Doctoral project

The title of the dissertation is “Improving Vocational Education Management: Aligning Institutional Leadership, Organizational Culture, and Labor Market Demands in Uzbekistan.” In the context of Uzbekistan’s ongoing educational reforms and the strategic aim to strengthen the country’s human capital for economic growth, the vocational education sector stands at a pivotal crossroads. As the nation transitions toward a more innovation-driven and globally competitive economy, vocational colleges are expected not only to equip students with technical skills but also to ensure their work readiness aligns with employer expectations. This requires a rethinking of management practices, leadership approaches, and institutional culture within vocational schools, where principals, teachers, students, and employers form an interdependent ecosystem. The ongoing research examines the interplay between principals’ leadership styles, organizational culture, and teacher responsibility, and how these factors shape student engagement and ultimately influence employer satisfaction with graduates’ skills. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study integrates quantitative data from principals, teachers, and employers with qualitative insights from interviews and document analysis, focusing on vocational institutions operating under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Innovations. I am particularly interested in how leadership grounded in management education and professional development initiatives translates into improved institutional performance and student outcomes, as well as the degree to which current managerial practices bridge or widen the gap between perceived and actual labor market readiness. The study seeks to generate actionable recommendations for enhancing vocational education governance, ensuring its responsiveness to national economic priorities and the realities of the labor market.

Publications

1. Karimova, D. & Nurmukhamedov, U. (2025) 'Review of the book Instructed Second Language Acquisition Research Methods by Laura Gurzynski-Weiss & Youjin Kim (2022)', Teaching English as a Second Language Electronic Journal (TESL-EJ), 28(4). Available at: https://doi.org/10.55593/ej.28112r4

2. Karimova, D. (2025) Bridging Education–Employment Gap: A Review Of Employers’ Perceptions of Graduate Work Readiness; Management, Marketing And Finance International Scientific Journal, 2 (1)

3. Karimova, D. . (2024) The Impact Of Management Of Professional Education Organizations On Organizational Culture; “Milliy Iqtisodiyotni Barqaror Rivojlantirish Va Yuqori Iqtisodiy O‘sish Sur’atlarini Ta’minlashning Ustuvor Yo‘nalishlari” mavzusidagi xalqaro ilmiy-amaliy konferensiya,

4. Karimova, D. (2024). Social and emotional learning (SEL) competencies of the managerial board in secondary schools: Literature review. Innovative Approaches in Education: Problems and Solutions, Proceedings of the 1st Online Conference, 1, 72–77.

5. Karimova, D. (2023). Social emotional learning: SEL awareness of EFL teachers in Uzbekistan. Modern Science and Research, 3(1), 1–5.

6. Karimova, D. (2021) Developing students’ critical thinking skills in EFL classes, ALT FL in Uzbekistan, 2 (22), 17-19

7. Karimova, D. (2019) Thinking of a Professional Development opportunity? Take a Coursera Course, ALT FL in Uzbekistan, 3 (2), 31-36

8. Karimova, D. (2018) Importance of encouraging future educators in their first steps, EFL conference at Uzbekistan World Languages University

Books

1. Sova, P., Saliyeva, Z., & Karimova, D. (2023). Developing reading culture of young children/Bolalarda kitobxonlik madaniyatini rivojlantirish bo‘yicha metodik qo‘llanma. Toshkent: Ilm-Ziyo.

2. Uzbek Language Acquisition, Grades 1-4, (2023) Student’s Book, Ministry of Preschool and School Education

3. Uzbek Language Acquisition, Grades 1-4, (2023) Teacher’s Book, Ministry of Preschool and School Education

Conference Participations, Scientific Talks:

• 2025 International Conference on Education and Linguistics , Review of the book Instructed Second Language Acquisition Research Methods, WIUT
• 2024 Extensive Reading World Congress – 6, Raising SEL of children through extensive reading materials, Denpasar, Indonesia
• 2024 International Conference on Education and Linguistics, Raising self-awareness of girls through extensive reading materials, WIUT
• 2022 Comparative and International Education Society, Developing Learning standards and instructional materials to support Uzbek Language Arts in Grades 1-4 in Public Schools in Uzbekistan, USA
• 2022 International Conference on Education and Linguistics Developing Student Standards and Instructional Materials to Support ULA Subject, Grades 1-4, WIUT

Projects and Grants:

• 2014-2015 TEA Small Grants-2014, International project, US Department of State
• 2015-2016 TEA Small Grants-2015, International project, US Department of State