On Thursday, May 28, 2026, CREES was delighted to welcome a delegation from Fergana Medical Institute of Public Health in Uzbekistan. The delegation included Dr. Akmal Abdikakharovich Sidikov, Rector; Dr. Nodirbek Bokijonovich Komilov, Vice Rector for International Affairs and Education Quality; and Dr. Zemfira Mavlyudovna Azizova, Vice Rector for Research Affairs.
Their meeting at CREES was part of a broader visit to the University of Michigan Medical School organized through Global REACH. Over the course of their time at U-M, the delegation met with faculty and leadership from Global REACH, the Center for Global Health Equity, the Center for Global Surgery, Michigan Medicine, and the School of Nursing.
At CREES, the delegation met with Dr. Elizabeth King, CREES Director and Associate Professor of Health Behavior & Health Equity, as well as the CREES Assistant Director of Programs and Operations, Liz Malinkin. The meeting offered an opportunity for introductions and exchange, with the visitors sharing the purpose of their trip and describing their work in medical education, research, international collaboration, and institutional development.
Professor King gave an overview of the CREES mission and programs, highlighting the Center’s role in supporting teaching, research, and public engagement related to Russia, Eastern Europe, and Eurasia. The conversation underscored shared interests in academic exchange, regional expertise, and future opportunities for connection among CREES faculty and students and Fergana Medical Institute as well as other institutions in Uzbekistan.
We thank Drs. Sidikov, Komilov, and Azizova for visiting CREES and look forward to continued conversation and future exchanges with them and their colleagues!
Pictured above (left to right) are Dr. Akmal Abdikakharovich Sidikov, Rector, Fergana Medical Institute of Public Health; Liz Malinkin, CREES Assistant Director; Alana Rodriguez, Interim Administrative Director, Global REACH, U-M; Dr. Zemfira Mavlyudovna Azizova, Vice Rector for Research Affairs, Fergana Medical Institute of Public Health; Dr. Elizabeth King, CREES Director; and Dr. Nodirbek Bokijonovich Komilov, Vice Rector for International Affairs and Education Quality, Fergana Medical Institute of Public Health.
