Azerbaijan, Baku, Sept. 27 / Trend /
Ceremony of opening of the Moscow State University Baku branch's new campus was held in the capital of Azerbaijan on Wednesday.
President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended the event.
The president cut the ribbon symbolizing opening of the campus, while flowers were presented to the First Lady.
Rector of Moscow State University named after Mikhail Lomonosov, academician Viktor Sadovnichiy and rector of University's Baku branch Professor Nargiz Pashayeva informed the Head of Azerbaijani State and the First Lady that the construction of the new campus has started in 2010. Azerbaijani President and his spouse viewed the campus, which has been equipped with updated teaching aids, technological novelties, rich library, and has a conference hall, dining room, and a student center.
The President and First Lady viewed the stands on the ground floor with photo-materials depicting old Baku and old Moscow.
After the acquaintance with the new campus, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev made a speech at the opening ceremony.
He said the establishment of Moscow State University Baku branch was legally formalized in early 2008, but the branch started functioning a year later, in 2009.
Since the Moscow State University is one of the leading universities of the world, this educational institution needs a separate, independent building, the President noted.
President Ilham Aliyev added that Azerbaijan is actively developing.
"All areas of our country's life are dynamically developing. Economy is growing with the highest rate on the world scale. Of course, we first need professionals in all fields to be able to fulfill all the tasks that we are facing. We immediately see a positive dynamic as a professional comes to an important position. The work is properly organized, and we see professionalism and dedication to work immediately. It will be very difficult for any country to succeed without it in the modern world. Skills, science, technology and education define the country's success in the modern world. We are happy that we managed to maintain a high level of literacy today in Azerbaijan," Aliyev said.
He said over the past eight years, Azerbaijan's education expenses increased by six times to 1.5 billion manat.
"It's a little less than 10 percent of entire expenditure of our budget. So, education expenses share first and second places with defense expenses in Azerbaijan. And it shows how important the correct education process is for us, how important is the creation of such education system, that young Azerbaijani people will receive the knowledge they need in life," the Azerbaijani president said.
President Aliyev believes that the establishment of Moscow State University branch will give a new impetus to the development of science in Azerbaijan.
"We attach great importance to it. At my last meeting with the scientific public at an annual meeting of the Academy of Sciences, I spoke in details on the challenges the Azerbaijani science is facing. We must develop our country's scientific potential every way.
Of course, we all rely on the realities of modern society and the modern world. We are realists. And expecting Azerbaijan to become a trendsetter in any serious scientific developments, perhaps, would be naive and premature.
Regarding what we have to do, I have given the relevant directives - we must strive to adopt advanced scientific expertise as quickly as possible in areas that are developing dynamically to develop our country.
Development of any country is impossible without modern technologies. Today, in the 21st century, in early 21st century, it has become a reality of modern life. Those countries that will lead the scientific developments, will lead in the political map of the world," Aliyev said.
