On 12 April the I Forum of Francophone Universities was held in the frames of the joint cooperation between the Francophone University Centre at Azerbaijan University of Languages and the Embassy of France to Azerbaijan.

Opening the Forum, the French Ambassador to Azerbaijan Aurelia Bouchez expressed her deep gratitude to the AUL authorities for the support in holding the Forum, “I feel proud of the participation of the French Embassy in the Forum, also pleased with the presence of the representatives of the countries that have chosen French as the language of education. I would like to stress two significant points about the AUL students’ continuing their education in French. First, the development of educational and scientific relations between France and Azerbaijan will accelerate; second, there will be opportunities to live in French-speaking countries.”

The representative of the Ministry of Education Shahin Bairamov said that lately the number of those wishing to get education in French has increased in Azerbaijan, “Successful projects are being implemented in education between the Ministry of Education and the higher educational institutions of France. The agreement on dual diploma between Azerbaijan State University of Economics and Montpellier University of France, the contracts between the French Institute in Azerbaijan and different universities, and the reconstruction and development of the PhD education in Azerbaijan in accordance with the requirements of European Universities in the frames of the program “Erasmus+” with Montpellier University of France as its key coordinator – the creation of the project “Nizami” play an important role in the consolidation of the scientific and educational relations between Azerbaijan and France.” He called the students to benefit from the Forum aimed at the development of the education system in Azerbaijan.

The AUL Vice-rector, Professor Jale Garibova spoke of the Master Diploma Delocalization Program for Professional Translation and Conference Interpreting between the AUL and Strasbourg University, bilateral relations with EU universities in the frames of Erasmus+ KA1mobility program.

The other participants of the Forum - the Romanian Ambassador Dan Iancu, the Belgian Ambassador Bert Schoofs, the Moldova Ambassador George Leuka, the Hungarian Ambassador Viktor Szederkenyi, the Head of the EU Delegation to Azerbaijan Kestutis Jankauskas spoke of the importance of the I Forum and invited the students to study at the Francophone Universities in their countries.

Further the Head of the Department of Technological Complex and Special Technology at Azerbaijan Technical University, Professor Hasan Huseynov, the coordinator of the project “the reconstruction and development of the PhD education in Azerbaijan in accordance with the requirements of European Universities in the frames of the program Nizami” Vusala Gurbanova, the representative of the State University of Moldova Elena Prus and others made presentations on the education at the Francophone Universities.

At the end of the Forum the outstanding French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s “The Little Prince” was staged by the AUL students.