Press Release
Education and Career - 2009
The 3rd Azerbaijan International "Education & Career" Exhibition ended on 12th September 2009. The event took place in the Heydar Aliyev Sport and Exhibition Complex, and was supported by the Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan, the Ministry of Youth and Sport of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The organisers of the exhibition were ITE Group and its partner in the Caucasus, Iteca Caspian.
The opening ceremony was attended by the Minister of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Misir Mardanov; the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sport of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Intigam Babaev; the Vice-President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Mekhman Akhmedov; the Chairman of the Milli Majlis Committee on Science and Education, Mr. Shamsaddin Hajiyev, and the Director of Iteca Caspian LLC, Mr. Farid Mamedov.
After welcoming all the exhibitors and visitors of the exhibition, Mr. Mardanov said: "This year, the Education and Career exhibition moved to the Heydar Aliyev Sport and Exhibition Complex, which had become possible because of the growth of the exhibition. Despite the global financial and economic crisis, the exhibition maintained its importance, and this year we have seen a 30 % increase in area." The minister noted that the benefit of the exhibition this year was that it presented a variety of sectors: from pre-school education to careers. In conclusion, the minister thanked the organisers of the exhibition and all the organisations involved. Mr. Akhmedov congratulated everyone on the opening of the Education and Career exhibition. Interest in Azerbaijan as a business partner is very high: "Azerbaijan has maintained its standing as a reliable economic partner. The participation in this exhibition of representatives of other countries confirms this fact. President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan has repeatedly emphasised that a strong state cannot only consist of a successful oil strategy. A strong state is one with a strong educational system. Healthy and intelligent young people are a guarantee of the stable development of the state. The main objective is to invest the capital received from oil production in the intellectual resources of the country." At the end of his speech, Mr. Akhmedov wished everyone success at the exhibition.
The opening ceremony ended with Mr. Mamedov thanking the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Ministry of Youth and Sport of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Azerbaijan for supporting the organisation of the exhibition.
This year, 52 organisations and companies from 12 countries took part in the exhibition, an increase of 25 % on last year in terms of the number of exhibitors. In total, the exhibition area increased by 30 %. A particularly positive factor was the participation of local organisations, which accounted for 50 % of all exhibitors. Azerbaijan's education system was demonstrated by the following institutions: Azerbaijan University of Foreign Languages, Azerbaijan State Economics University, Azerbaijan University, Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy and many others. This year, the Azerbaijan State Agrarian University, the only university in the country that trains specialists for working in agriculture, and the Baku Professional Lyceum appeared at the exhibition for the first time. A new development in the exhibition was the participation of non-governmental youth organisations and associations (Azerbaijan Educational Centre, AIESEC Azerbaijan, Bridge to the Future and Debates in Civilised Society), which was organised by the Ministry of Youth and Sport of Azerbaijan.
The exhibition presented secondary and higher education, study courses, work abroad, language courses, professional development, job placements, study materials and information technology in education. New sectors were also added to "Education and Career 2009". For the first time, the exhibition presented school uniforms, and 'Preschool Education' presented programmes and tests for preparing children for middle school. Continuing the trend of the previous exhibition, 'Education Abroad' included a wide range of educational establishments from Switzerland, Great Britain, Germany, Turkey, Italy, Russia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and many other countries. The stand of the Ministry of Education of Belarus brought together four Belarusian state universities.
The global financial and economic crisis, which erupted in 2008, has had a significant impact on the economies of many countries. However, in Azerbaijan, the impact of the crisis was not felt. The leadership of the country continues to invest heavily in education. Also, a high percentage of the population are able to pay for their education abroad. All these factors contribute to the fact that the 'Education Abroad' sector has more and more participating companies each year.
This year's exhibition included a 'Career' sector, in which organisations from Great Britain presented job placement programmes for young people who have graduated from university abroad. The US Higher School of Business and other organisations also took part. A Swiss university presented its Higher School of Hotel Management. At the moment, the role of companies offering further work skills training is increasing. As a result of this, companies offering consultancy services, training and seminars on adapting to current labour market demands also took part in the exhibition for the first time.
There was also much interest in the sector displaying canned and bakery products from the Azerbaijan State Agrarian University. All eight types of products (jam, juices etc) were prepared by students of the institution. Many visitors gathered at the stand of the Chash?oglu publishing house of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The stand presented children's games, dominoes, coloured blocks, colouring books, construction kits and fairy tale books designed to facilitate the development of logical thinking in children, and intended for use as visual aids in children's educational institutions. The most recent publications of Azerbaijani and world literature were exhibited at the stand of Ali and Nino, a popular bookshop in Baku.
Another highlight of the exhibition was the business information and entertainment programme. Over three days, online presentations were given on educational programmes, training and courses. Leading specialists gave master classes on presentation skills, and how to use technology in preparing and giving presentations. There was also a master class on career planning, which detailed the theoretical knowledge and skills necessary for planning one's career. During the exhibition, there was a contest for assembling Japanese puzzles that develop creative thinking. Young people particularly enjoyed the entertainment competition held by KREA which tested speed and agility.
One of the successes of the Education and Career exhibition was the charity event 'Give a Book', the aim of which was to collect books for children's homes. Visitors brought their books to the Organisers' Stand throughout the exhibition. On 17 September, the books were given to Children's Home No. 2 in the village of Yeni Guneshli. The books will bring happiness to parentless children and provide them with positive spiritual and moral guidance. The organisers have decided to hold the charity event in the future within the annual Education and Career exhibition.
The aim of the Azerbaijan International "Education & Career" Exhibition is to create a platform for dialogue between employers, educational institutions and young people. It is the largest event of its kind in the region, and informs young people about the development of local and international education. The exhibition provided comprehensive information about cultural exchange programmes, travel opportunities and study in Azerbaijan and abroad. Additionally, the show gave visitors the opportunity to experience the esprit de corps of those companies with vacancies to fill, and helped them to discover which professions are most in demand at the moment.
Next year, Education and Career will be held on 7 - 9 October.