The System of Training Museum Specialists and Tour Guides in Uzbekistan: History, Current State, and Prospects

The training of qualified museum personnel and tour guides represents one of the most pressing challenges facing contemporary Uzbekistan amid the rapid development of tourism and the museum sector. Given that young people account for 70% of museum visitors, the issue of museum staffing acquires particular significance. Despite a number of existing studies in this field, the training of museum specialists remains insufficiently examined. The article addresses the role of museums in the society of Uzbekistan, provides a historical analysis of museum staffing, explores the significance of museums in the tourism sector, and outlines current requirements for the training of museum personnel and tour guides. The study employs historical-comparative and analytical research methods. The source base comprises regulatory and legislative documents of the Republic of Uzbekistan, statistical data, scholarly works by Uzbek and foreign researchers, as well as the practical teaching experience of the course “Museology” at the Department of Archaeology, Karakalpak State University named after Berdakh. The experience of leading educational institutions in the country – the National Institute of Fine Arts and Design named after Kamoliddin Behzod and the International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage “Silk Road” – is examined, and international approaches to the training of museum specialists are analysed. Based on the findings, specific recommendations are formulated for improving the museum personnel training system. In particular, the study substantiates the need for in-depth specialised training of museologists, proficiency in foreign languages, opportunities for internships at world-renowned museums, and the introduction of the subject “Museum Pedagogy” into the curricula of universities and pedagogical institutes.