We are proud to announce that ELZA Institute’s CEO, Nikki L. Hafezi MAS IP ETHZ, will serve as Course Director for a new international program in Uzbekistan — the Professional Development Course in Visual Sciences and Public Health, part of the 2025 Summer School at the Pharmaceutical Technical University (PTU) in Tashkent.
This two-semester course (September 2025 – June 2026) is designed to bridge the gap between clinical ophthalmology, public health, and healthcare entrepreneurship. Open to both early-career students and experienced professionals, the 36-hour course focuses on topics such as clinical trial design, medical device registration, publishing scientific research, and building viable business models for healthcare.
Our CEO brings her extensive international experience to the program, having advised healthcare systems, built medical startups, and led global nonprofit initiatives. Her leadership ensures that students won’t just study theory; they’ll engage in real-world health projects in Uzbekistan, such as Health Technology Assessments (HTAs) and public health screening strategies. The best student teams may even publish their work.
The course also provides multiple options for final assessment, including preparing clinical studies for ethics approval or registering a real-world device. No prior clinical experience is required—only a solid grasp of English and a strong motivation to learn.
The program is hosted at Tashkent Pharma Park, the country’s premier science and education cluster, and reflects PTU’s growing reputation as a hub for medical innovation in Central Asia.
We are delighted to see our CEO playing a central role in shaping the next generation of vision scientists and public health leaders.
Applications for the 2025–2026 cohort are now open, and registration is available here.
