The project “Green and sustainable global economic improvement at Azerbaijani Universities: renewable energy and climate change mitigation” (REFRESH) has been created by analyzing international and national country reports of Azerbaijan, where transition into green economy is inevitable. Thus, various international organizations have reported the huge potential of wind and solar energy in Azerbaijan, which are under utilization. In addition, national policy documents of Azerbaijani government also urges for transition into green economy where green skillsets are critical. The pleminary needs assessment with the main industry players revealed the lack of technical experts in renewable energies field and the pressing demand to stimulate local human capital in the market. These analysis took the project team to universities, where the education on renewable energies is behind the industry needs. Therefore, the REFRESH project aims to increase capacity at the universities by enrolling the teaching staff at Training of Trainers (ToT) programme to improve the teaching methodologies, course syllabi and launching pilot courses at each partner HEI. Simultaneously, Virtual Learning Simulation (VLS) labs also will be part of new curriculum. These changes to curriculum will improve the quality of teaching at local HEIs. This in turn will stimulate green skillets in Azerbaijan, which ultimately contributes to successful green transition of economy. The consortium is set up from 5 regional universities, 1 university (the applicant) located in the capital city, a State Agency for Renewable Energy Sources and 4 EU universities. All EU universities are specialized in the field of renewable energies education. The national and EU universities have active participation at various phases of the project during the implementation certain activities. Furthermore, 4 associate partners will be actively participating either during the student internships enrollment or in the disseminati

With the internationalization of education and the growing need for specialists who meet the requirements of the new digital and innovative economy, the role of universities is becoming a key. In this regard, new forms of interaction between higher education organizations at the international level of university networks emerging and developing. “Although Azerbaijan signed Bologna agreement already in 2005, there is weak awareness of benefits of EHEA related issues among wider audience in the country. The knowledge on the recent developments of higher education system in Azerbaijan remains vague. The communication and networking concerning EHEA issues is rather fragmented among different departments in the MoE and various stakeholders. There is a need of national universities networks in Azerbaijan to promote and facilitate cooperation, support universities in their primary work, that is – high quality education, as well as to actively lobby for better legislation and wise spending its finance aimed at the advancement of higher education and research. The consortium believes that Rectors conference can be a great getaway for all of the universities presenting a single voice in key initiatives and challenges. The ultimate goal of this project is to endorse strong networking and cooperation among national universities and decision makers through the establishment of Rectors Conference. The approach chosen for implementation, however, includes a collaborative framework with respective stakeholders, mainly focusing on educational needs.The overall aim of the project is fostering national networking and cooperation among universities and all other stakeholders by establishing the rectors conference in accordance with national development strategies.

Up to 2015 Traditional system of quality assurance in HEIs of Azerbaijan has 2 main directions: The control of student’s knowledge on institutional level and control from the Ministry of Education or other relevant authority based on academic aspects. Most of the universities didn't have Internal Quality Assurance System in terms of administration and effective control of the processes. Some of the universities had the Quality Assurance Centers but they were not functional or the functions were not appropriated with the international standards. The most important thing, there were no demand for Internal Quality Assurance in HEIs on national level. Even though the universities had to be accredited every 5 years, but the external quality assurance was not aligned with international standards as well. It was somehow was similar with giving the license for providing services with appropriate equipment. The universities were seriously lacking of low level performance management, quality of the programs, quality of the staff and most important the QUALITY CULTURE. Therefor EQAC project aimed to enhance the quality of higher education in Azerbaijan and to promote voluntary union with EU developments and to develop a model of principles, priorities, guidelines and procedures to improve and assess the quality.The specific objectives of the project were:•Make a comparative analysis of current QA practices (and identify the needs of the universities) •To increase awareness on modern quality assurance tools and policies •To develop framework for quality assurance mechanisms in Azerbaijan higher education institutions. •To develop and establish common Quality Assurance System – (in line with ESG) •To create online platform and user service charter•To enhance Quality Assurance Culture•To train quality assurance related administrative and academic staff• Develop a Model of Principles, Priorities, Guidelines and Procedures for internal management of QA for partner HEIs 8 Work packages implemented In order to reach these objectives WP 1: Scoping and Analysis of Quality Assurance in Azerbaijan UniversitiesWP-2: Creation of a framework for the QA implementationWP-3: System-building: Shaping systems of quality assurance in AZ universities.WP-4: Field tripsWP-5: Preparing Guidelines and Standards for QA at institutional levelWP-6: Quality AssuranceWP-7: Dissemination of the projectWP-8: Management

For successful integration to global transport network, providing high level transport services to both PCs and global community in the condition of uncertain continuous evolution of global supply chains, it is necessary to take into account European experience and support implementation of crisis and risks engineering for transport services (CRENG) of all levels (local, regional, national) in UA, AZ, TM. But now it is luck of high skilled specialists in CRENG in PCs. Project contribute CRENG development in PCs by creating of educational environment of high skilled specialists demanded by labor market, in line with EU best practices and Bologna process.Environment will include: new innovative MA program “CRENG”; educational materials on new developed curricula published, uploaded to the web-based platform; e-learning courses uploaded to the MOODLE platform; innovative laboratories (CRENG Labs), where students will acquire practical skills on using intelligence, digital and information technologies for CRENG; new teaching and learning approaches International Project Based Learning (IPBL) and Skills Wallet (SW).IPBL involves dynamic classroom approach in which group of international students will solve problems of global supply chains under conditions of risks and crisis. By IPBL graduates will acquire global business communication, management and English skills. SW is method of interaction between HEIs and employers, which helps graduates to acquire specific skills required by labor market. The main advantages of SW are: making universities and enterprises to become closer by mutual developing of educational content; increasing employability of graduates; making enterprises more flexible to implementation of innovations.To support IPBL and SW, disseminate knowledge on CRENG the network of CRENG Service Offices will be created as the background of established interaction between academia, industry, business and governments in PCs an EU.