UNEC Joins the “StudentPlus” and “IELTS Exam Promotion” Initiatives
A meeting was convened at the Azerbaijan State University of Economics (UNEC) with the participation of senior officials and representatives from the Education Development Fund (TİF) and the Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (TKTA), alongside representatives from VISA and Kapital Bank.
The primary objective of the meeting was to facilitate the implementation of the “StudentPlus” and “IELTS Exam Promotion” initiatives at UNEC.
In his opening remarks, Professor Adalat Muradov, Rector of UNEC, extended a warm welcome to the attendees and provided an overview of the university’s strategic efforts to enhance student satisfaction, strengthen the “UNEC” brand, and advance the English language proficiency of both faculty and students. He underscored that since its official approval in 2015, the “UNEC” brand has gained international recognition, and he outlined the university’s future aspirations in this regard. Furthermore, Professor Muradov highlighted that English language instructors at UNEC who attain a “C” grade in all competencies of the APTIS examination, as well as those achieving an IELTS score of 8.0, receive a 15% salary increase, while those with an IELTS score of 8.5 are granted a 30% increase. He also noted that students obtaining an IELTS score of 7.0 or higher are exempted from “Business and Academic Communication in a Foreign Language” (XDİAK) courses and automatically awarded the highest grade of 100 points.
Elnur Nasibov, Chairman of the Board of the Education Development Fund, expressed his appreciation for UNEC’s progressive initiatives, emphasizing the significance of the “StudentPlus” and “IELTS Exam Promotion” projects in fostering educational development. He elaborated that under the “StudentPlus” initiative, students will be entitled to discounts at museums and theaters affiliated with the Ministry of Culture, as well as in various retail and hospitality establishments. He further noted that the scope of this program will be progressively expanded.
Addressing the “IELTS Exam Promotion” initiative, the Chairman of EDF emphasized that the project is designed to incentivize both faculty members and students to enhance their English language proficiency. He announced that faculty and students of UNEC who achieve an IELTS score of 6.5 or higher will be eligible for a full reimbursement of their examination fees, which will be covered by the Fund.
Tural Ahmadov, Chairman of the Board of the Agency for Quality Assurance in Education, underscored the significance of the “IELTS Exam Promotion” initiative, asserting that proficiency in foreign languages enables students to integrate more seamlessly into the international academic environment. He further highlighted that students who obtain an IELTS certificate will gain a competitive advantage in both the domestic and global labor markets.
Following the discussions, the participants reaffirmed the importance of these initiatives and expressed confidence in the successful outcome of this collaboration.
The event concluded with the formal signing of bilateral and trilateral cooperation agreements under the framework of the “StudentPlus” and “IELTS Exam Promotion” initiatives.
The agreements also stipulate the regulation of the use of UNEC’s institutional trademark by the Education Development Fund in accordance with the university’s prescribed terms and conditions.