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Baku Higher Oil School (BHOS) hosted National Erasmus+ Information Day for the first time. It was held jointly with National Erasmus+ Office in Azerbaijan for representatives of Azerbaijani higher educational institutions. Representatives of the Ministry of Education of the Azerbaijan Republic, State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR), British Council in Azerbaijan, Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Azerbaijan and a number of other diplomatic missions in the country also attended the event. Senior officials, teachers and representatives of youth student organizations from leading universities of Baku, Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Sumgayit, Lenkeran and Mingechevir participated in the Information Day.

 

Opening the Information Day, BHOS Rector Elmar Gasimov warmly greeted all the guests. He emphasized importance of such events for further development of higher education in the country and international cooperation of Azerbaijani universities with educational institutions and organizations of the Member states of the European Union. He also said that it is necessary to use effectively the opportunities offered by Erasmus+ and other EU programs aimed at support of education. Elmar Gasimov told that Azerbaijani Universities have participated in the EU educational program including TACIS/Tempus projects, since 1995. He also informed that within the Erasmus+ program BHOS signed a cooperation agreement with Piraeus Technology University (Greece) this year. He wished the Information Day participants effective and successful work.

 

Head of the Operation Section of the EU delegation to Azerbaijan Jeroen Willems thanked the management of the Higher School for the opportunity to conduct the National Erasmus+ Information Day at BHOS premises. He also briefed the Information Day participants about main principles of the European Union policy in the field of support to higher education in Azerbaijan. Jeroen Willems said: “Working closely with the Ministry of Education and universities in Azerbaijan, we intend to help the country to implement reforms in the sphere of higher and vocational education. To achieve this goal, we use various means including investments and grants.”

 

Expert on international cooperation issues of the Ministry of Education of the Azerbaijani Republic Parvin Gakhramanova; Deputy Vice-President of SOCAR Asif Shafagatov; Head of the National Erasmus+ Office in Azerbaijan Parviz Bagirov; Director of the British Council office in Baku Elizabeth White; attaché of the Embassy of France to Azerbaijan for work with universities Batist Minyo; member of SOCAR’s scientific and technical department Nazim Veliyev; and specialist on International Aid and Cooperation of the EU delegation to Azerbaijan Rza Zulfagarli also made welcoming speeches.

 

Then the Information Day attendants listened to the main speeches. In his report, Parviz Bagirov highlighted basic features of the Erasmus+ program and Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) third call for Proposals. He also informed the participants about CBHE in Azerbaijan and the role of National Erasmus Offices. Vice-Rector of Azerbaijan University of Languages Dr. Jala Garibova presented a speech entitled “Managing EU Projects: Grant Holding in Azerbaijan”. Deputy Director of Regional Innovative Technologies Academy (R.I.T.A.) and team member of ICT&FET NCP HORIZON 2020 in Azerbaijan Khalida Melikova told about Horizon 2020 possibilities for cooperation. Elmar Guliyev, Head of Erasmus Student Network Office in Azerbaijan, briefed the audience about the organization. Representative of the National Erasmus+ Office in Azerbaijan Aygun Rustamli dedicated her speech to other EU programs and opportunities for universities in Azerbaijan, and the role of NEO in these programs. Official from the Ministry of Education Zohra Jafarova presented a report entitled “Erasmus+ in Azerbaijan and Support from the Ministry of Education”.

 

Discussion of the reports was followed by the questions and answers session.