DSpace Collection:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12323/50582024-03-29T05:26:16Z2024-03-29T05:26:16ZNational Impact Study on Capacity Building in Higher Education Action Projects in Azerbaijan Funded by the EU Erasmus+ programme implemented in the period of 2015-2020Isaeva, RaziyaGurbanova, VusalaBaghirov, Parvizhttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12323/52402021-12-01T06:18:16Z2021-06-01T00:00:00ZTitle: National Impact Study on Capacity Building in Higher Education Action Projects in Azerbaijan Funded by the EU Erasmus+ programme implemented in the period of 2015-2020
Authors: Isaeva, Raziya; Gurbanova, Vusala; Baghirov, Parviz
Abstract: This study has revealed that Erasmus+ CBHE action projects (further projects) significantly and
positively impacted Higher Educational Institutions (further HEIs) in the Republic of Azerbaijan
(further Azerbaijan). The projects effectively contributed to and supported the transformation of
university management, curriculum development, human capital development, and the
internationalisation of Higher Education in Azerbaijan. Although the total number of the projects
to date is not high, there is a detectable range of significant achievements, which can be observed
in each of the projects. In order to provide for visibility of effectiveness, the most significant
accomplishments can be categorised in the following three segments:
Individual
Individual-level attainments are more substantial than the ones in the other two categories. This
result may be explained by the nature of the projects that are bound by the possibilities of
involving many faculty members and staff from each university. Throughout the years of
participation, individuals gained professional, technical and soft skills, progressed in their career
development, were admitted to different international programs, became successful as projects
initiators and designers of the state-of-the-art methodology, gained international
certifications/accreditations, and, by doing so, extended their international and national networks.
Institutional
As for the educational institutions, level-wise, they accomplished apparent success in internal
structural transformation since the accomplishments within the projects are operationally aligned
with the institutional development strategies of each university. As this study reveals, some
institutions, upon the completion of their projects, have already gone through institutional
governance transformation, structural adjustments and changes, and infrastructural development
to allow for a better level of both local and international cooperation-driven compatibility in the
immediate future. Nevertheless, it is also worth mentioning that the capacity of the existing
human resources in Higher Education is still insufficient to hope for achieving anticipated results
and fully utilise even existing capabilities. The study-bound respondents particularly underscored
the latter fact in their interviews, where it was usually presented as a more significant challenge
in the process of achieving ultimate success.
National
Although the projects led to some changes already being made in the corresponding sectors at
the national level, more significant amendments are yet to be implemented. For example, the
NIZAMI project introduced a range of policy-adjusting suggestions and even generated a debate
on the issue, but the implementation process is now extended indefinitely. The following three
factors can explain this observation: firstly, the pace of changes is relatively slow in Azerbaijan
compared to the other Eastern Partnership countries; secondly, the project did not involve one of
The publication is prepared by the National Erasmus+ Office & HERE team – Azerbaijan (EUFunded
Project) the main stakeholders (Higher Attestation Commission) to assure the outcome, and thirdly, the
scope of the project did not allow to make the ambitious changes over the given time2021-06-01T00:00:00Z