Azerbaijan University of Languages
Internationalization Strategy
1. Introduction (Strategic Content)
The internationalization strategy of the Azerbaijan University of Languages (hereinafter – ADU) is based on the objectives set forth in the State Strategy for the Development of Education in the Republic of Azerbaijan, the development strategy of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the UN’s Education for All principles and Millennium Development Goals, the UN’s "Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development", and the program "Azerbaijan – 2030: From Millennium Development Goals to Sustainable Development Goals".
In the globalizing world of the 21st century, education has become one of the most rapidly developing fields of international cooperation. The ongoing development of this cooperation not only demands but also necessitates enhancing the competitiveness of education. At the same time, as educational competitiveness increases, educational institutions are expected to be capable of addressing various social, economic, cultural, and political challenges not only at the national level but also at regional and transnational levels and to ensure sustainability in doing so. To meet these demands, the primary goal of educational institutions is to continuously develop and implement high-quality educational programs that prepare graduates with the knowledge, skills, and competencies to meet modern requirements and succeed in the labor market. Achieving this primary goal requires institutions to possess a strong human resources capacity, effective management mechanisms, structural characteristics, and infrastructure. International cooperation plays a significant role in ensuring and developing these areas in accordance with modern demands.
2. Strategic Directions
The strategic directions of ADU in internationalization include:
- Integrating international best practices into the academic environment, especially in areas such as inclusivity, efficient governance, interdisciplinarity, the use of modern technologies and tools, student-faculty interaction, ecological awareness/green world concepts, etc.;
- Conducting competitive research and establishing the necessary resources and material-technical base to support it;
- Implementing quality-driven student and faculty mobility;
- Achieving international recognition of programs/specializations;
- Establishing programs that align with international qualification frameworks;
- Participating in international rankings and ensuring continuous progress in this area;
- Strengthening the information and resource base;
- Enhancing social support systems;
- Improving accommodation/dormitory conditions and raising the quality of catering services.
3. Strategic Goals
- Identifying goals and taking appropriate steps to ensure ADU produces graduates who meet international standards, the demands of globalization and the digital world, and the development strategies of the UN and other relevant frameworks;
- Regularly evaluating Azerbaijani higher education legislation, providing recommendations for new provisions (or amendments) to enhance the effectiveness of internationalization;
- Supporting ADU’s recognition in the global educational space, increasing its reputation, participation in rankings, and overall integration into the international academic community through training, conferences, joint projects, and other activities;
- Defining goals and planning actions to align ADU’s curricula and the National Qualifications Framework with international standards to enable effective cooperation and exchange among global educational institutions;
- Establishing clear pathways for meaningful and quality student and faculty exchanges with universities from various countries;
- Integrating the best practices and know-how of world-class universities into the Azerbaijani higher education space to make education and science at ADU competitive and internationally aligned;
- Developing and implementing dual-degree programs and joint programs at undergraduate and graduate levels, and establishing coordinated and integrative actions in this direction;
- Identifying goals and taking necessary steps to internationalize ADU’s scientific research activities, including academic exchanges for researchers, doctoral students, and young scholars, in line with international standards;
- Promoting the participation of ADU’s faculty, researchers, and doctoral students in reputable international journals, conferences, and publishing with well-known publishers;
- Supporting the establishment of rich and modern resources, including libraries, necessary for internationally recognized research and teaching;
- Setting goals and taking actions to enhance ADU’s participation in international projects, such as Erasmus+ and exchange programs like KA1 and KA2, to increase scientific and academic capacity and adopt modern governance systems;
- Increasing the ability of ADU faculty teaching in non-language specialties to deliver courses in foreign languages;
- Developing tactical steps to continuously improve the professionalism of staff working in ADU’s international departments to meet modern standards;
- Strengthening the university’s fundraising potential to benefit from international funds and taking tactical steps in this direction;
- Attracting international students based on quality indicators, not just quantity, and ensuring their successful integration into the student community;
- Enhancing ADU’s scientific base to attract international students, researchers, and faculty members;
- Strengthening library and online resource bases to attract international students, researchers, and faculty members;
- Improving accommodation facilities and ensuring modern dormitories, canteens, sports complexes, and spaces for social activities to effectively implement international student, faculty, and researcher exchanges;
- Integrating best practices from global universities related to green world policies into ADU’s processes, raising awareness among foreign faculty and students about global ecological issues, improving ecological culture, encouraging research in this area, organizing roundtables and presentations, and fostering inter-university cooperation on the "Green University" concept to promote and improve environmental practices.
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