Azerbaijan strengthening position as major regional knowledge, talent center

Azerbaijan is strengthening its position as one of the largest regional knowledge and talent centers, Vice President of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) Zaur Gurbanov said at the opening of the AZEMBA program of the IE Center for Leadership and Innovation, implemented with the support of the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Science and Education in partnership with SOCAR and Spain's IE University, Report informs.

According to him, SOCAR is developing cooperation with leading international companies and organizations in the field of education and knowledge exchange.

"We are implementing joint management programs with the German company Uniper, and organizing cultural and educational exchange projects. We cooperate with the Japanese organization JCCP in technical and management spheres, and pay special attention to the development of women's leadership qualities and the promotion of inclusivity. In addition, under a memorandum with the Turkish company TPAO, we hold mutual seminars on geology, drilling, and other engineering fields, and provide young people with vocational education programs, scholarships, and internships in Türkiye. All this contributes to the development of human potential and strengthening Azerbaijan's role as one of the leading regional centers of knowledge and talent," he said.

Gurbanov noted that the SOCAR scholarship program for studying abroad helps employees develop their professional skills.

"For many years, SOCAR has been investing in international education through this program. The program has supported 380 participants, including 18 executives who have graduated or are currently studying in Executive MBA programs at such leading educational institutions as Chicago Booth, IMD, IE University, and Columbia Business School. Many graduates now hold senior positions in SOCAR and the industry as a whole," he said.

He also noted the international recognition of SOCAR's human capital development programs.

"This year, the program received the Brandon Hall Group HCM Excellence Award, which confirms our commitment to developing world-class talent and investing in human potential. International cooperation with institutions such as IMD, Bogazici University, Sabanci University, and Baker Hughes allows us to attract international expertise in leadership, management, energy, and technical education. At the same time, SOCAR pays special attention to the development of higher education in Azerbaijan by collaborating with ADA University, Karabakh University, and Nakhchivan State University," he added.