Practical cooperation under the memorandum signed between the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan and ERGO Analytics, one of the country’s leading independent research centres, is continuing consistently.
To ensure that the research conducted within the framework of this cooperation is organised in line with international experience and advanced approaches, Eval-Lab, a French consulting company specialising in experimental research, has also been engaged in the process.
Together with the partner organisations, a questionnaire has been developed and finalised for a cluster randomised controlled trial (cluster RCT) designed to assess the effectiveness of behavioural interventions aimed at improving household saving behaviour and financial literacy.
The Central Bank places particular emphasis on conducting this experimental study in accordance with international ethical standards. To this end, the study received a favourable opinion from the Research Ethics Committee (Institutional Review Board — IRB) of Westminster International University in Tashkent.
The study is expected to cover a total of 2,700 participants across 90 mahallas in the Fergana, Andijan and Namangan regions. To ensure that the questionnaire and intervention design fully reflect real-life local conditions, pilot surveys are being organised among residents of mahallas in the Yangiyul and Quyi Chirchiq districts of the Tashkent region.
By applying behavioural economics approaches, this study will contribute to a deeper understanding of people’s economic decision-making in Uzbekistan and support the development of evidence-based policy measures.
