Rector of Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University, Professor Mustafa Babanli is attending the II Forum of higher education institutions of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation opened in Ufa on May 18.
Deputy Prime Minister of Bashkortostan Salavat Sagitov and Deputy Education Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Matin Eynullayev greeted the attendees and delivered speeches at the opening of the event. Deputy Education Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan thanked the President of Bashkortostan Rustam Khamitov, the government of the Russian Federation and Ufa State Petroleum Technological University for their warm welcome. “The interaction between Russian and Azerbaijani educational communities had always been close, and the establishment of the Association became a logical continuation of this cooperation. Over the last two years, there has been a constant exchange of visits. I am confident that we will continue the successful implementation of new projects” – he said.
Rector of USPTU, Co-chairman of the Association of Russian and Azerbaijani higher education institutions Ramil Bakhtizin related the symbolism of the meeting to the celebration of the 85th anniversary of Bashkir oil. “We used to call Bashkiria “second Baku” back then. Today, “second Baku” successfully continues the mission of first Baku” – he underlined.
Close ties between oil workers and scientists, coping with the problems of the oil sector have never been interrupted. In November of last year, we held a conference in Ufa dedicated to the memory of Azerbaijan’s distinguished scientist and academician Azad Mirzajanzade who was one of the founders of Academy of Sciences of Bashkortostan and its honorary member.
Within the framework of the plenary session, the participants were able to listen to the reports of Deputy Executive Director of the National Training Foundation Marina Barishnikova, Rector of South University Imran Akberov, Rector of Bashkir State Pedagogical University named after M. Akmulla Rail Asadullin, Rector of Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University Mustafa Babanli and other representatives.
The forum involves 16 Azerbaijani and 34 Russian universities. The forum organizers are the government of the Republic of Bashkortostan of the Russian Federation, the Association of Russian and Azerbaijani universities and the Russian National Training Foundation.
The main topics discussed at the forum are the role of universities in the development of regions, international cooperation, as well as the involvement of educational institutions in international and national ratings. The forum program includes the plenary session “University – core driver of the regional economy’s development: Russia's and Azerbaijan's experience”, panel discussion “International cooperation as a key aspect of universities’ development”, sessions of university rectors.
Notably, the Association of Russian and Azerbaijani higher education institutions was established in Baku in 2015. It includes 32 Russian and 12 Azerbaijani universities.
