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Dr. David Marshall, Samadov's faculty host at the
Univeristy of North Dakota presents the scholar (left)
with a plaque commemorating his status as the university's
first visiting Fulbright senior scholar.
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During his stay at the University of North Dakota (UND), Bakhodir
Samadov researched aspects of English usage and instruction, an
experience that increased his expertise teaching English as a
second language to students at the University of World Economy
and Diplomacy in Uzbekistan. Among other topics, he studied new
categorizations for groupings in the English lexicon and theories
of semantics.
UND arranged for Samadov to supplement his research by shadowing
education administrators from several other institutions in North
Dakota. He was able to observe firsthand the administration of
U.S. primary, secondary and higher education institutions. Gaining
insight into higher education administration in other parts of
the world allows Samadov to return to Uzbekistan with knowledge
that will help the nation meet its own educational needs.
With Uzbekistan's educational reform and UND's distance education
program in mind, Samadov and his faculty associate at UND, David
F. Marshall, have developed a proposal for the creation of an
American Institution of Higher Education in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
"The problems of the government directly impede the progress
of the local universities and educational reform needs an outside
stimulant," they explained. "The major reform needed
for the Uzbek universities is a movement toward democratic and
open organization and governance." Samadov and Marshall believe
U.S. institutions have much to offer them in these areas. As a
first step, UND will send a professor to Uzbekistan for the 2000-2001
academic year to build upon their proposal.
As the University of North Dakota's first visiting Fulbright
senior scholar, Samadov had a significant impact on the UND community.
The scholar and his family gave presentations on Uzbek culture
on campus and to community groups in Grand Forks. Samadov even
gave an Uzbek folk music and dance performance at the university's
"Feast of Nations," a multicultural event sponsored
by the Office of International Programs. "The contributions
of not only the scholar but his family were extraordinary in their
impact on the university and surrounding community," said
Marshall.
Samadov also took part in the Fulbright Occasional Lecturer Fund,
which allowed him to guest lecture at the U.S. Air Force Academy,
Colorado College and the University of California-San Diego. Having
found that most Americans knew very little, if anything, about
Uzbekistan, Samadov began each guest lecture with a presentation
on the history, culture and future of his home nation. Lecturing
at other universities, Samadov believed, also provided him with
a more complete understanding of U.S. institutions of higher education.
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