The Magnificent Project of ADU Left an Indelible Mark on Students’ Memories

There are moments in a person’s life that leave an indelible mark with their joyful impressions, unforgettable events, and overwhelming excitement. Yes, metaphorically speaking, some people are lucky enough to experience days that feel like a lifetime. When you look from the outside, you can see on their faces an expression born from a blend of pride and excitement. On December 13, I witnessed that very expression on the faces of many students at Azerbaijan University of Languages. And there was, of course, a natural reason for this. For the first time at ADU, the “One-Day Caliph” project, initiated by the university's rector, full member of ANAS and honored scientist Kamal Abdulla, was being carried out. The project envisioned that students elected through voting would assume key administrative positions in the university for one day, fully authorized to carry out the duties of those roles. With this project, students had the rare opportunity to realize their future aspirations, even if only for a day.

Normally coming to class in casual sportswear, students had dressed formally in accordance with the demands of their new positions. Each wore a badge clearly stating their one-day role, which they took great care to keep neat and visible, as if they were protecting it with special attention.

They say the first of anything is always more exciting and memorable. Keeping in mind that this was a first for ADU, we decided to hear the impressions of these young leaders in their own words and headed to their offices.

 “As students ourselves, we understand student problems better than the administration”

Nicat Ashurov, the one-day rector of Azerbaijan University of Languages, which holds a unique place in the country’s educational system, shared his impressions as follows: 

“I spent almost the whole night wondering what tomorrow would be like, what I’d do. The excitement that began during the selection process is still present because we must make decisions within legal boundaries. At the same time, we made certain promises to students during the campaign phase, and we need to fulfill those promises in a way that satisfies both the students and the administration.”

The young rector also talked about the election process and the essence of the project: 

“The importance of this day isn’t just about attaining a position; it’s about making sound decisions that benefit students. As students ourselves, we know their problems better than the administration. That’s why we must ensure our decisions are within legal bounds so that when we return as students the next day, we don’t face any problems because of them.”

Saying, “We have to do in one day what the administration does over many,” the one-day rector also gave special advice to students. He emphasized that students should not rush into high positions because the responsibilities are significant. It was evident that even though only a few hours had passed since assuming office, he still felt the weight of the responsibility.

At the end, the rector wished all students success in their education.

We arrived at our next stop: standing in front of the office of the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs on the second floor of the university, waiting for approval to conduct our interview.

“We were aware of the responsibility from the time we prepared for the elections”

Oruc Nasirov, elected as the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs as part of the “One-Day Caliph” project, shared his thoughts on daily responsibilities: 

“Even during the election process, we were aware of this responsibility and tried to prepare accordingly. We began to feel the intensity of the job in the early hours of the day. Already, several students have approached with suggestions and complaints. Naturally, all applications will be reviewed, and by the end of the day, we will try to make decisions in the rector’s office. We’ve also planned meetings with department heads to inform them of student complaints and deficiencies. I believe this will help improve the quality of education and increase our university’s prestige compared to other higher education institutions.”

The university’s one-day press secretary Şahin Sərdarlı informed us that we could also hear from Səma Məmmədzadə, the one-day Vice-Rector for Scientific Affairs. A few minutes later, we were seated in front of her, asking our questions.

 “Honestly, this is an irreplaceable feeling for me”

We asked Səma Məmmədzadə: “What does it feel like to come to the university where you were once a student, now as an acting administrator?” The young vice-rector enthusiastically shared her impressions: 

“To come to the university today, where I’ve always been a student, now as someone holding an executive position, is honestly an irreplaceable feeling for me. Usually, you have to go through a process to reach such a level, but we were given the opportunity to climb the ladder directly. As students, these positions may seem easy, but since our perspective is different, we often overlook the formal aspects. Yet even for one day, occupying this role allows us to act in a way that balances both student and administrative viewpoints. You start to think about what the student wants and try to find a middle ground. As I said, this is a very pleasant experience for me, especially because I want to specialize in the field of science. I believe this project will significantly contribute to my future career and remain an unforgettable day in my memory.”

The Creation of an Information Resource Base Will Greatly Benefit Our Students

Describing the experience of acting as dean at her university as indescribable, one-day dean Sevinc Quliyeva shared her daily work plan: 

“During the day, I visited the departments within the faculty together with a dean’s office representative to observe their daily work processes and listened to student suggestions and complaints in almost every office. By the end of the day, I will submit a report on all of this to the relevant authorities and try to ensure that the issues are resolved to the best extent possible. As I mentioned in my platform, I proposed creating an Information Resource Base. This database, to be established under the university library, will allow students to donate books they no longer use so others in need can benefit. I plan to realize this project in a short time. I believe other students will extend a helping hand to those in need, and this will be a great support to our student community.”

 

As already mentioned, within the framework of the “One-Day Caliph” project, students assumed leadership of various university structures. Throughout the day, many events and important meetings were organized under the leadership of these one-day leaders. For instance, the one-day head of the Indonesian Studies Center conducted a lesson on the Indonesian language; the Israel and Middle East Center hosted an event dedicated to the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah; the Hindi Language and Culture Center presented samples of Indian art; the Japanese Studies Center held events on the tea ceremony and origami, which are symbols of Japanese culture. In the German Reading Hall, students watched the film “Rapunzel” with German subtitles, and at the Italian Language Center, Gabriel Salvatores’ movie *Mediterraneo* was screened.

It should be noted that within the project, students manage the university’s administrative structures for one full day. The decisions made by the students on that day have full legal authority, and they receive a one-day salary for fulfilling the duties of their roles. A total of 32 students served in top positions, including the rector, vice-rectors, and faculty deans. These individuals form a “shadow cabinet” that continues to function until the next “Caliph Day.”

Lastly, we wish all our “caliph” students, and all students in general, success in their education and future endeavors.