President of the National Confederation of Entrepreneurs (Employers) Organizations of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mammad Musaev met with World Bank Education and Entrepreneurship Experts.

During the meeting, the participants exchanged views on existing relationships between higher education institutions and ways to increase their innovation capabilities, using world experience in building relationships between private sector and educational institutions to meet the needs of the day and future steps in this direction.

Giving detailed information  about the Azerbaijani Entrepreneurs Confederation, Mammad Musayev said that the Confederation is cooperating with more than 30 countries, and has been working on the development of relations between local organizations, including higher educational institutions and entrepreneurs. Mammad Musayev said that he had signed a cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan, ANAS, and more than 10 universities in the country. He also talked about the work done to strengthen the relationship between private sector and education. Mammad Musayev informed the members of the mission about the state programs implemented in the country in the economic sphere, the favorable investment environment created for entrepreneurs and in line with these targets the positive effects of the reforms carried out in the educational sphere on the private sector.

Mammad Musayev invited the guests to the scientific-practical conference to be held on March 15, 2018 within the UNEC Novruz lectures on the subject “Mutual Unity in Economics, Business and University: Global Challenges and New Opportunities”.

He said that at the event  there will  be the speeches on the  following topics: “Transition to the Research University in the context of Global Challenges: Application of International Experience at Azerbaijan State Economic University”, “What to Do to Strengthen Relations between Business Sector and University?”.

Mammad Musayev noted that this event is a clear example of cooperation between the private sector and higher education institutions. In addition, the President of the AEC said that there is a need for highly qualified staff in many areas of the country, noting that the use of world experience in this area will give positive results in the future. He said that the Confederation of Entrepreneurs of Azerbaijan is ready to cooperate with the World Bank in the direction of bringing the relations between the entrepreneurs and higher educational institutions to a more satisfactory level.

The World Bank’s Education Representative Igor Kheyfets said that the main purpose of his visit to Azerbaijan is to examine the relations between private sector and higher education institutions in Azerbaijan and to discuss ways to strengthen this area, which will contribute to the economic development of the country. With this purpose, they will evaluate the situation in the field of innovation in higher education and related with staffing required for the development of the private sector, and in the end report the results  to relevant government agencies.

During the meeting,  the guest’s questions have been answered and the sides exchanged views on future activities in Azerbaijan.