Central Asia is the core hub connecting Eurasia, and also an important fulcrum of the "the Belt and Road" initiative. In recent years, the content of education exchange and cooperation between China and Central Asian countries has continued to deepen, and the mechanism has become increasingly perfect, forming an education exchange and cooperation system in which the government, universities, enterprises, research institutions and other organizations participate in coordination. This has effectively supported international cooperation between China and Central Asia in cultural exchange, talent cultivation and social governance. Providing intellectual support for regional economic integration Education exchange and cooperation between China and Central Asia is an important part of the "the Belt and Road" initiative. It not only provides intellectual support for regional economic integration, but also has many important meanings in promoting civilized exchanges and mutual learning and deepening regional opening up. Cultivate composite talents that meet the needs of regional development. Since 1999, China has signed education cooperation agreements with Central Asian countries such as Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan, supporting and encouraging cooperation between universities, exchanging teachers for lectures, and providing scholarships and student quotas to Central Asian countries every year. Starting from the 2008/2009 academic year, China established the "Shanghai Cooperation Organization Scholarship" to provide government scholarships to SCO member states, including Central Asian countries. After the "the Belt and Road" initiative was put forward, China has become one of the main destinations and preferred countries for students from Central Asian countries. From 2010 to 2018, the average annual growth rate of the number of students from Central Asian countries studying in China reached 12.33%. Through the exchange of foreign students and language training programs, the training of compound talents who are proficient in both sides' languages and technical systems can not only meet the talent needs of China and Central Asia's "the Belt and Road" industrial cooperation, but also provide long-term and stable talent intelligence support for the comprehensive project cooperation in the fields of energy engineering, modern agriculture and other fields, and ensure the sustainability of economic cooperation and regional coordinated development. Promote multilateral cooperation and cultural dissemination, optimize regional openness layout. Through knowledge flow, rule exchange, and cultural connections, education cooperation between China and Central Asian countries is becoming a strategic pivot for regional openness. For example, universities in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have signed 96 agreements with 69 universities and research institutions in Central Asian countries, promoting the establishment of a regional knowledge exchange system and the organic connection of science, technology, education, and industry. This has created favorable conditions for further expanding the scale of investment and trade between China and Central Asian countries, deepening exchanges and cooperation in logistics, humanities, agriculture, security, and other fields. The series of Chinese cultural learning and experience activities carried out locally have attracted a large number of Central Asian students who are knowledgeable about and friendly to China, becoming an important carrier for cultural exchange and mutual learning between China and foreign countries. Deepen collaborative innovation in scientific research and drive industrial upgrading. Against the backdrop of the Fourth Industrial Revolution sweeping the globe and deep integration of regional cooperation, international exchange and cooperation in the field of education, as well as comprehensive collaboration, can help create an innovative value chain that runs through knowledge creation, technology sharing, talent circulation, and industrial upgrading, providing impetus for sustainable development in western China and the surrounding areas of Central Asia. By conducting joint research in areas such as ecological environment protection, climate change response, and resource development and utilization, China and Central Asian countries can share technical standards and data resources, accelerate the industrialization of scientific research achievements, and form replicable and promotable innovative models while solving local industrial technology bottlenecks. The long-term exploration and accumulation of the "integration of industry and education" and "integration of science and education" educational philosophy and practical experience in China's education system, as well as innovative teaching cases in engineering practice, can be combined with the local needs of Central Asia through Sino foreign cooperative education, cross-border scientific research team exchanges, and other means, further promoting the deep linkage of education cooperation and industrial chain between China and Central Asian countries. In recent years, educational cooperation and exchanges between China and Central Asian countries have gradually deepened, with richer and more diverse content and forms, forming a path model that meets the development needs and regional characteristics of China and Central Asia. Build a new platform for educational cooperation and improve long-term communication mechanisms. The exchange and cooperation between China and Central Asian countries in the field of education, taking into account current development and long-term planning, enhances communication and interaction between the government, universities, and research institutions through the establishment of a normalized exchange platform and cooperation mechanism, and improves the scientific and effective decision-making of education management departments and universities. At the government level, in May 2025, the Chinese Ministry of Education and the education authorities of the five Central Asian countries held the first multilateral cooperation conference in the field of education - the China Central Asia Education Ministers Conference. The conference reviewed and approved the "Working Charter of the China Central Asia Education Ministers Conference Mechanism" and the "Urumqi Declaration of the First China Central Asia Education Ministers Conference", officially establishing a normalized cooperation mechanism between China and Central Asia in the field of education. Under this framework, new organizational structures such as the China Central Asia Industry Education Integration Alliance and the Central Asia Institute of Global Teacher Development have been established. At the same time, cooperation projects such as the Astana International Medical Center and the International Joint Laboratory for Efficient Utilization of Water Resources and River and Lake Health in the Silk Road Economic Belt have been launched. At the university level, in October 2023, Xi'an Jiaotong University and Kazakhstan National University launched the first "China Central Asia Higher Education Cooperation Forum" to promote the deepening cooperation of China Central Asia higher education, promote the deep integration of industry and education in the "the Belt and Road", and provide advice and suggestions for the cooperation and exchange of higher education. The multilateral cooperation mechanism established by the government and universities has provided a communication platform for the integration of educational resources and cross-border education information exchange between China and Central Asian countries, which is conducive to further enhancing the depth and connotation of educational cooperation. Build a higher education cooperation system that promotes talent co education and resource sharing. As a key platform for student exchange, joint research, teacher visits, and cooperative education, universities and research institutions have effectively promoted educational cooperation and economic, trade, and cultural exchanges between China and Central Asia. The higher education system, by gathering talent resources and driving knowledge innovation, not only enhances the level of regional education and research, but also promotes the deep integration of the talent chain and innovation chain, thereby promoting cross-border collaboration among "industry university research application" entities. In recent years, more substantial international cooperation has been carried out between universities in China and Central Asian countries to promote the transformation and implementation of scientific research achievements in fields such as energy, agriculture, ecology, and digital technology. For example, Xi'an International Studies University has established the "China Uzbekistan Language Education and Digital Innovation Cooperation Center" with universities in Uzbekistan, Xinjiang University has established the "Xinjiang University Bishkek National University Joint Research Center" with universities in Kyrgyzstan, and Xinjiang Medical University has launched the "3+2" joint training program for undergraduate Chinese medicine majors, regularly accepting Uzbekistan teachers for further studies in China and conducting short-term exchange activities for outstanding students. Promote the integration and internationalization of industry and education, and empower regional economic development. The integration of industry and education is an important aspect of educational exchange and cooperation between China and Central Asia. By adapting to local industrial characteristics, accelerating technology transformation and knowledge sharing, international education projects can shift from one-way academic output to two-way empowerment driven by industrial demand. This not only injects practical power into cross-border talent cultivation, but also creates new opportunities for international education resource sharing and regional economic coordinated development. The joint research conducted by universities and research institutions in China and Central Asian countries in fields such as agriculture and energy has effectively promoted technology transfer and industrial upgrading, and helped build a regional industrial innovation ecosystem. For example, Xinjiang Agricultural University and Kazakhstan Saiforin Agricultural Technology Research University jointly established the "International Cooperation Joint Laboratory for Crop Biological Breeding in the Silk Road Economic Belt", providing improved varieties and supporting breeding solutions for regional agriculture. In the field of vocational education, the Luban Workshop project aims to help Central Asian countries improve their vocational education level to adapt to the trend of industrial division of labor and global talent development. Among them, the first Luban Workshop in Central Asia, jointly built by Tianjin Urban Construction Management Vocational and Technical College and Tajikistan Technical University, has opened two majors: urban thermal energy application technology and engineering measurement technology, cultivating a group of talents in engineering technology related fields for Tajikistan. At present, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan are also gradually promoting the construction of their respective Luban workshops. (New Society)