As the reputation of our republic grows foreigners’ interest also increases. On April 21, the rector of Sumgait State University Elkhan Huseynov received the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Turkey Republic in Azerbaijan Mr. Erkan Özoral and the Education advisor of the Embassy Abdulgafur Büyükfirat. The rector expressed his gratitude to see Mr. Erkan Özoral and the guests in the university and said that after Azerbaijan restored its independence Turkey was the first state to recognize. During the first years of sovereignty Turkey always supported our republic’s efforts in the field of state establishment and based on the principles of mutually beneficial cooperation it helped a lot to develop comprehensive relationships. Providing a wide range of information about the university the rector, professor Elkhan Huseynov talked about SSU’s international relations, cooperation with turkish universities and student and teacher exchange via “Movlana Exchange Program”. He also emphasized that the number of Turkish students outweighs the number of all foreign students.
During the meeting the rector talked about recent success in education as well as in all fields as the result of Ilham Aliyev’s domestic and foreign policy. He said that, nowadays, political, economic relationships thrive and cooperation in scientific, educational, cultural and other fields develops highly. Two states are strategic partners. National leader Heydar Aliyev’s consistent and purposeful policy to heighten the level of bilateral relations with Turkey is being carried on successfully by the President Ilham Aliyev. These days the 4th Isalmic Solidarity Games will be held in Baku. Islamic Games will strengthen Islamic solidarity. Many students of high schools in Azerbaijan, as well as Sumgait State University will volunteer in Islamic Solidarity Games. In the first European Olympic games our university students volunteered successfully.
While speaking about the essence of the reforms in education and measures to raise the level of education in our country, the rector also said that the foregoing reforms, State-run programs, also the preparation of National Strategy for development in education in Azerbaijan in 2011-2021, holding competitions once again indicates that education is in president’s center of attention.
The ambassador Erkhan Özoral expressed his satisfaction with the friendly and efficient meeting and thanked to university administration for care and attention to Turkish students who study at SSU. Highly appreciating the relationships between SSU and Turkish universities the ambassador shared his thoughts about realizing new programs and projects. In the meeting the perspectives of the future cooperation in the framework of close relationships between education fields of two countries were discussed.
The guests were in the 1st and 2nd school buildings and modern laboratories. Then the ambassador Erkhan Özoral and the education advisor Abdulgafur Büyükfirat met with Turkish students. The guests noted the importance of Azerbaijan-Turkey friendly and brotherly relations’ development. Also, they added that we all have to work for development of these relations and protect two states’ interests. The ambassador emphasized that development of a country depends on the levels of its education and science.
Students informed the ambassador about their studies, education and living conditions. Their wishes and desires were listened and questions were answered.

Press Service