The University of Westminster is helping to open a university in Uzbekistan.

In a project launched with the Uzbekistan government, the Westminster International University in Tashkent is to open later this month.

The central London university has been paid an undisclosed fee for its services in setting up the university in the capital of the central Asian country.

The new university will provide courses in subjects such as business, economics, law and computer science - with teaching and exams to be carried out in English.

Degrees will be accredited by the University of Westminster - and courses will be as close as possible to those delivered to students in London.

Globalisation

The first intake of students, expected to number about 200, will be taught by locally-recruited staff, who were brought to London for training over the summer.

It is intended that the university will help more Uzbek students to learn in their own country - rather than having to study overseas.

The academic registrar at the University of Westminster says that in the next few years it is expected that student numbers will grow to over 700.

The university will have temporary accommodation for the first six months - but in the spring will move into its own buildings, when refurbishment is completed.

This is the latest example of the globalisation of higher education, with UK universities setting up international departments and forming academic alliances with overseas universities.