Education has been extremely important in people's lives throughout history. The global challenges of the modern era increase this importance and make most of the issues that need to be solved in this field the number one priority of the state and society. Because in modern times, the development of education is the guarantee of improving the welfare of the population in any country, building their lives at a higher level. Today, it is precisely through education that people master technologies flexibly, take a decent place in the labor market, and gain the opportunity to choose the right position in relation to the environment.

Considering this factor, Azerbaijan is doing important work in this direction.

After Azerbaijan regained its independence, the need for fundamental reforms in education, as well as in other fields, emerged. The process of transition to a modern and world-standard education system has begun. The first important step taken in this direction was the introduction of two-level higher education (undergraduate and graduate) in the country in 1993. That year, for the first time, 23 higher education institutions in the country admitted students to the bachelor's level.

In 1997, after the first graduation at the bachelor's level of higher education, the implementation of the transition to the second level of higher education - master's degree - began in higher schools.

After the "Educational Reform Program of the Republic of Azerbaijan" approved by the national leader of the Azerbaijani people, Heydar Aliyev, with Decree No. 168 dated June 15, 1999, reforms in the entire education system, including the higher education level, have become systematic.

Azerbaijan has started active cooperation with international organizations to adapt its education system to world standards.

Reforms in the field of higher education are mainly carried out within the framework of cooperation with European structures, the European Union, and the European Commission. Azerbaijan's accession to the Bologna process has a special role in reforms in the field of higher education. In 2005, Azerbaijan joined the process that started in 1999, which envisages the creation of a single higher education space in Europe.

Azerbaijan's accession to the Bologna process has revealed the need to achieve higher education in the country that meets European standards. Since 2005, reforms in this direction have been carried out in Azerbaijan. An Action Plan covering the years 2006-2010 was approved to implement the provisions of the Bologna Declaration.

The most important stage in higher education reforms is the adoption of the state program approved by the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on May 22, 2009.

The main goal of the "2009-2013 State Program on reforms in the higher education system of the Republic of Azerbaijan" is the integration of the country's higher education into the European educational space, and the establishment of its content in accordance with the principles of the Bologna process.

In order to implement the policy of expansion of educational reforms and adaptation to world standards in Azerbaijan, it was also necessary to form a new legislative base.

For this purpose, in June 2009, the new law "On Education" was adopted in the parliament after extensive public discussions, and its implementation began.

The implementation process of the "State Strategy for the Development of Education in the Republic of Azerbaijan" approved by the decree of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev dated October 24, 2013, was accompanied by a number of important achievements in this regard. The relevant strategy covers the most important directions in terms of content.

The training of competent teachers and education managers, who are in the leading position among the countries of the world, as well as the creation of an education system based on advanced technologies, are based on five strategic goals - content, teacher, management, infrastructure, and financing reforms. In accordance with the goal of creating competency-based personalized educational content, important results have been achieved at all levels of this field over the past 5 years.

In 2014, for the first time in the field of higher education, the implementation of the SABAH project was started based on new content and teaching technologies.

One of the strategic road maps approved by the decree of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev dated December 6, 2016, is dedicated to the development of vocational education and training.

The "State Program on Increasing the International Competitiveness of the Higher Education System in the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2019-2023" approved by the decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on November 16, 2018, is a continuation of the historical steps taken in this direction and accompanied by great achievements.

All this shows that Azerbaijan has a clear vision of the future and is preparing itself with high sensitivity for the successful scenario of the globalized world.

Analytic group of News.Az

The article focuses on the preparation of scientific, cultural, and educational programs

The article was published with the support of the Media Development Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (MEDIA