INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 09,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 233
THE ROLE OF THE CLUSTERING MODEL IN THE MODERNIZATION
OF LEGAL EDUCATION
Dalerjon Aminov Alisher ugli
Teacher of Bukhara state university
E-mail:
Аnnotation:
The article analyzes the essence of the clustering system in legal education, its role
in the integration of education and practice, and its impact on the modern educational process.
Clustering unites higher legal education institutions, judicial and law enforcement bodies, the
bar, notary offices, and legal clinics into a single system, serving to prepare students to apply
theoretical knowledge in practice. The study proposes new approaches to the development of
legal education clusters in Uzbekistan, highlighting issues such as the development of a national
concept, the formation of regional clusters, and the integration of digital technologies into the
educational process. In addition, based on a comparative analysis with the experiences of
countries such as the USA, the UK, and Germany, ways to improve the efficiency of clustering
are presented. The findings contribute to improving the quality of legal education, training
competitive specialists in the labor market, and raising the legal culture of the population. The
article also broadly covers the importance, advantages, and prospects of implementing
clustering in legal education in Uzbekistan.
Keywords:
legal education, clustering, pro bono, legal clinic, education model, integration of
education and practice.
ANNOTATSIYA:
Maqolada huquqiy ta‘limda klasterlash tizimining mazmun-mohiyati, uning
ta‘lim va amaliyot integratsiyasidagi o‘rni hamda zamonaviy ta‘lim jarayoniga ta‘siri tahlil
qilinadi. Klasterlash oliy yuridik ta‘lim muassasalari, sud-huquq organlari, advokatura, notariat
va yuridik klinikalarni yagona tizimda birlashtirib, talabalarni nazariy bilimlarni amaliyotda
qo‘llashga tayyorlashga xizmat qiladi. Tadqiqot O‘zbekiston sharoitida huquqiy ta‘lim
klasterlarini rivojlantirish bo‘yicha yangi yondashuvlarni taklif etadi. Unda milliy konsepsiyani
ishlab chiqish, hududiy klasterlarni shakllantirish va raqamli texnologiyalarni ta‘lim jarayoniga
integratsiya qilish masalalari yoritiladi. Shuningdek, AQSH, Buyuk Britaniya va Germaniya
kabi davlatlar tajribasi bilan qiyosiy tahlil asosida klasterlash samaradorligini oshirish yo‘llari
ko‘rsatib beriladi. Olingan xulosalar huquqiy ta‘lim sifatini oshirish, mehnat bozorida
raqobatbardosh mutaxassislar tayyorlash hamda aholining huquqiy madaniyatini yuksaltirishga
xizmat qiladi. Maqolada huquq ta‘limida klasterlashning ahamiyati, afzalliklari va uni
O‘zbekistonda joriy etish istiqbollari ham keng yoritilgan.
Kalit so‘zlar
: huquqiy ta‘lim, klasterlash, pro bono, yuridik klinika, ta‘lim modeli, ta‘lim va
amaliyot integratsiyasi.
АННОТАЦИЯ
В статье анализируются сущность системы кластеризации в юридическом образовании, её
роль в интеграции обучения и практики, а также влияние на современный образовательный
процесс. Кластеризация объединяет в единую систему высшие юридические учебные
заведения, судебно-правоохранительные органы, адвокатуру, нотариат и юридические
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 09,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 234
клиники, что способствует подготовке студентов к применению теоретических знаний на
практике. В исследовании предлагаются новые подходы к развитию кластеров
юридического образования в Узбекистане, в том числе разработка национальной концепции,
формирование региональных кластеров и интеграция цифровых технологий в
образовательный процесс. Кроме того, на основе сравнительного анализа с опытом США,
Великобритании и Германии показаны пути повышения эффективности кластеризации.
Полученные выводы направлены на повышение качества юридического образования,
подготовку конкурентоспособных специалистов на рынке труда и повышение правовой
культуры населения. В статье также широко освещаются значение, преимущества и
перспективы внедрения кластеризации в юридическом образовании Узбекистана.
Ключевые слова:
юридическое образование, кластеризация, pro bono, юридическая
клиника, модель обучения, интеграция обучения и практики.
In today's conditions of globalization and rapid technological progress, improving the quality of
education is one of the urgent issues, and in this regard, there is a need to introduce new
approaches to the education system. Training personnel and adapting them to the needs of the
time. Preparing them as competitive personnel in the conditions of a market economy is one of
the main issues facing educational institutions. Especially in the field of legal education, the
introduction of a clustering system is gaining great importance. Clustering is an approach aimed
at improving the quality of education by strengthening the links between educational
institutions, government agencies and business sectors.
"Cluster"
— derived from the English word cluster, which literally means “collection”,
“group”, “complex of objects located close to each other”. Initially, this term was used in the
natural sciences, computer technology and economics to denote a set of objects with the same
properties.
The "cluster" model was initially formed in the European and American economic systems,
developed by Michael Porter and proposed for the development of industrial sectors. Later, this
system was also introduced into the educational and scientific spheres, and in the field of legal
education, it has been formed in Uzbekistan in recent years as an element of a legal education
cluster [1].
In the legal system of Uzbekistan, the concept of a “cluster” was first mentioned in official
documents in Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s decree No. PF-5987 dated April 29, 2020, directly within
the framework of the modernization of legal education [2]. Paragraph 3 of this decree provides
for the organization of training of specialists (educational clusters) on a contractual basis with
potential employers as a procedure for forming an order for the training of legal personnel.
Based on the above decree, the goal is to form legal education clusters, involve students in the
practical work process and provide free legal services to the population, introduce practice-
based educational programs in higher legal education institutions, improve the quality of legal
training, integrate practice and scientific activities, systematize scientific research, encourage
research aimed at solving modern legal problems, and ultimately develop it as an effective
model that fulfills the tasks of competitively preparing graduates for the labor market.
Legal education clusters
— is a systematic cooperation model that combines training,
retraining, advanced training of legal personnel, scientific research and practical legal
specialists. In this model, higher educational institutions, scientific centers, judicial and law
enforcement agencies, legal clinics and representatives of other sectors cooperate closely. In the
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 09,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 235
process of studying this area, educational clusters in the field of law are divided into the
following 2 main types:
Research clusters
– Unites centers and institutes where scientific research in law is conducted.
Practical and legal clusters
– Organized in cooperation with judicial bodies, law firms, and
government agencies.
Legal education clusters will strengthen cooperation between public and private educational
institutions and other organizations. This system will create an opportunity for students to test
theoretical knowledge in practice. In particular, by introducing legal education clusters in
Uzbekistan, it will be possible to connect students' knowledge of legal issues with practical
situations. Such an approach will not only increase the quality of education, but also serve to
train qualified specialists who are in high demand in the labor market.
By developing clustering in legal education, students' practical knowledge and job preparation
can be effectively organized.
In the decree “On further increasing the responsibility of justice bodies and institutions within
the framework of administrative reforms and the formation of a compact management system”,
signed by Shavkat Mirziyoyev on May 24, 2024, this clustering approach was mentioned
among the works aimed at improving the legal personnel training system. According to it, it is
envisaged to introduce the “school - lyceum - technical school - university” system in the
training of legal personnel by organizing “Law Class” and in-depth training in legal subjects in
schools [3].
This understanding of the legal cluster implies the interaction and cooperation between
educational systems for the successful transformation of the educational system. In order to
successfully organize this process, the integral integration of the “top-down” and “bottom-up”
approaches put forward by the Canadian educational theorist Michael Fullan is of great
importance [4]. That is, the effectiveness of reforms implemented in the educational system
directly depends not only on the strategic decisions and initiatives set by the highest
management bodies, but also on the active participation and level of interaction of educational
institutions, teachers, students and the public. In the activities of the legal education cluster,
based on these two approaches, it becomes possible to improve the quality of education, train
professional personnel and strengthen the capacity of practicing lawyers by forming mutual
synergies between institutions within the system. This reform towards clustering legal
education will be useful not only in training personnel, but also in the theoretical and practical
integration of all institutions in the cycle from preschool education to higher education, in order
to form the legal awareness and improve the culture of the population.
The use of a cluster approach in education can be a solution to the problems of quality
education and achievement as a result of effective actions in the future. R. Skornyakova noted
that an educational cluster is a flexible network structure that includes groups of interconnected
objects (educational institutions, public and political organizations, scientific institutes,
universities and scientific research organizations). These groups unite to solve urgent problems
and achieve a certain result (product) through innovative educational activities [5]. As a result
of applying the ideas of this scientist, synergy can be created in the education system. What is
the synergy effect? The concept of synergy is derived from the Greek language and means
unity, joint activity, cooperation, working together [6]. If we apply it in the field of education, it
is a process that occurs as a result of the joint activities of two or more organizations and
institutions, which gives a higher and more effective result than their separate activities. That is,
the “1+1=11” effect. For example: In legal education clusters, this effect is effective, that is,
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 09,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 236
when a university, a legal clinic, a bar association, judicial bodies, etc. cooperate, their joint
effect is more effective than what they do separately. This is a synergy effect. Synergy acts here
as the principle of the cluster model. YV Kalinyuk, LG Smyshlyaeva, DM Matveev, as
scientific evidence for our opinion in this regard, emphasized that the relevance of the cluster
approach in the development of education systems is determined, first of all, by the advantages
of this format in achieving a synergistic (jointly reinforcing) effect on various educational
outcomes, so to speak, in educational clusters the common goal is considered the central point,
and it is the common goal that guides the cluster participants to choose the content,
communication and technology aspects in cooperation and thereby achieve results [7].
According to many experts, clustering of educational sectors is an important factor in solving
the issues of modernization of education, changing its content and organizational and
technological formats.
Within the framework of the Decree of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev “On additional measures
to radically improve legal education and science in the Republic of Uzbekistan”, a mechanism
for identifying the needs for legal personnel and forming orders for them is being introduced
within the framework of the development of the legal education system. Legal education
clusters are of particular importance in this process, since these clusters allow organizing a
system of training specialists on a contractual basis with potential employers. Through this,
educational institutions are directed to training highly qualified legal personnel in accordance
with the requirements of the legal market and social needs. The legal education cluster also
contributes to establishing close ties between education and practice, which not only improves
the quality of education, but also serves to develop legal disciplines in our country. The
development of clustering in legal education in accordance with the implementation of this
regulatory legal act will serve not only to strengthen the national legal system, but also to train
competitive specialists in the international arena. The reforms underway in Uzbekistan in this
regard are creating a solid foundation for improving the quality of legal education and
introducing innovative approaches.
The importance of clustering in legal education is that the clustering system serves to establish
close cooperation between legal educational institutions, judicial bodies, the bar, notaries, and
other legal service organizations. This:
preparing students for the labor market;
improve practical skills;
joint implementation of research and innovation projects;
expands the possibilities of providing quality legal services to the population.
The educational process is carried out by combining theory and practice.
The cluster approach in legal education is widely used worldwide. In particular, in the USA,
Great Britain, Germany and other developed countries, legal education institutions operate in an
integrated manner with the judiciary, the bar and legal clinics. For example, the Legal Aid
Bureau at Harvard Law School is a student-run organization that provides free legal aid to the
underprivileged [8]. Through this model, students have the opportunity to test their knowledge
in practice and develop a sense of professional responsibility. In the UK, legal education
institutions are implementing large-scale pro bono programs to involve students in practice. For
example, at the University of Surrey, students work with real clients, provide free legal advice
and actively participate in solving legal problems in society by preparing legal documents [9].
Also, at the University of Sheffield, students provide free legal advice to the public through the
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 09,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 237
“FreeLaw” program [10]. These experiences help reinforce their theoretical knowledge in
practice.
In Germany, for example, legal education consists of two stages: theoretical education at the
university and a two-year internship called “Referendariat”. During this internship, students
work in courts, prosecutors’ offices and the bar, which improves their professional skills. This
system allows students to consolidate their theoretical knowledge in practice [11]. Since 2008,
student-run legal clinics have been operating in Germany. These clinics play an important role
in meeting the legal needs of the population, especially in the area of migration law.
Students work in these clinics on a voluntary basis, which allows them to test their theoretical
knowledge in practice. For example, the Refugee Law Clinic Hamburg allows students to gain
practical experience and feel a sense of social responsibility. Through these clinics, students
provide free legal advice on migration law [12].
The introduction of the “pro bono” (free voluntary legal aid) institute was an important step in
the integration of legal education with practice in the Republic of Uzbekistan. Some reforms in
this regard are also being implemented in the national experience. In particular, the Presidential
Decree No. PF-5987 of April 29, 2020 established additional measures to radically improve
legal education and science, which provided for the development of socially oriented legal
clinic activities (Pro bono) and clinical education of students to further improve the activities of
Tashkent State Law University on a “pro bono” basis, as well as the active implementation of
the “Street Law” project. Also, the Decree No. PF-5618 of January 9, 2019 approved the
concept for radically improving the system of raising legal awareness and legal culture in
society, which also set the task of developing a system of providing free legal aid to the
population [13]. Within the framework of these initiatives, by involving students of legal
education institutions in "pro bono" activities, they serve to consolidate their theoretical
knowledge in practice, form a sense of professional responsibility, and increase the legal
literacy of the population. This creates the basis for the development of an integrated system in
cooperation with legal clinics and judicial bodies, as in foreign experience.
Legal education clusters and their common structural elements include:
Legal higher education institutions and research centers;
Court, prosecutor's office, bar, notary and other legal service providers;
Legal clinics and legal advice centers;
Partner organizations in the public and non-governmental sectors;
The cooperation of these elements will allow us to improve the quality of legal education and
train legal personnel based on modern requirements.
Some of the following elements of legal education clusters are being implemented in
Uzbekistan:
In particular:
At the initiative of Tashkent State University of Law, a cluster system was established to
integrate education and practice. The activities of legal clinics have been effectively established,
and students are directly involved in providing free legal advice to the population, preparing
legal documents, and providing legal assistance in civil and economic disputes. At the same
time, students are undergoing internships in the courts, prosecutor's offices, and bar associations
within the framework of the "Young Prosecutors", "Young Lawyers", and "Young Judges"
clubs.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 09,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 238
Legal clinics, legal advice centers, courts, bar associations, and other legal institutions are
actively participating in these processes, cooperating within the cluster system and preparing
students for practical skills.
Based on the above, it is appropriate to put forward the following proposals and
recommendations for the legal education system of Uzbekistan:
- Development of a national concept of legal education clusters and strengthening their
theoretical and legal foundations;
- Establish regional legal education clusters and integrate them with judicial authorities, law
firms, and civil society institutions;
- Establishing schools for lawyers, judges, and prosecutors to operate within legal education
clusters;
Introducing approaches based on digital technologies and artificial intelligence into the
legal education system;
Pay special attention to the requirements of professional ethics and international law
when training students on a cluster basis.
In conclusion, one of the main tasks facing the education system of Uzbekistan today is to
organize the process of training competitive and highly qualified personnel on the basis of
systematic and modern approaches. It is from this perspective that the development of a legal
education cluster is gaining urgent importance as a requirement of the time. It is precisely
through the clustering system that an effective mechanism is created that will ensure close ties
between higher education institutions, research institutes, judicial bodies, the bar and other
practicing organizations, harmonize theory and practice, and ultimately improve the quality of
education.
LIST OF REFERENCES:
1.
Porter, ME (1998). Clusters and the New Economics of Competition. Harvard Business
Review.URL:
https://hbr.org/1998/11/clusters-and-the-new-economics-of-competition
2.
Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On additional measures to
radically improve legal education and science in the Republic of Uzbekistan”. PF–5987-No.
29.04.2020 // URL:
3.
Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On further increasing the
responsibility of justice bodies and institutions within the framework of administrative reforms
and the formation of a compact management system”. PF-80-no. 24.05.2024 //
URL:
4.
Fullan, M. (2007). The New Meaning of Educational Change (4th ed.). Teachers
CollegePress.
http://www.daneshnamehicsa.ir/userfiles/files/1/6%20The%20New%20Meaning
%20of%20Educational%20Change,%20Fourth%20Edition.pdf
5.
Harper, D. (2024). Synergy. In Online Etymology Dictionary. There
is:
https://www.etymonline.com/word/synergy
6.
Skornyakova ER Upravleniye sovremennoy shkoloy na primere obrazovatel'nogo klasta
[Management of modern school on the example of educational cluster]. IX Mezhdunarodnaya
nauchno-prakticheskaya conference "Problemy i perspektivy razvitiya obrazovaniya v Rossii"
[IX International Scientific-Practical Conference "Problems and prospects of education
development
in
Russia"].
Novosibirsk,
2011
(in
Russian).
URL:
http://
www.zrns.ru/2konf_arhiv_pn9.html
(accessed: 7 September 2021).
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 09,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 239
7.
YV Kalinyuk, LG Smyshlyaeva, DM Matveev. Cluster-Based Transformation of
Regional
Education.
Education
&
Pedagogy
Journal.
2022.
1
(3)
https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/cluster-based-transformation-of-regional-education
8.
Harvard Law School. (n.d.). Harvard Legal Aid Bureau. Retrieved August 7,
2025,
https://hls.harvard.edu/clinics/in-house-clinics/harvard-legal-aid-bureau/
9.
University of Surrey. (n.d.). Clinical Legal Education. Retrieved August 7,
2025,
https://www.surrey.ac.uk/school-law/study/clinical-legal-education
10.
University of Sheffield. (n.d.). Pro bono schemes and student legal clinics. Retrieved
August 7, 2025.
https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/law/undergraduate/probono/
11.
University of Bonn. (n.d.). Description of the Law Education System in Germany.
Retrieved
August
7,
2025,
https://www.jura.unibonn.de/fileadmin/Fachbereich_Rechtswissenschaft/Einrichtungen/A
uslandskoordination/Description_Law_Education_System_in_Germany.pdf
12.
University of Hamburg. (n.d.). Refugee Law Clinic – Was ist eine Law Clinic?
Retrieved August 7, 2025,
https://www.jura.uni-hamburg.de/en/lehrprojekte/law-clinics/refugee-
13.
Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On radical improvement of the
system of raising legal awareness and legal culture in society”. No. PF-5618 09.01.2019
//URL:
