UFAZ held a kick off meeting before the semester's start

UFAZ held a kick off meeting aimed at fostering a sense of community among the teaching staff before the semester's start. The event provided a valuable platform for sharing ideas, reflecting on past achievements, and setting a positive tone for the year ahead.

UFAZ Acting Executive Director, Latifa Nasibova, opened the meeting with well-wishes for a successful academic year, followed by department representatives who shared key updates.

HR Specialist Gunel Eynullayeva provided insights into staffing developments, announcing that 17 new employees had joined UFAZ since January 2024. She also highlighted that UFAZ will host 77 invited professors across 90 missions throughout the upcoming year.

Samra Shiriyeva, Deputy Head of the Education Department, reported that 138 students secured internships at both local and international companies, 22 master’s students completed internships in France, and 40 students participated in the Strasbourg Summer School during the 2023/2024 academic year.

Research Administrative Coordinator Mina Baghirova reviewed the year’s research initiatives, including seminars, the Cotutelle PhD program, field trips, and future research plans.

Nazrin Shirinova, Head of the Strategic Partnership and Development Department, outlined notable projects such as the Heydar Aliyev 100 Hackathon, Techcell Hackathon, the international conference “Caspian Basin in Transition,” the “Empowering Girls in Engineering” STEM Project, the Battery Recycling Program and others —all implemented during the 2023/2024 academic year.

UFAZ Career Center Coordinator, Ganira Nasibova, shared that over 500 students received certificates from various training programs, more than 2,500 students participated in career events, and two career fairs were held in the previous academic year.

Lamiya Mammadova, Coordinator of the UFAZ Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center, presented the center's successful programs, including the IGNITE Incubation Program, Moodrik Talks, and Pitch ‘N Bite.

The meeting concluded with discussions about future plans, followed by a coffee break and networking session, providing the staff with the opportunity to connect and exchange ideas.