradition of scientific leadership and global impact, the agreement marks a transformative step for higher education in Central Asia and sets a precedent for future partnerships between UK institutions and their counterparts in Uzbekistan.”

Professor Mete Atatüre, Head of the Cavendish Laboratory, said: ”This agreement formalises a relationship we have been building with Uzbekistan’s education professionals and scientists over many years. This connection is largely due to our colleague, Professor Siddharth S. Saxena, whose academic work bridges the Cavendish Laboratory and Central Asia.”

In the words of Professor Saxena: “Uzbekistan is synonymous with the origins of algorithm and algebra. When combined with the long legacy of scientific discovery in the Cavendish Laboratory, it forms the basis of all modern advances, including artificial intelligence and materials for the future. We take pride in this historic collaboration, which will help sustain scientific traditions going back thousands of years.”

Established in 2020, BMU is Uzbekistan’s premier private university, dedicated to delivering high-quality British education, advancing rigorous academic research, and fostering innovation, entrepreneurship and international collaboration.

From left to right: Suhrob Vaseev, Embassy of Uzbekistan, Prof SS Saxena, Cavendish Laboratory, Prof Mete Atature, Head of Cavendish Laboratory, Prof Yuri Loktionov, Rector of BMU, Prof Alisher Khasanov Vice-Rector, BMU, Prof Sian Dutton, Deputy Head of Cavendish Laboratory.

The occasion was marked by a visit to the Cavendish Laboratory by students and staff from BMU, represnetatives from the Embassy of Uzbekistan in London, and the Cambridge Central Asia Forum, Jesus College.