“Towards the Peak” Training Held for Female Scholarship Recipients Under “Support for Girls’ Education” Project

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, a training titled “Towards the Peak” was organized for female students participating in scholarship programs within the “Support for Girls’ Education” project. The event was organized by the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs with the support of the Education Development Fund.

The main purpose of the training was to promote the personal development of young women, enhance their social engagement, and support their meaningful integration into society.

During the opening of the event, Sabina Talishinskaya, Deputy Head of the Department for Women’s Issues and Gender Equality at the State Committee, emphasized that girls’ education plays a crucial role in the future development of society. She also informed participants about the results achieved within the project and ongoing efforts to expand educational opportunities for young women.

The training was then conducted in an interactive format by mediator Gunel Aliyeva. The session included discussions based on real-life scenarios, providing participants with practical knowledge and skills. The training covered key strategies, effective approaches, and core principles of personal development to help young women achieve their goals and build successful careers.

At the end of the event, participants exchanged ideas and had their questions addressed.

Education Development Fund Holds Meeting with Azerbaijan Young Teachers Association

A meeting dedicated to discussing cooperation opportunities was held between the Education Development Fund and the Azerbaijan Young Teachers Association.

During the meeting, the parties discussed prospects for cooperation in implementing joint initiatives in the field of education, supporting the professional development of young teachers, promoting innovative teaching approaches, and expanding teachers’ access to resources.

Chairman of the Board of the Education Development Fund, Nijat Mammadli, provided information about the Fund’s projects, scholarship and development programs, as well as initiatives aimed at ensuring sustainability within the education ecosystem. Chairperson of the Azerbaijan Young Teachers Association, Parvina Gadimova, shared insights on working with young teachers in the regions, their professional needs, and the challenges they face.

Within the framework of the meeting, opportunities for implementing joint projects were further discussed. The parties agreed to continue their cooperation and to develop a joint action plan.

Memorandum of Cooperation Signed Between the Education Development Fund and the National Aviation Academy

A memorandum of cooperation was signed between the Education Development Fund and the National Aviation Academy. The Academy has also joined the TalabaPlus project. It should be noted that the TalabaPlus project was launched last year based on a memorandum signed between Kapital Bank, the Education Development Fund, and Visa. The project enables students to benefit from discounts at hundreds of partner stores and combines scholarship, banking card, and university access functions into a single card.

Opening the event, First Vice-Rector of the National Aviation Academy, Adalat Samedov, provided guests with information about the institution’s activities, structure, and stages of development.

Afterwards, Vice-Rector Gulnara Ahmadova spoke about the contributions of the Academy’s Rector, academician Arif Pashayev, to the development of Azerbaijani science, particularly in the field of civil aviation.

Speaking about the project aimed at increasing financial literacy among young people, Chairman of the Board of the Education Development Fund, Nijat Mammadli, stated that the main goal of the TalabaPlus project is to support students, improve their social well-being, and create favorable conditions for them to dedicate more time to their education. He noted that with the National Aviation Academy joining the project, the number of participating higher education institutions has reached 27, and the number of students benefiting from the project exceeds 200,000.

Farid Huseynov, Chief Executive Officer of Bir Ecosystem and Kapital Bank, emphasized that cooperation with the Academy further strengthens the bank’s vision for the future. “The memorandum we signed today takes our cooperation to a new level. We want your students, as future professionals, to benefit as much as possible from our ecosystem’s opportunities, internship programs, and real projects.”

The Education Development Fund and its partner institutions plan to continue expanding cooperation with higher education institutions within the framework of the TalabaPlus project and increasing the opportunities provided to students. The expansion of the project’s scope will contribute to offering young people more accessible, functional, and modern opportunities, as well as strengthening university-business cooperation.

Parla Launches New Training: “From Communication to Connection in Modern Business: A New Corporate Advantage”

Another training session within the framework of the “Parla” Scholarship and Development Program was held on the topic “From Communication to Connection in Modern Business: A New Corporate Advantage.”

The interactive session focused on the importance of going beyond traditional communication in the modern business environment and building genuine, value-driven connections. Participating young women gained valuable knowledge on effective interpersonal skills, building trust, and understanding the role of strong relationships in enhancing collaboration, leadership, and professional impact.

It should be noted that the “Parla” Scholarship and Development Program, implemented within the framework of cooperation between the Education Development Fund and NEQSOL Holding, aims to support the academic and professional development of young women through scholarship, internship, and mentorship opportunities.

The “TələbəPlus”

The “TələbəPlus” project is implemented through the joint initiative of the Education Development Fund, Kapital Bank, and Visa, the international payment technologies company. The project aims to ensure that students of all higher education institutions across the country can benefit from the same discounts and privileges, while also supporting their social life.

The TələbəPlus card performs several functions simultaneously: in addition to serving as a university access pass, a scholarship card, and a debit bank card, it also offers students discounts and cashback opportunities. Around 300 local and international partners have joined the project. Cardholders are offered various benefits at educational institutions, restaurants, cafés, clothing stores, bookshops, stationery stores, medical facilities, entertainment venues, and more. Under an agreement reached with the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, special discounts are also available for students at museums, galleries, and exhibition halls. Additionally, Memoranda of Understanding have been signed within the project framework with the Azerbaijan Food and Beverage Manufacturers Association and the Azerbaijan Publishers Association.

In 2024, 170,000 students enrolled in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs at 21 universities with which cooperation agreements were signed are being provided with TələbəPlus cards.

Book Donation to Schools

The “Book Donation to Schools” project is being implemented within the framework of cooperation between the Education Development Fund and “Inci Group of Companies.”

As part of the project, which aims to donate books on classic world and Azerbaijani literature to regional schools, a total of 4,800 books were donated in 2023 to schools under the Abşeron–Khizi, Central Aran, Mountainous Shirvan, Ganja–Dashkasan, Lankaran–Astara, and Quba–Khachmaz regional education departments.

In 2024, an additional 5,000 books were donated to schools under the Gazakh–Tovuz, Karabakh, Eastern Zangezur, Shirvan–Salyan, and Shaki–Zagatala regional education departments.

Sustainable Development Centers

To date, Sustainable Development Centers have been established and are operating at three higher education institutions—Azerbaijan Technical University, Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University, and Sumgayit State University—and at one secondary specialized education institution—the Azerbaijan State Pedagogical College under the Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University.

Among the main priorities of these centers are fostering partnerships between the public and private sectors, implementing innovative approaches in line with modern educational requirements, and expanding cooperation opportunities in emerging fields. Various trainings and seminars on different topics are organized for students by private companies at these centers.

4IR Academy

Within the framework of the “4IR Academy” project, organized by the Center for Analysis and Coordination of the Fourth Industrial Revolution under the Ministry and the U.S.-based company Coursera, 10,000 people benefited free of charge over the course of one year from nearly 800 courses on the Coursera online learning platform. These courses covered 4IR technologies, artificial intelligence, data analytics, blockchain and cloud technologies, programming languages, leadership, and communication skills.

Participants engaged in more than 32,000 hours of video lectures, and those who successfully completed the training programs collectively earned 4,300 international certificates.

In September 2024, 4IR Academy was selected among 180 projects submitted by 42 countries in a competition held by Coursera and was awarded the “Outstanding Achievement Award” in the “Artificial Intelligence” category.

Red Hearts Education Scholarship

In November 2024, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Education Development Fund and the Red Hearts Foundation. The purpose of the memorandum is to establish cooperation on programs and projects aimed at the development of the education system, as well as to create and implement a long-term scholarship program for students.

Within the framework of this memorandum, the “Red Hearts Education Scholarship” program was established. The program is intended for male and female students from low-income families who scored over 600 points in entrance exams and are enrolled in the first year of undergraduate studies at higher education institutions across the country.

As part of the program, 23 students who successfully passed all stages of the selection process have been awarded a monthly scholarship of 200 AZN throughout their education, starting from 2025.

In total, 306 applications were received for the scholarship program, of which 69 candidates who met all eligibility criteria qualified for the interview stage.

The main goal of the “Red Hearts Education Scholarship” program is to support the development of educated and talented youth and to foster the upbringing of responsible citizens who will contribute positively to society in the future.

“Maarifchi” Student-Alumni Internship Program

The “Maarifchi” Student-Alumni Internship Program is implemented as a joint initiative of the Ministry of Science and Education and the Education Development Fund. Within the framework of this three-month program, the “Maarifçi” participants undergo internships at various structural divisions of the Ministry of Science and Education and its subordinate institutions, as well as at the Ministry of Education of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.

In 2024, two admission cycles were carried out. For the first “Maarifçi” Student-Alumni Internship Program, 1,958 applications were submitted, of which 27 candidates were selected to participate. For the second program, 2,741 applications were received, and 37 participants earned the right to join.

The aim of the program is to contribute to the development of human resources in the fields of science and education, enhance the sectoral knowledge and practical skills of students and alumni, provide them with modern approaches in education, and support the implementation of educational reforms.