The Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan aims to announce the educational priorities for each upcoming year beforehand in order to aware public on the implementation of key targets defined within the “State Strategy for the Development of Education in the Republic of Azerbaijan”. At the end of last year the Ministry presented its reform action plan driven for solution of topical problems existing in general education. As a next step, action plan has been prepared for higher education. Main objective of the mentioned actions is to provide transparent and efficient education environment, improve education quality and manage higher education establishments according to the up-to-date requirements. To this end, the Ministry of Education plans the implementation of the following activities in the upcoming academic year: 1. Organize “SABAH” groups (the abbreviation from Azerbaijani which stands for “educated, capable, prepared”) in state higher education institutions in order to provide a new educational environment and high quality capacity building in higher educational system; 2. Work out the indicators system defining the effectiveness of activities of higher education institutions; 3. Considering the priorities of specialties for the country’s social-economic development, improve the approaches of students admission plan compilation; 4. Prepare selection criteria of the universities which will take part in state offer for improving capacity preparation standards with state offer; 5. Review the education programs (standards) for bachelor’s and master’s degrees in order to provide advanced capacity preparation meeting the country’s economic development level and current requirements of labor market, as well as make the higher education programs (standards) compliant with the relevant ones applied in European region; 6. Establish interuniversity commission for application of Bologna process in order to provide the integration of higher education institutions with the European education; 7. Attach the secondary schools, first vocational and secondary special education establishments to the appropriate higher education institution considering their special profile in order to form profession-oriented specialty selection by undergraduates and provide legacy and continuity principles among different education stages; 8. Start pilot academic credits to increase higher education opportunities for youth from low income families; 9. Guided by the idea of establishing advanced and transparent management model, improve the normative base regulating the activities of higher education institutions and application of corporate management principles; 10. Enhance the application of financial reporting system at state higher educational institutions in order to improve the efficiency and transparency in use of financial resources; 11. Establish accreditation system of educational establishments in order to protect learners’ rights and define the compliance of teaching with state standards.

08/07/2015 16:52

According to the citizens receipt schedule in cities and regions in February 2014 by central executive authorities, on February 10, 2014, at 11.00, in the Olympics Sports Complex based in Jalilabad city, MikayilJabbarov, the Minister of Education, will receive citizens residing in Jalilabad, Lankaran, Astara, Lerik, Yardimli and Masalli regions. The citizens wishing to be received can be registered by calling Hotline #146 or via “E-appeal” http://www.edu.gov.az/view.php?lang=az&menu=contacts.

08/07/2015 16:52

The Centers aim to meet the objectives of efficiency improvement of obligations set forth in Decree on “Provision of e-services in state authorities” by Mr. Ilham Aliyev, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on “Rule to Review the Citizens’ Requests”. Both Centers supplied with advanced equipment and rapid communication systems have electronically been coordinated with structural units and appropriate educational entities of the Ministry of Education. The Centers have been supplied with information analysis systems. By Call Center and Citizens Reception Center, the citizens are provided with methodical and enlightening information and with various legal aids. The Centers operating in Azerbaijani, Russian and English languages continuously serve citizens 5 days a week from 09:00 to 18:00. Appeals, complaints and suggestions made to the Centers are included in data base and directed to the appropriate structural units of the Ministry of Education. Citizens are provided with official responses after investigating the appeals, complaints and suggestions. Some notes are made in the data base and appeals are sent to archive. Moreover, there is a search engine in data base. Each citizen’s appeal and number of their appeals to the Ministry of Education are possible to be found here via search criteria. Appeals made to the Call Center and Citizens Reception Center are statistically analyzed. Relevant reports are drafted based on the statistical data collected for each center’s activities. The Centers are provided with specially trained staff. In order to improve the level of service and quality, video-audio surveillance is maintained by means of advanced equipment and each staff member’s actions are evaluated on the basis of special criteria.  

08/07/2015 16:52

“Icherishahar” Club of Intellectual Games, of the “Icherishahar” State Historical-Architectural Reserve Department under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan, considers the inclusion of pupils from VII-XI classes of general education schools in entertaining intellectual activities within the Project. 11 teams have taken part in the first phase of school league. “Birlik” team representing the Lyceum named after Zarifa Aliyeva, Baku city was a winner by answering 17 questions correctly out of 24. The number of participating teams is expected to be increased in the second phase of school league.

08/07/2015 16:52

Personnel of Rescue Service with Special Risk, State Fire Control, State Fire Protection, State Water Rescue and Medical Service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES), Civil Defense Forces, Baku city Emergency and Urgent Medical Aid Station have participated at the event organized by Baku Regional Center of the MES. Classification and peculiarities of emergency cases, people behavior while emergency cases, user rules of personal protection tools, security assurance while using gas supplier devices, flows, floods, traffic-related accidents, explosions and other relevant issues have been informed to schoolchildren at the two-phase event – theoretical and practical. Specific tools used in emergency cases, fire-extinguisher tools, scuba, rescuing, swimming and personal protection tools, radiation, chemical and survey control tools, their assignment, operation principles, specific canine research vehicle, doing first medical aid while factures and bleedings have been demonstrated for schoolchildren. Additionally, conditional explosive installation has been found by specially trained dog at school yard and removed by pyrotechnic engineer for rendering harmless. Sketch on earthquake prepared by pupils has been performed for the participants. Correct location, evacuation and first medical aid have been demonstrated.

08/07/2015 16:52

Competition objective: The objective of competition is to timely and correctly deliver by means of mass media the content and essence of key strategic directions and goals of reforms on modern educational system establishment in upcoming years to Azerbaijan society, stimulate the promotion of media units to public enlightenment campaign.   Direction and titles of competition: № Direction Titles 1. Establishment of competence-based person-oriented education content 1. Prepare standards and curricula based on efficient educational model of children development in early ages; 2. Develop “Competent parents” program for pedagogical-psychological enlightening the parents in order to support children sustainable development-driven pedagogical activity; 3. Update existing educational standards and curricula, distribute for training directions at complete secondary education stage in order to assure transition to 12-years general education; 4. Develop specific development programs for talented children; 5. Apply higher education standards supporting the transformation of higher education establishments into education research innovation centers and providing competitive specialist preparation. 2. Modernization of human resources in educational sphere, formation of competent educators 1. Stimulate the creation of structures for further education of educators; 2. Develop state strategy for increasing the reputation of teaching profession; 3. Establish a competence- and result-oriented differentiated, competitive salary system in labor market; 4. Apply internship program in teacher preparation system; 5. Apply optimum inclusive education models in order to provide educational and social adaptation opportunities for children with special need. 3. Establishment of results-responsible, transparent and efficient management mechanism in education 1. Establish 12-years general education system by providing the gradual transition to 10-years compulsory general secondary education and 2-years complete secondary education models; 2.  Establish state – business partnership system in educational sphere; 3.  Establish result-oriented and transparent management model in educational institutions: 4.  Provide state – public (Parent – Teacher Association, Management Board, Guardian Board etc.) management of educational institutions by participation of stakeholders; 5. Establish a rating system of educational institutions. 4. Establishment of educational infrastructure meeting modern requirements and providing lifelong education 1. Establish infrastructure in compliance with requirements of information communication technologies based training methodologies in educational institutions, provide every educational institution with internet, every learner in general secondary education level with computer-tablets full of electronic manuals; 2. Rationale the educational institutions network; 3. Create advanced vocational-education centers and complexes; 4. Promote campus development; 5. Provide the development of educational media and internet resources. 5. Establishment of economic sustainable financing mechanism of educational system 1. Establish Education Development Foundation formed thanks to extra-budgetary means; 2. Establish financial support system in order to provide education opportunities for children and youth from low-income families; 3. Allocate additional resources for establishment of advanced, information communication technologies based education infrastructure, as well as e-education; 4. Transition to learner-based financing mechanism of educational institutions; 5. Improve teachers’ financial motivation.   Participation at competition: Competition includes the journalists with at least a year continuous experience in mass media by the competition announcement.   Requirements for writings to be submitted to competition: 1. Writing shall cover one of the announced titles (change of headings of announced titles are not allowed); 2. Every journalist shall submit just one writing to the competition; 3. The writing shall be published in such press units which are published not at least once a week in latest year, not included to the “black list” of Press Council; 4. The writing shall describe the note “To submit to the competition jointly organized by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Foundation of State Support for the Mass Media Development under President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Republic Committee of Independent Trade Union of Education Workers of Azerbaijan”; 5. The journalists working in information agencies and news portals shall post their writings in official web site of mass media; 6. Publication in press unit (one copy), journalists’ writings working in information agencies and news portals shall be printed (3 copies) (author’s signature shall be described) in A4 hard and soft formats (Times New Roman 12, in disc) and then submitted; 7. Writings shall not be more than 1 page in A3 format (9 – 11 thousand characters); 8. Writings shall be personally submitted to Foundation of State Support for the Mass Media Development under President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Document receiving commences on February 11, 2014 and completes on March 11, 2014. Documents are received during official opening hours from 10:00 to 16:00. Requested documents 1. Copy of labor book approved by mass media. 2. Copy of ID card (providing also original one). In case of incompleteness or false information of requested documents, writing is not allowed to competition. Evaluation criteria: - title covering, journalist research, justification; - information level of material for reader; - language and style, artistic-aesthetic expression of writing; - journalist objectivity, impartiality, unbiased and responsibility; - defense of public interests. Award of writings submitted to competition: For each direction, I place - (5 persons) 1000 manats; II place - (5 persons) 700 manats; III place - (5 persons) 500 manats; Encouraging award - (generally 10 persons) 200 manats. The winners will be awarded with specific diploma of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Foundation of State Support for the Mass Media Development under President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Republic Committee of Independent Trade Union of Education Workers of Azerbaijan. Annex: Participant’s data sheet

08/07/2015 16:52

In accordance with the lists approved by Order of Chairman of the Education Committee under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, dated on February 10, 2014, No. 11, during 2014-2015 the Azerbaijani youth may appeal to get education at 544 higher education institutions of 33 countries of the world within the State Program. In comparison with previous years, early approval of the lists is due to the admission process at the beginning of calendar year in many foreign higher education establishments and therefore aims to render assistance to the youth who wish to get education abroad in their selection of profession within the State Program. One more update is that by the validity date of relevant list, i.e. by February 10, 2014 the list which was approved for 2013-2014 academic year for those persons admitted to the foreign higher education institutions will be effective. Public will be additionally informed by the Ministry of Education regarding commencement and completion dates of acceptance of documents within the State Program for 2014-2015 academic years. At the moment preparation works are underway based on experiences from previous years by the Ministry of Education in order to organize more efficiently the acceptance of documents. Citizens are kindly asked not to submit their documents to the Ministry of Education personally or by e-mail by the commencement of acceptance of documents. No any document submitted beyond the acceptance process officially announced will be considered. Based on the targets to improve and make convenience of higher education system with the modern standards within the “State Program for the Development of Education in the Republic of Azerbaijan”, during the selection process of candidates for the State Program the preference will be given to the young people accepted to the Master’s degree and Doctoral Candidacy of foreign education institutions. Thus, during the selection process among the candidates with equal indicators, the persons appealed for Master’s degree and Doctoral candidacy will be more than the ones appealed for Bachelor’s degree.     Priority Profession Directions of Education Program Abroad Defined for Education Abroad of Azerbaijani Youth during 2014-2015 within “State Program for study of Azerbaijani youth abroad for 2007-2015”       List of Higher Education Institutions Selected for Education Program Abroad Defined for Education Abroad of Azerbaijani Youth during 2014-2015 within “State Program for study of Azerbaijani youth abroad for 2007-2015”  

08/07/2015 16:52

Professional specialists teach practical knowledge and skills to pupils at learning studio used since the beginning of the current academic year by support of the Ministry of Education and “Eldar studio” company. For pupils’ adaptation to the selected profession, all necessary factors have been considered in the design of learning studio supplied with advanced equipment. It’s considered to evaluate the pupils’ knowledge and skills with a new method at final exam. Thus, at final exam along with the pupils’ theoretical knowledge, their practical skills will also be assessed. Education-production practice of pupils studying “Barber” profession at Baku Vocational Lyceum No.18 within Modern Azerbaijani Professionals Project of the Ministry of Education  

08/07/2015 16:52

Main objective of the competition is to allow upper pupils to demonstrate their scientific achievements and identify the candidates to participate in annual Intel ISEF competition held in the US. In fact, this competition is a selection for the reputable international competition held among pupils of the world. Mikayil Jabbarov, the Minister of Education, Sattar Mehbaliyev, chairman of Republican Committee of Independent Trade Union of Education Workers of the Azerbaijan, Intigam Babayev, deputy minister of Youth and Sports, Tatyana Nanayeva, CIS country manager of ISEF, Vusal Khanlarov, executive director of “Madad” organization, managers of higher education institutions, principals of general education schools, teachers and pupils have participated at the opening ceremony. Pupils from IX-XI classes of general education schools based in Baku, Sumgait and Nakhchivan participate at the III Republic Competition “Scientists of tomorrow”. Organizers of the competition are the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Republican Committee of Independent Trade Union of Education Workers of the Azerbaijan and “Madad” Organization. Establishment of scientific intercourse environment for scientists of tomorrow is of special attention by professor and teacher staff of the Baku State University, Sumgait State University, Gafgaz University and Nakhchivan State University scientifically supporting the competition. Pupils are allowed to use advanced equipment of the mentioned education centers and research jointly with the scientific supervisor. The competition is organized based on 8 categories (math, physics, chemistry, biology, medicine and health, ecology, engineering, computer sciences). 108 pupils participate in 65 scientific projects. 36 out of the projects are collective, 29 are individual. Board of judges consisting of leading scientists of the republic has been established for evaluation of the projects. Acceptable projects are only those with a new scientific idea, technical description of experiment, engineering project, and description of innovative computer program. Final stage of the competition accepts the projects reviewed by the Scientific Expertise Commission and of which the annotations are approved. At the three-day competition the projects will be evaluated and there will be a meeting between reputable scientists of our country and pupils. Pupils and teachers of Baku and Sumgait schools, as well as press representatives may have opportunity to get acquainted with the projects. Then there will be awarding ceremony of winners. The winners will be awarded with money, diploma and medal by the organizers. 5 pupils selected by the Board of Judges will have chance to take part in Intel ISEF competition to be held in Los Angeles of California state, USA in May of the current year.

08/07/2015 16:52

The main goal of the project is to assure all society members’ engagement in struggle against ecological problems, improve the efficiency of enlightenment campaign among people by means of real ecological projects and organize the correct use of wastes in order to decrease the environmental damages up to minimum. Note that within the project implemented by initiative of IDEA Public Union leaded by Leyla Aliyeva, vice-president of Heydar Aliyev foundation, mass campaigns are conducted in every “ASAN service” centers active in Baku city from 15:00 to 18:00 daily since February 13, 2014. Paper wastes are considered to be collected at “ASAN service” centers with participation of public members, government units, non-government organizations and private institutions. The people who wish to participate in the campaign may deliver used paper and paper products appealing “ASAN service” centers. 1 tree is planned to be planted against delivered each 50 kg paper wastes. Also the Ministry of Education actively joined the “Let’s change every paper with a leaf” campaign. Thus, on the first day of campaign – on February 13, 16 general education, 6 first vocational special and 16 secondary special education institutions delivered about 2500 kg paper waste to “ASAN service” centers. It’s considered to continue the campaign with the participation of educational institutions.

08/07/2015 16:52