"Knowledge of not all graduates of Azerbaijani universities meets modern requirements"

Addressing the meeting, Ramiz Mehdiyev informed of the implementation of Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev's decree on introduction of a new mechanism to finance higher education institutions.

The participants of the meeting were told that under the special paragraph of the Decree, the Finance Ministry, Economic Development Ministry and Education Ministry had studied the experience of the foreign countries in the appropriate sphere, prepared and presented to the Cabinet of Ministers the draft normative legal acts covering the financing mechanism per capita in the higher education facilities of the republic. Based on these proposals, the Cabinet prepared an appropriate draft decision. The draft determined the education expenses of the specialists to be qualified on bachelor's and master's degrees by the order of the government.

In connection with the application of the new financing mechanism in the higher education facilities, the Cabinet of Ministers has prepared the financing rules for qualifying personnel on bachelor's and master's degrees.

Education Minister Misir Mardanov briefed about the work done by the ministry for the implementation of the Decree. He said the new financing rules will be applied in 29 state-run higher schools and 8 private universities from this year. Giving information about various specialties and higher schools, Misir Mardanov expressed his confidence that such a mechanism will produce positive results in the development of education.

Chairperson of State Students Admission Commission Maleyka Abbaszadeh gave information about this year's admission rules. According to her, the analysis of the application for various groups shows that along with this year's school leavers, graduates of the previous year will also take exams. Maleyka Abbaszadeh said proper changes were made in the admission rules in connection with the application of the new financing mechanism.

Finance Minister Samir Sharifov highly assessed the Decree as well, regarded it as progressive step for formation of common development of education, rivalry atmosphere. He said that new financing mechanism would be concerned only to freshmen. The minister gave detailed information on problems due to passing into new financing mechanism, told leaders of the universities that per capita financing gave appropriate opportunity to all higher education facilities for gaining total autonomy.

Minister of Economic Development Shahin Mustafayev spoke about Ministry's prognoses on preparation of high-level specialists corresponding with the development strategy of the country. Noting that such prognoses will be more organized for next years, he said that per capita financing was estimable fact for education system as a whole.

Speaking at the meeting, the rector of the Azerbaijan Art Academy Omar Eldarov, rector of Baku State University Abel Maharramov, rector of Azerbaijan State Economic University Shamsaddin Hajiyev, rector of Khazar University Hamlet Isakhanly, rector of the Azerbaijan Institute of Tourism Jafar Jafarov, rector of Baku University of Teachers Agia Nakhchivanli noted that application of new financing mechanism was very positive case, and this would impact on the increase of quality of the education.

Summing up the conference Mehdiyev noted that though Azerbaijan was one of the countries developing dynamically, it needed highly skilled specialists. But held examinations for admission to state service, as well as tests held by appropriate companies showed that standard of knowledge of graduates did not meet standards. All these problems show existing defects in the activity of higher education facilities. One of the main problems is that staff personnel is getting old quickly and there is not enough young people to establish European education standards in Azerbaijan.

According to Mehdiyev, though all higher education facilities announced their joining to Bologna process, only very few changes have been reflected in their programs remained since soviet period. Most of the students are not able to demonstrate enough knowledge meeting standards of international test systems in English language and informatics. "Investigation of Professional Licensing Board's work shows that the number of presented dissertations for gaining academic rank is increasing continuously. But the articles of scientists working in Azerbaijan's education system occur in the journals having great authority in the world very rarely".


/Trend/