Local media reports indicate that the record number of 10,000 international students studying in Azerbaijan in 2023 has significantly increased from the reported 5,765 students in the previous year.
Local media reports indicate that the record number of 10,000 international students studying in Azerbaijan in 2023 has significantly increased from the reported 5,765 students in the previous year.
Azerbaijan experienced a surge in international student enrollment in 2023, reaching 10,000 students. The country aims to further increase this number in the next three years according to Deputy Minister of Science and Education Hasan Hasanli.
Hasanli’s remarks were made during the “Opportunities of International Education in Azerbaijan” event, where he highlighted the country’s ambitious target of hosting 75,000 international students by 2026.
During the announcement, Hasanli stressed the importance of systematic efforts to achieve the goal and ensure a positive impact on Azerbaijan’s education system. Enrollment in Azerbaijani higher educational institutions has already exceeded 60,000 students.
Local media reports indicate that the record number of 10,000 international students studying in Azerbaijan in 2023 has significantly increased from the reported 5,765 students in the previous year.
This signifies a 73 percent increase in international student enrollment from 2022 to 2023. Additionally, the number has grown substantially from the 2015/2016 academic year when 4,326 international students studied in Azerbaijan.
Hasanli highlighted that the number of international students may continue to rise, thanks in part to the scholarships offered by private universities.
Azerbaijan boasts 33 higher education institutions, with several offering programs specifically for international students. Some noteworthy universities in the country include Baku State University, Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University, Azerbaijan Medical University, and Baku Eurasian University.
Historic achievement
The Deputy Minister characterized the recent advancements in international student admissions as a historic achievement in Azerbaijani education.
Representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including Elmaddin Mehdiyev, Head of the International Development Assistance Department, participated in the forum to discuss the country’s efforts in promoting education in Azerbaijan.
Mehdiyev revealed plans to admit 100 students from countries that are members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Non-Aligned Movement to Azerbaijani universities within the next five years.
Similar goals have been set by other countries, such as Iran, aiming to host 320,000 international students by 2026, and India, with a target of half a million students by 2047.
South Korea is also pursuing a similar initiative, aiming to raise the number of international students to 300,000 by 2027.
Erasmus+ funding
Under the European Union Erasmus+ Program for Capacity Building in Higher Education, a total of 159 projects were chosen for funding, and among them are 20 projects involving 58 Ukrainian universities and organizations.
Ukraine holds the highest number of projects in the Eastern Partnership Region and ranks among the top eight participating countries in the program.
The chosen projects are centered on enhancing educational programs in various fields such as energy efficiency, legal education, political sciences, foreign languages, peace education, green jobs, and digital skills for the construction sector.
The projects are categorized into three tiers based on the level of impact and partner experience: facilitating cooperation access (five projects), partnerships for Transformation (12 projects), structural reforms (three projects).
The funded projects comprise twelve national and eight multinational initiatives. The project teams include 136 partners from 27 countries, representing nations such as Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova, North Macedonia, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Spain. Additionally, there are 39 associated partners from 17 countries, including Argentina, Canada, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, and others.
International students in Turkey
Turkey has achieved a significant milestone in global education, with more than 300,000 international students enrolling in Turkish universities for the 2022-23 academic year.
This achievement follows last year’s target set by the Turkey Foreign Economic Relations Board, an institution dedicated to advancing Turkey’s economic ties with nations around the world, as reported by Erudera.com.
Recent statistics released by Turkey’s Council of Higher Education, locally known as YÖK, underscored this accomplishment, revealing that the total international student enrollment for higher education in Turkey during the past year reached 301,694.
The growth trajectory of international students in Turkey has been remarkable, with a 526 percent increase since the 2013-14 academic year, when 48,183 students opted to pursue their academic endeavors within Turkish higher education institutions.
Dominating the composition of international students during the 2022-23 academic year were learners from Syria and Azerbaijan, contributing 58,213 and 34,247 students, respectively.
