Dear teaching staff, students and graduates of Azerbaijan University of Languages! Since its foundation Azerbaijan University of Languages has played an active role in the system of education and public life of the country and has made valuable contributions to the higher education and development of science. Teaching of foreign languages in schools of higher education began in the 20s of the past century. The institution of the first independent higher school teaching foreign languages, i.e., Azerbaijan Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages, has acquired great importance in strengthening the relations of Azerbaijan with foreign countries in the later period. In the years of independence Heydar Aliyev, national leader of the Azerbaijani people, declared education the most important sphere of our life. “Education must be built in conformity with the national interests goals”. Based on the provisions of the said, education passed a great road of development based on the conducted reforms. The conception of education developed by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, worthy follower of the far-sighted political course  of Heydar Aliyev, laid the foundation of education for the development of the society and for the comprehensive formation of the young generation. By saying that “we must transform our material values, economic potential to human capital”, the President determined the most important objective  facing the society. This very true approach will futher provide the sustainable development of our country. In the period of globalization we witness that the human resources, technical-scientific progress, new technologies play the leading role more than the material resources. The 21st century has been declared the century of education, the special weight of education in the formation of the human capital and strong economy is irreplaceable. One of the priorities of Azerbaijan is to bring up healthy, well-informed, initiator, patriotic  young generation devoted to national-spiritual values. I am proud that this reliable institution of science and education has also left its traces in my biography. I graduated from the department of the French language  of the faculty of the European Languages with honours and in 1970  began to work in the capacity of a teacher there by the decision of the Ministry of Education. The desire to acquire new knowledge as a student and to convey the knowledge to the students as a teacher are connected with this native higher school. The multinumber graduates of this higher school are public and political figures,  representatives of science and culture, diplomats. They duly represent our country at home and abroad. At present this higher school is bringing up educated and patriotic generation. Today I am proud of being a graduate of this higher school. The years of independence form an important stage in the history of Azerbaijan University of Languages. In these years the University has managed to apply the new methodologies of the advanced higher schools of the world,, their scientific innovations, and occupied one of the first places among the higher schools of Azerbaijan. The geography of the languages taught at the University is expanding towards Europe along with Asia, which is a positive novelty. Cooperation with the advanced higher schools of the world, signature of mutual contracts, exchange of students and teachers, study of the advanced  experience are expanding the borders of the education and science of Azerbaijan more. The aim of the newly instituted Associaton of the Graduates of the University is to render support to increasing the popularity and authority of the University, therefore it lays great responsibility on the Association. The University is a home, an address on which a graduate may rely. I believe that irrespective of the country, where the graduates live and work,  the Association will coordinate their joint cooperation and make its contribution to the development of our country, to the protection of our independence, to strengthening our statehood, to raising higher the position of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the world, which it has gained in the international arena. I congratulate all of you on the occasion of the institution of the Association of Graduates and wish successes in your future activities. Novruz  Məmmədov