On 9 April, the Institute for Advanced International Studies hosted a meeting with Dr. Valentin Krüsmann, Researcher at the Centre for East European and International Studies (ZOiS), Germany. The meeting was attended by IAIS Deputy Director Odil Gafarov, as well as research fellows Mushtariy Usmonova and Madinakhon Alimova. During the discussion, Dr. Krüsmann presented the institutional profile of ZOiS, noting its role as an academic research centre focused on producing peer-reviewed scholarly work.

The meeting focused on issues of mutual research interest and on current international and regional developments related to Central Asia, China, and the European dimension of foreign policy and economic cooperation. Particular attention was devoted to logistical connectivity between China, Central Asia, and Europe, including Chinese infrastructure projects, their significance for transregional transport routes, and the role of multilateral development banks in advancing initiatives under the Belt and Road framework. Participants also noted the need for deeper academic analysis of these processes, given their wider implications not only for economics, but also for the foreign policy positioning of regional states.

The substantive exchange also addressed questions of foreign policy balancing and multivector diplomacy as key principles shaping the international positioning of Central Asian countries. Overall, the meeting was held in a constructive atmosphere and confirmed the presence of shared research interests, as well as the value of continuing academic dialogue between Uzbek and German research institutions on these issues.