Research

Conference Concept

The ancient Great Silk Road was a great Eurasian trade route starting from the 2nd century BCE to the 15th century CE. Nevertheless, international trade has shifted from the surface to the sea and air due to technological developments and significant declines in transportation costs. In 2013, however, the Chinese government launched the Belt and Road initiative to promote the connectivity between East and West providing important development opportunities and challenges for the countries along the Great Silk Road. 

To promote research on the emerging countries along the Great Silk Road, the Research Cluster of Finance and International Economic Policy of Bournemouth University (UK), the MBF Academy (UK) and the Westminster International University in Tashkent (Uzbekistan) organised an international conference in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on 5 July, 2023. The aim of the conference is to establish a mutually beneficial research collaboration between the world’s leading scholars and the scholars of Uzbekistan and stimulate research interests on the countries along the Great Silk Road including those of the Central Asia and the former Soviet Union (FSU). In addition, the conference provided an opportunity for the early career researchers to obtain valuable feedback on their research work from the world’s leading experts. The event took place in a hybrid mode bringing in-person and virtual participants together.