Higher education snapshot of Azerbaijan

Abstract

During the Soviet times, Azerbaijan’s higher education system resembled that of other Soviet republics. Higher education institutions catered industry and public institutions with specialized labor to serve the system. Education was tightly controlled by the government and shaped by the needs of the economy. Since the independence, higher education system has changed and developed under the influence of internal (demographic, political, social, and economic) and external factors (international relations, involvement of international development organizations, etc.).