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my supervision. I am quite optimistic Our university is a full member of tion processes that totally changed
that we will achieve these goals with the European University Association the general nature of the Azerbaijan
the support of the rector of my uni- (EUA), the International Association economy.
versity and through the young and of Universities (IAU), the Federation
enthusiastic team in our international of the Universities of the Islamic World The country's modern economy is
relations office. (FUIW), the Universities Council of based on a national development stra-
the Black Sea Economic Co-operation tegy established by Haydar Aliyev, the
Q: ASEU has just celebrated its Organization and the Eurasian Asso- national leader of Azerbaijan. The effi-
eightieth anniversary. Could you ciation of Universities (EAU). ASEU cient use of natural resources, impro-
tell us about its history? has established bilateral co-operation ving the well-being of the population,
with more than 100 foreign universi- implementing the liberal foreign eco-
Yes, we recently celebrated our ties all over the world. nomic activity regime, ensuring natio-
eightieth anniversary and this means nal economic security, providing sus-
that ASEU is one of the oldest higher ASEU established a Special Talented tainable national economic growth and
educational institutions in Azerbaijan. Group where all subjects are taught decreasing the economy's dependence
exclusively in English according to on the energy sector are considered as
Our university was founded in 1930 Harvard University's education pro- the main lines of this strategy.
in Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan. gramme, the first distance educa-
The preparation of highly educated tion centre in the Southern Caucasus Being one of the energy producing
economists had already been going on (jointly with Indiana University, and exporting countries, Azerbaijan
in our country since the 1920s. Thus, USA), the World Bank Information has successfully implemented well-
the Polytechnic Institute established in Centre (jointly with The World Bank), designed targets for its oil and gas
1920 had a special economics depart- the World Trade Organization Refe- strategy. Following the signing of the
ment and later an economics section, rence Centre (jointly with WTO), the "Contract of the Century" (1994), the
becoming the Social Sciences Faculty WIPO Depository Library (jointly launch of the Baku-Thilisi-Ceyhan
of Azerbaijan State University in 1922. with WIPO) and the Students' Career oil pipeline (2006), and the Baku-
Centre (jointly with the International Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline (2007)
In 1930, Azerbaijan State University Labour Organisation). For the last played an important role in moder-
was separated into different institu- three years a number of Nobel Prize- nizing Azerbaijan's energy industry
tions and the Azerbaijan Trade Co- winners in economics have delivered and in diversifying the Caspian hydro-
operation Institute was established special lectures for ASEU students and carbon export infrastructure. As a
as its economics section. The history staff. It is a great privilege for us that result Azerbaijan became one of the
of ASEU started from that date. Up nine of them accepted to become ho- active players on the world energy
until 2000 our university functio- norary doctors of our university. market with its annual production of
ned under different names -- Azer- 50 million tonnes of oil and 27 billion
baijan Social Economic Institute, ASEU's eighty years of activity have cubic metres of gas. We are sure that
Azerbaijan Institute of National Eco- always been officially appreciated by the realization of the "Shahdeniz-2
nomy, and Azerbaijan State Economic the government. A number of ASEU's project" and construction of the Trans-
Institute. Finally, according to presi- professors and teachers have been Anadolu (TANAP) and Trans-Adriatic
dential decree of 13 June 2002, ASEU rewarded with different state prizes. (TAP) gas pipelines will significantly
was re-established by combining two On this point, we can mention the increase Azerbaijan's importance in
institutions -- Azerbaijan State Econo- "Glory" Order given to our rector, Pro- providing energy security to Europe.
mic Institute and Baku State Commo- fessor Shamsaddin Hajiyev, for his
dities and Commerce Institute. Thus, active participation in the socio-politi- I would like to give some general
from a small department in 1930, our cal life of Azerbaijan in 2011. figures summing up the current econo-
university became one of the leading mic situation. Over the last ten years
higher educational institutions in the Q: How would you describe your Azerbaijan's economy has tripled in
South Caucasus region. country's economy in relation to volume and our GDP reached US$70
the international economy? billion covering about 80% of the
Today, ASEU has thirteen faculties total economy of the South Caucasus
with more than 16,000 students. As you know Azerbaijan obtained its region. Another important indicator of
International economics, finance, ban- independence for the second time after economic development is the volume
king, management and accounting are the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. of the state budget that increased from
the main areas of specialization offe- From the economic point of view, we US$1.5 billion in 2003 to US$25 bil-
red. Teaching at both undergraduate can mention two main objectives that lion in 2013.
and graduate levels is provided in four our country has tried to achieve over
languages -- Azerbaijani, Turkish, the last twenty years. First of all, we A total of US$145 billion has
Russian and English. There are more moved from a centrally planned eco- been invested in Azerbaijan's eco-
than 500 international students from nomy to a market economy by imple- nomy between 1995 and 2012, 50%
twenty countries. The regular mas- menting systematic and comprehen- of which was foreign investment. Now
ter's programme and the MBA pro- sive reforms. Secondly, we integrated our strategic exchange reserves are
gramme total about 2,000 students. our national economy with the world almost US$50 billion guaranteeing
ASEU's Ph.D. programme is one of the economy and aligned it with current Azerbaijan's sustainable economic
most prestigious in Azerbaijan. The international economic standards. development in the near future.
staff includes about 2,000 professors, This was followed by the adoption of
lecturers and technical personnel. elements originating from regional
economic integration and globaliza-
International 21