VEON Ltd. has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to become an official partner of Bilim Tech to launch the Astrum IT Academy, a new tertiary level education institute based in the Tashkent region. The Academy will be built as part of an initiative by the Government of Uzbekistan and will educate 2,000 IT students per year with a focus on AI software programming and big data analytics and Software Engineering. The Astrum IT Academy is a core component of Uzbekistan's Digital 2030 programme that seeks to initiate technology-led economic growth within the country. VEON will be supporting the Astrum IT Academy through educational services where leading VEON IT experts will deliver lectures and run courses for students. VEON will also help students develop advanced IT skills by engaging in real life AI and big data projects. Educational programmes will include the development of solutions based on anonymised data and live telco datasets under the supervision of VEON senior engineers. The new Astrum partnership follows VEON's existing engagement with education in Uzbekistan, where Beeline Uzbekistan provides equipment and support for secondary schools. In collaboration with VEON, the Astrum IT Academy will educate 400 students in each group over a three-year programme. All students will be provided with access to the latest technology and taught in a purpose-built facility. Each cohort will be divided between AI software programming specialisation and Big Data analytics courses with the achieving students being offered internships and long-term employment by VEON, with up to 10% expected to join the company in future years.