Page 56 - Azerbaijan State University of Economics

THE JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC SCIENCES: THEORY AND PRACTICE, V.77, # 2, 2020, pp. 40-60

CONCLUSION
The higher education system in Azerbaijan has evolved through the implementation
of government policies, programs, and reforms, as well as under the pressure of
global and national market trends. The changes and government policies led to the
establishment of a new legal framework and higher education environment that
brought new forces, players, and components onto the stage. These changes have
also created both challenges and opportunities for higher education institutions in
Azerbaijan. A review of the transformation of higher education system in Azerbaijan
demonstrates that the country managed to build a new higher education system that
is mainly based on European standards. The current aim of higher education policy
is to improve efficiency and effectiveness in higher education and increase the
competitiveness of higher education intuitions in Azerbaijan. At the same time,
government documents and strategic development policies have given us hints on
the need for further incoming reforms and the development of higher education in
Azerbaijan.

The current trends in the higher education system of Azerbaijan can be identified as
the following:

- Increase in cost of university degree
- Regional competition in higher education

- Increasing Importance of International rankings
- Increased Internationalism, Number of Exchange Students and Joint Degree
Programs

- Increase in number of English language programs
- Implementation of vertical and horizontal integration strategies by HE institutions

- Implementation of marketing and branding concepts in HE institutions

- Increase in number of foreign students
- Increasing importance of international accreditation

- Shift from specialized universities to multi-faculty universities

- Shift from teaching universities to research universities
- Shift to online learning and ICT application in learning, teaching and administration

- Increasing Role of Higher Education Institutions on Development of Education
Policies and Programs.
To conclude, the higher education system in a dynamic country like Azerbaijan can
be expected to undergo further changes in order to ensure greater effectiveness and
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