From winning WIUT’s SDG Course in Tashkent to the 9th DEN International Conference in London: a third-year Economics student on friendships across borders
Bakhromkhon Murodkosimov, third-year BSc Economics with Finance, Westminster International University in Tashkent (WIUT), Uzbekistan
Part of the Inside Westminster anniversary series marking ten years of the Democratic Education Network.
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How did you first come into contact with DEN?
My journey with the Democratic Education Network began after I won the SDG Course 2025–2026 at WIUT. As one of the winners, I was awarded a trip to London to participate in the 9th DEN International Conference. What I expected to be simply another academic event turned into one of the most memorable experiences of my university life.
Which DEN activities have you taken part in?
Through DEN, I have taken part in the SDG Course at WIUT, and the 9th DEN International Conference in London. Both have had a lasting impact on me.
Was there a moment at DEN that has stayed with you?
What made DEN truly special was not only the conference itself, but the people. Meeting students from different countries and backgrounds, listening to their stories, exchanging ideas, and discovering both our differences and our similarities, showed me the real value of an international community. Despite coming from different cultures, we shared the same curiosity, the same openness, and the same willingness to learn from one another.
What aspects of DEN have had the biggest impact on you?
The conversations and the friendships. They are what have stayed with me the most, and they represent the biggest impact DEN has had on me.
How has DEN helped you develop personally?
DEN has contributed greatly to my personal development. It helped me become much more confident when communicating with people from different backgrounds, and strengthened my public speaking, teamwork and networking skills.
Has DEN helped you with employability or professional development?
Looking back, I can confidently say that these experiences prepared me for real professional opportunities. The confidence I gained through DEN helped me successfully pass my first-ever interview for a banking internship in Tashkent. That, I believe, would have been much more challenging without this experience.
What is one thing DEN has given you that you would have struggled to find elsewhere?
The friendships. I met incredible people from around the world who became genuine friends, and those connections are something I truly value. They are the kind of friendships that make experiences like this worthwhile long after the conference has ended.
What advice would you give to students thinking of joining?
Take every opportunity DEN offers. Participate actively, ask questions, share your ideas, and do not be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. The more you engage with the community, the more rewarding the experience will be.
What would you say to a colleague at another university?
DEN is much more than an academic initiative. It is an international community that helps students grow academically, professionally and personally, while building meaningful connections across cultures.
Should DEN do anything differently in the next decade?
I hope DEN continues to create even more opportunities for participants to stay connected after conferences, through collaborative projects, networking events, and alumni initiatives. That would allow the community to remain active long after each event concludes.
Anything else you would like us to know?
I am sincerely grateful to everyone who makes DEN possible. Being part of this community has been one of the highlights of my university journey, and I hope many more students will have the opportunity to experience everything that DEN has to offer.