Appropriate Reaction from the University to the Requests of the Public and Private Sectors - Establishment of New Faculty

Large-scale restoration and construction works are being carried out in the territories liberated from occupation under President Ilham Aliyev’s leadership, attention and care. This significantly increases the demand for specialists in urban planning, architects, civil engineers and design specialties in the country. In order to meet the demand, a new faculty is being established at the Azerbaijan University of Architecture and Construction (AzUAC). Design will operate as a new faculty, rather as a specialty within the Faculty of Architecture.

In connection with this significant event, which coincided with the 25th anniversary of the first design professional graduation, an Exhibition of Design was organized at the International Mugam Center. The exhibition featured the work and projects created by the university students and graduates with a design qualification.

Participating in the exhibition were state officials, cultural figures, university rectors, public and business representatives.

Rector of AzUAC, Professor Gulchohra Mammadova, stated that the goal of the new faculty’s formation is to prepare a more diverse, higher-quality, and at the same time larger number of personnel in this specialty: “This specialty was first established at our university in Azerbaijan in 1994 being as an environmental design specialty. Later, in 1998, the Department of Design was established under the Faculty of Architecture, and students were admitted to that specialty. In 1998, the first bachelor degree students and in 2000 the first master degree students in environmental design specialty graduated. Research in this direction was started and international collaborations were established following the creation of the design specialty at the university. The “Memorandum of Understanding between Azerbaijan University of Architecture and Construction and Italy’s Milan Polytechnic University”, which was signed in 2018 with the participation of the presidents of Azerbaijan and Italy, should be specifically noted as the foundation for the establishment of the Italy-Azerbaijan Design Center at the university in order to conduct a more thorough study of foreign experience. The center’s efforts to build and maintain relationships led to the establishment of a double diploma program in design between AzUAC and Milan Polytechnic University, which is still in place today.

We have had about 1400 graduates so far. Of course, this is insufficient in the light of the work carried out in our country. An adequate response to this challenge would be the establishment of a new faculty, increased staff training in design, and improved quality”.

Farid Karimov, the director of Italy-Azerbaijan Design Center, informed the guests about the activities of the center that he is managing, and drew attention to the achievements made during the short period of its establishment. He said that the center regularly organizes workshops, master classes, seminars, exhibitions and meetings with international experts for students with design qualifications.

In his speech, Deputy Minister of Science and Education Firudin Gurbanov highly appreciated the role of architects and designers of AzUAC in the territories liberated from occupation: “I am sure that, as the rector also mentioned, about 1400 specialists are currently making a great contribution to the reconstruction of Karabakh. Good designers are always needed in society. AzUAC can fully meet this demand of the society. It is encouraging that from now on design as a separate faculty, will be based on the most advanced experience and will continue to train personnel in accordance with international standards.

Saadat Yusifova, Deputy Minister of Culture, Elbay Gasimzadeh, Chairman of the Board of the Union of Architects of Azerbaijan, Ertegin Salamzadeh, Director General of the Institute of Architecture and Art, Corresponding Member of ANAS, highly evaluated the exhibition of work and projects of graduates and students in their speeches, they wished them success in their endeavors.

The speeches were followed by an exhibition viewing. There was a lot of interest in the reporting exhibition.