Azerbaijan, Britain To Jointly Train Personnel To Realise Green Energy Transition

(MENAFN- AzerNews)

Fatime Letifova Read more

On April 18, an event was held at the Embassy of Azerbaijan inGreat Britain on the occasion of the start of the 2023-2024academic year of the master's degree program in the specialty ofrenewable energy sources between Azerbaijan State Oil and IndustryUniversity and Warwick University of England, Azernews reports.

At the event, the rector of the Azerbaijan State Oil andIndustry University Vazeh Askarov, a delegation consisting ofemployees of the University, as well as relevant employees of theMinistry of Science and Education, a team from Warwick Universitycooperating with ASOSU on the dual degree program, the BritishPrime Minister's trade envoy for Azerbaijan, a member of the Houseof Lords Baroness Nicholson, MPs from both houses of the BritishParliament, officials of the British Foreign Office, ambassadors ofTurkmenistan, Moldova and Uzbekistan to Britain, as well as membersof the diplomatic corps in London, representatives of the BritishCouncil, the British Chamber of Commerce, media and diaspora werepresent. The event was also attended by Azerbaijani studentsstudying at Warwick University, as well as Azerbaijani students whograduated from ASOSU and are currently studying at leading Britishuniversities.

Delivering the opening speech, the Ambassador of Azerbaijan toBritain, Elin Suleymanov, said that the implementation of the dualdegree program between ASOSU and Warwick University based on therelevant state program approved by the Decree of the President ofAzerbaijan is an indicator of the importance and personal attentionof the head of the country to the development of human capital andeducation in Azerbaijan. Thanking all parties involved in thedevelopment of the project - the Minister of Science and Educationof the Republic of Azerbaijan Emin Amrullayev and the employees ofthe Ministry, Baroness Nicholson, the British Prime Minister'sTrade Envoy for Azerbaijan, the British Embassy in Azerbaijan andthe British Council office in Baku, the ambassador is still workingon this program dedicated to renewable energy. drawing attention tothe fact that preparations were started several years ago, he saidthat this is an indicator of the importance Azerbaijan attaches tothe issue of green development, which is preparing to host COP29this year.

Later, Baroness Nicholson, the British Prime Minister's TradeEnvoy for Azerbaijan, spoke at the event as the main guest from theBritish government. She said that during her years in thisposition, she has personally witnessed the ever-increasingbilateral relations and rich cooperation between the two countries,and said that it is gratifying that Azerbaijan sees Britain as thenumber one educational partner and that the largest number ofAzerbaijani students come to Britain on the basis of state programscompared to other places in the world. The trade ambassador pointedout that it is important for Azerbaijan universities to continuethis type of cooperation with other British universities in termsof further development of bilateral cooperation in the field ofeducation.

Vazeh Askarov, rector of ASOSU, gave detailed information to theguests about the dual diploma program that his university isimplementing in cooperation with Warwick University. He noted thatthe delegation headed by him visited Warwick for the purpose ofholding meetings with partners at Warwick University in the pastfew days, and said that in those meetings, in addition to the dualdiploma program, prospects for future cooperation were alsodiscussed. V. Askarov emphasized that such cooperation has apositive effect on the dynamics of bilateral relations as well asin the field of education. The rector of ASOSU drew attention tothe important role of the government of Azerbaijan in the creationof the program, and at the same time expressed his gratitude to theMinistry of Science and Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Healso thanked the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Britain for this eventorganized at the embassy to mark the official launch of theprogram.

Then Professor Robin Clarke of the University of Warwick, whospoke, first informed the guests about the University of Warwickand the Warwick Manufacturing Group operating under it. He notedthat this event held at the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijanin Great Britain and the visit of the delegation of ASOSU andrepresentatives of the Ministry of Science and Education of theRepublic of Azerbaijan to Warwick University during the last weekcan be considered an indicator of the importance Azerbaijanattaches to education and international cooperation. Noting thatAzerbaijan and Britain share a number of common features, bothcountries have historically used traditional energy means, andcurrently aim to transition to a carbon-free future, he said thathuman capital with special knowledge and skills is needed for thistransition. Robin Clark said that the purpose of the double degreeprogram between ASOSU and Warwick University is to train personnelwho will have the necessary skills to implement the transition toalternative energy and provide sustainable environmental solutions expressed hope that this cooperation will be the starting pointof similar future cooperation. Robin Clarke thanked the ASOCI teamand Rector Vazeh Askarov personally, the Minister of Science andEducation Advisor Nijat Mammadli, Baroness Nicholson, the BritishEmbassy in Baku, and the British Council team in Azerbaijan fortheir cooperation.

James Lyall Sharp, who served as the British ambassador toAzerbaijan in 2019-2022, also spoke and said that despite thedevelopment of relations between Azerbaijan and Britain in allspheres, cooperation in the field of energy and education has aspecial intensity, and in this regard, the duality in the field ofalternative energy, which brings both fields together, emphasisedthe symbolic importance of the diploma program project in thisregard. He also spoke about the cooperation between Britain andAzerbaijan in the field of energy transition as the hosts of COP26and COP29, including the alternative energy project implemented byBP in Jabrayl.

The event continued with a banquet.

It should be noted that the dual diploma program between ASOSUand Warwick University is implemented and financed on the basis ofthe State Program for increasing the international competitivenessof the higher education system in the Republic of Azerbaijan forthe years 2019-2023, approved by the relevant decree of thePresident of Azerbaijan. Within the framework of this program,students will acquire knowledge and skills in the field byparticipating in classes organised by both foreign and localprofessors in Azerbaijan, as well as in 4-week classes held byforeign staff in England. The program offers students theopportunity to visit leading renewable energy sites and relevantcompanies in the UK, along with solar farms and wind turbine sites expenses, including travel and visas, as well as expensesrelated to accommodation and meals, will be paid in full accordingto the rules of the State Program.

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