TIME TO LEARN
TBY talks to Adalat J. Muradov, Rector of the Azerbaijan State University of Economics (UNEC), on the international aspect of the university and attracting the right faculty staff.
BIOGRAPHY
Adalat J. Muradov graduated from the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, where he received his PhD in 1993. In 1999 he was appointed as a Professor at the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. He is the author of textbooks, monographs, education programs, and scientific articles. In 2002 he began working at the Ministry of Economy and Industry of the Republic of Azerbaijan, where he held senior positions. He supervised issues of macroeconomic analysis and forecasting, foreign trade policy, and WTO, and he headed the Department of Economic Policy, Analysis and Forecasting from 2009 to 2014. He is also an advisor to the public service.What are the current main strategic targets of UNEC?
Modern universities have three main functions: to prepare educated graduates to satisfy labor market demands, to carry out research oriented to solve the problems of society and to gain new knowledge, and to build up efficient university-economy cooperation, hence contributing to economic development. Currently, UNEC's main strategic target is to become a truly modern and world-class university, which can fulfill the aforementioned functions.
English language programs are expanding quickly along with demand. How is UNEC approaching this?
English has become a global language. English is also the common language of business in the world economy. Our approach to this matter is that all students studying at UNEC must learn English to a high level. We also do a lot of work in terms of English language specialization. For this purpose, we have established a new school at UNEC called the International School of Economics. This school boosts both English-language capacity and strengthens UNEC's global integration. We hope that the school will increase the flow of international students to UNEC and enhance its participation range in international programs. The same expectations lay on our English MBA programs, built up according to world standards. Today at UNEC, a joint bachelor's degree program is realized with the University of London/London School of Economics in English and, this year, we have started a dual diploma program with Montpellier University.
What are you doing to strengthen your teaching staff?
For the past two years we have been recruiting young professional and experienced specialists with educational backgrounds in the US and Europe, as part of our Young Teacher project. We hope that this project will help us to bring on board at least 10 professors under the age of 40 within the next few years.
What are some of the international cooperation networks that connect UNEC with other universities across the world?
UNEC is enhancing its global research competitiveness through cooperation with international universities and research institutions as well as student exchange programs. The international relations of UNEC are visible in various areas. Currently, within direct cooperation agreements, UNEC cooperates with more than 100 universities from all over the world. We have recently signed bilateral agreements with 14 universities from 12 countries. Our bilateral cooperation and partnerships with foreign universities was established in two directions: student and staff mobility and the creation of joint education programs. If students pursue part of their education outside Azerbaijan, they can choose an exchange program with one of our partner universities. In parallel with that, UNEC encourages more staff to take advantage of education within international cross regional capacity building projects such as Erasmus+, and supports staff trainings abroad. Within the Mevlana Exchange Program funded by the Turkish government, UNEC cooperates with 36 universities.
What are some of the ways UNEC works to compete with the quality of education offered by Western universities?
For the last two years UNEC has taken first place in the Webometrics ranking of world universities among Azerbaijani higher education institutions evaluated for their presence on the web. This is an important step toward becoming international. In fact, we are the first ISO-certified Azerbaijani public university. 2016 has been declared the Year of Quality at UNEC and we are working on improving quality standards.
What plans does UNEC have for the coming year?
In the field of internationalization, we will expand our relations with leading universities. Our first goal is to complete integration into the European Higher Education system to meet the demands of the Bologna process. Our second goal is to modernize the curricula, teaching materials, and subjects. In accordance with labor market demands, we are going to continue to find new opportunities with companies for internships and training for our students. Our strategic plan includes the application of scientific and technological achievements and the introduction of advanced systems for university management. We plan to expand our research activities to strengthen the position of UNEC in the international rankings.
TIME TO LEARN
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Year In Review
Good Times Ahead
<strong></strong><strong>In a year dominated by the overarching theme of low hydrocarbons prices, Azerbaijan showed resilience and verve in putting in place bold measures both to counter the slump in energy prices and put its economy on a surer footing.</strong>
read articleReview: Diplomacy
Operation Outreach
In 2015, Azerbaijan's military budget increased by a notable 27%, to $4.8 billion, or 17.9% of the government's total budget for the year. The first Azerbaijan Defence Exhibition (ADEX 2014), drew over 200 companies from 34 countries, including Russia and the US.
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Rufat Mammadov, President, Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO)
TBY talks to Rufat Mammadov, President of the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO), on large-scale events and their ability to attract FDI and the potential Iran may hold.
read articleReview: Banking
More Interest
In a sector faced with relatively flat growth for 2015-16, new opportunities are still there aplenty, led by the nascent Islamic banking sector, e-banking, and microfinance initiatives. Together, these areas should make banking more diversified and less reliant on a buoyant energy sector for its capital inlay.
read articleReview: Capital Markets
Taking Stock
As Azerbaijan grapples with the knock-on effects of low hydrocarbon prices, the Baku Stock Exchange (BSE) finds itself at the center of the country's efforts to stave off a budget deficit this year. In January, the government announced plans to sell $500 million worth of bonds on the BSE.
read articleReview: Industry & Mining
In The Bag
Industry in Azerbaijan is long established, diversified, and, in many areas, fast growing. Together, these qualities make the sector well placed to see through the global slump in commodity prices, while at home, the manufacturing industry continues to find ways to use its hydrocarbons expertise in other fields, including high technologies and research.
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Khanlar Fatiyev, , Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Ganja Automobile Plant Production Association
TBY talks to Khanlar Fatiyev, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Ganja Automobile Plant Production Association, on the role of the plant in driving growth in the non-oil sector.
read articleReview: Transport
The New Node
With major new railways linking the region, the opening of the new Baku International Sea Trade Port Complex, the completion of a massive program of road building and upgrading, investment in state-of-the-art fleets ranging from Boeing 787s to rail locomotives, Azerbaijan can rightly claim the title as the Caucasus' transportation hub.
read articleReview: Agriculture
Lots More
Farms across the country are pursuing a policy of increased yields for year-round fruit and in the wheat harvest to stave off an over-reliance on imports. With carefully targeted increases in exports, better routes to port and to market, and greater sophistication of agricultural facilities, farming could soon be the morning star of Azerbaijan's diversified economy.
read articleReview: Health
Under One Umbrella
Life expectancy at birth (2015) is 75 years for women and 70 for men. The median age is 30. For both sexes, longevity increased by six years between 2000 and 2012. Azerbaijan is a relatively youthful country—an important factor in healthcare—with 22% of its populace aged under 15 and just 9% aged over 60.
read articleReview: Education
Baku to School
Azerbaijan's culture has always harbored a deep respect for educational values. This is embodied in the country's Azerbaijan 2020 mission statement, which seeks to raise standards across the sector and introduce ICT as a standard part of the learning experience at all levels.
read articleInterview
Elkhan Mammadov,, Secretary General, Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan (AFFA)
TBY talks to Elkhan Mammadov, Secretary General of the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan (AFFA), on the experience Azerbaijan is gaining in hosting international events.
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