BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 26. Azerbaijan is working to transform its education system from one that primarily prepares students for existing jobs into one that develops specialists capable of creating new jobs, Deputy Minister of Science and Education of Azerbaijan Hasan Hasanli said on Saturday at the second Azerbaijan International Investment Forum in Baku, Trend's correspondent reports from the event.
According to him, in the era of artificial intelligence, those who can use AI to shape their future, careers and lives will be successful.
"The biggest question is how to move from a system that prepares students for jobs to a system that prepares those who can create jobs," he said.
Hasanli noted that the development of artificial intelligence technologies is reducing the cost of processes such as programming, finance, planning and management across various sectors.
"It is necessary from the very beginning to teach citizens how to use these tools, think creatively, develop soft skills, courage and the mindset needed to create the companies of the future," he said.
Speaking about short-term measures, Hasanli noted that, in line with the strategy approved by the President of Azerbaijan in 2022, the country set a goal of having three universities enter the top 800 universities worldwide in leading international rankings.
"We achieved this goal ahead of schedule, and this is something we are very proud of," he said.
According to Hasanli, to meet short-term demand for specialists, a presidential scholarship programme was also established, under which around 500 students are sent annually to study at 150–200 leading universities worldwide.
He added that around 10 of these students each year enter universities ranked among the top ten globally. The programme mainly focuses on master's degree education, which he said would have a significant impact on the labour market in the short term.
