National Launch of the Global Innovation Index 2024
The “INNOWEEK-2024” International Week of Innovative Ideas was held from November 14-16, under the theme “Innovations for Sustainable Development.”
The purpose of InnoWeek was to showcase innovative developments and emerging technologies, attract potential investors and reliable partners, promote a dynamic business environment, and establish cooperative relations. This event had been an annual fixture since 2018, with the active participation of ministries, government agencies, local and international companies, investors, entrepreneurs, and representatives of both foreign and domestic innovation infrastructures.
In 2023, the event featured 230 diverse activities and exhibitions across 114 universities and 28 innovation districts, drawing in over 120,000 participants, including more than 800 foreign guests from over 20 countries. Additionally, more than 170 B2B meetings were held, attended by representatives from around 70 companies across 20 foreign countries, resulting in 11 investment agreements and 12 grant contracts totaling $99.3 million.
As part of this year’s InnoWeek, the National Launch of the Global Innovation Index 2024 took place on November 14. The event brought together 200 representatives from ministries and government bodies as well as universities and scientific institutions responsible for the structural indicators of the Global Innovation Index. Delegates from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Malaysia’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, the National Research Council of Thailand, Oxford University, international consulting firms, and expert international consultants also participated. Discussions focused on advancing innovative cooperation, the latest technological and research breakthroughs, and strategies for enhancing the nation’s ranking in the index.
The Global Innovation Index (GII) is a comprehensive ranking of countries worldwide based on their research and innovation development. It is published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in collaboration with various corporate and academic network partners and the GII Advisory Board. The GII comprises 7 pillars and 78 indicators that collectively depict the innovation progress of countries at different economic development stages. The index is divided into two sub-indices: Innovation Input (resources and conditions available for innovation) and Innovation Output (practical results achieved through innovation).
This year’s event also addressed the directives set out in Presidential Decree DP-158 concerning the “Uzbekistan-2030” strategy, issued on September 11, 2023. The aim was to position Uzbekistan among the top 50 countries in the Global Innovation Index by 2030 and to outline the actions needed to achieve this ambitious target.
The event included in-depth discussions on the leading countries in innovation development and their outcomes. Additionally, it examined the country’s current standing in this year’s index, with plans outlined to strengthen collaboration between responsible government bodies and international organizations to address gaps and improve scores on consistently underperforming indicators.