Azerbaijan, Russia establish Association of Universities
By Nigar Orujova
A memorandum on establishment of the Association of Universities of Azerbaijan and Russia was signed on November 20.
The signing ceremony was held in Baku with the participation of Mikayil Jabbarov, Azerbaijani Education Minister, and Dmitry Livanov, Russian Minister of Education and Science.
The structure is expected to speed up the greater cooperation between Russian and Azerbaijani universities in the future.
Addressing the ceremony, Jabbarov noted the importance of expanding relations between the two countries in many fields, including in the fields of science and education.
In his turn, Livanov stressed the positive impact of cooperation between universities of the two countries on the quality of education in general, adding that the new structure will be a good platform for cooperation between universities.
Later, Jabbarov and Livanov visited School No23 in Baku.
Talking to the meeting held at the school, Jabbarov highlighted Azerbaijani-Russian educational ties, as well as teaching of Russian language in Azerbaijani Institutions.
The Russian minister provided an insight into educational system of his country, as the two sides exchanged views on developing prospects of Azerbaijani-Russian educational ties.
Baku has also hosted the Azerbaijani-Russian Inter-University Forum with participation of rectors and other representatives of universities of the two countries at ADA University.
ADA Rector Hafiz Pashayev voiced hope that the forum will give an impetus to strengthen links between universities of Azerbaijan and Russia.
“The Association of Russian and Azerbaijani universities will help make better use of the potential of the two countries for promotion and development of the education,” said Pashayev.
Addressing the forum, Rector of Sumgayit State University Elkhan Huseynov said that holding of such a forum provides a good opportunity for the exchange and transfer of experience in the field of education, establishing student exchanges and strengthening of relations between universities of Azerbaijan and Russia.
Huseynov believes it is necessary that the countries sought to create a common educational space to form specialists in the respective fields.
In turn, the rector of the Ufa State Oil Technical University, Ramil Bakhtizin, said that relations between the Russian and Azerbaijani peoples have a long history.
“Historically, Baku is the center of oil science,” said Bakhtizin. Stressing the active economic development of Azerbaijan, he said that the Azerbaijani universities are of interest to Russian students.
During his visit to Baku, Livanov was also received by President Ilham Aliyev. The sides exchanged views on the prospects of the relations between the two countries in the field of education.
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Nigar Orujova is AzerNews’s staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @o_nigar
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