BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 28. The IE University Leadership and Innovation Center in Baku is not just an educational initiative, but a strategic investment in Azerbaijan’s future, First Deputy Minister of Economy Elnur Aliyev said, Trend reports.
Speaking at the signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of the IE Leadership and Innovation Center in Baku, Aliyev said the initiative would create a new platform for ideas, leadership and innovation in Azerbaijan.
“Today we are not just signing a document. We are opening a new platform for ideas, leadership and innovation in Azerbaijan. The establishment of the IE Leadership and Innovation Center in Baku is an important step. It connects Azerbaijan with one of Europe’s leading academic and intellectual institutions - IE University - and gives new momentum to our cooperation with Spain,” he said.
According to Aliyev, the project goes beyond education and focuses on developing talent and preparing a new generation of leaders capable of thinking globally, acting creatively and building the economy of the future.
He noted that Azerbaijan is a stable, dynamically developing and ambitious country investing in infrastructure, connectivity, industrial zones, digital transformation and international partnerships.
“Our geographic location gives us strategic advantages, and our economic policy provides direction. But the main driver of long-term success remains human capital,” Aliyev said, adding that infrastructure and technology become engines of growth only when supported by skilled people.
He stressed that this is why the center should be viewed as a strategic investment rather than solely an educational project.
Aliyev also highlighted the initiative as an example of effective cooperation between the state, business and international partners, particularly noting the role of PASHA Holding and SOCAR.
“Their participation shows that our private sector clearly understands one thing: investment in people is the most important investment,” he said.
According to the deputy minister, the initiative also adds a new dimension to Azerbaijan-Spain relations, which already cover trade, investment, energy, transport, agriculture, technology and innovation.
He noted that the Strategic Economic Dialogue and the adopted Roadmap provide a practical basis for deepening cooperation.
“In this context, the future establishment of an Azerbaijan-Spain University, agreed at the level of President Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, will become an important milestone in our bilateral agenda,” Aliyev said.
He added that the project would institutionalize cooperation in education, science, innovation and human capital development, while creating a strong bridge between the two societies.
“I am convinced that education and human capital can become one of the most promising bridges between Azerbaijan and Spain, and today’s event is a concrete step in this direction,” he said.