“Karabakh Education and Partnership Forum” Held in Khankendi

On June 2, 2025, the "Karabakh Education and Partnership Forum" was held at Karabakh University, located in the city of Khankendi, with the aim of promoting the development of education and public-private partnership in the liberated territories of Azerbaijan.

The event, which once again emphasized the importance of coordinated activities by all parties in the restoration and development of Karabakh, was attended by Minister of Science and Education Emin Amrullayev, Special Representative of the President in Khankendi, Aghdara, and Khojaly districts Elchin Yusubov, Chairman of the Board of the Karabakh Revival Fund Rahman Hajiyev, Chairman of the Board of the Education Development Fund Elnur Nasibov, Rector of Karabakh University Shahin Bayramov, as well as representatives of government institutions, private sector representatives, and the academic staff of Karabakh University.

The forum, under the conceptual message "Joint Steps for the Future of Karabakh," was organized in partnership with the Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as jointly organized by the Karabakh Revival Fund, Education Development Fund, Azerbaijan Free Trade Union of Education Workers, and Karabakh University.

At the opening ceremony of the forum, Rector Shahin Bayramov welcomed the participants with an opening speech. Later, Minister Emin Amrullayev and Special Representative Elchin Yusubov delivered speeches, expressing important views on the development of education in the Karabakh region, strengthening human capital, and the strategic importance of public-private sector cooperation.

One of the key outcomes of the forum was the signing of a memorandum of cooperation on the establishment of the "Karabakh Scholarship Program" between the Education Development Fund and various institutions and companies representing different sectors. The main goal is to contribute to the socio-economic development of the region, strengthen public-private sector cooperation, attract youth to Karabakh, increase interest in the region, provide financial support to students, and encourage their academic and professional development.

According to the memorandum, the Karabakh Revival Fund, Veysəloğlu Group of Companies, International Bank of Azerbaijan, Kapital Bank OJSC, Free Trade Union of Education Workers, and McDonald’s Azerbaijan OJSC have undertaken the commitment to establish scholarship programs for students studying at Karabakh University.

In addition, PSG Capital Investment Company, ASELSAN, GEN ilaç, LANDAU School Complex, Hədəf Group of Companies, Çaşıoğlu Company, İnci Group of Companies, Code Academy, Baku Design Academy, and TUNA Company will also contribute by awarding scholarships to students.

The scholarship program not only serves to develop human capital in the region but also aims to support socially vulnerable groups and motivate students with high academic performance.

As part of the forum, two panel discussions were held with professional moderators and speakers. The first panel, titled "Great Return: Challenges and Opportunities" and moderated by Elnur Nasibov, Chairman of the Education Development Fund, featured speeches by Minister Emin Amrullayev, Special Representative Elchin Yusubov, Chairman of the Karabakh Revival Fund Rahman Hajiyev, and Rector Shahin Bayramov, focusing on the reconstruction of the region and human resource development.

In his speech, Chairman Rahman Hajiyev noted that the restoration of the liberated territories is a major challenge for Azerbaijani society. According to him, due to double standards demonstrated by many influential countries and organizations, Azerbaijan is implementing the restoration of Karabakh using its own resources. He emphasized the enormous scale of the reconstruction work and the importance of public and private sector involvement, noting that the Karabakh Revival Fund is ready to act as a unified platform in this process.

“Karabakh is our pride and a symbol of our future. Therefore, restoring Karabakh is our moral duty. By organizing such an event at Karabakh University, we contribute not only to the restoration of the region but also to the preparation of qualified personnel who will serve the development of the region and our country in the future. The active participation of the Fund’s donors in this initiative is highly commendable. As the Karabakh Revival Fund, we will continue to support such initiatives,” Rahman Hajiyev emphasized.

The second panel was dedicated to "Public-Private Partnership Opportunities in Karabakh." Moderated by Ceyhun Keremov, Director of the State Agency for Vocational Education, the panel featured Aydin Talibov, Founder and CEO of Veysəloğlu Group of Companies, Taleh Tahirli, Deputy Chairman of the International Bank of Azerbaijan, Farid Hidayatzade, Board Member of Kapital Bank OJSC, and Araz Pashayev, Chairman of the Free Trade Union of Education Workers. The panelists discussed prospects for public-private partnerships in the region and opportunities for mutual cooperation.