The European Union’s (EU) largest education program, Erasmus+, is suspending its activities in Azerbaijan.
The head of the National Erasmus+ office, Parviz Baghirov, stated that all activities under the program have effectively been unofficially suspended. This was announced by Parviz Baghirov, on his social media account.
Parviz Baghirov stated that all activities within the program have been essentially suspended informally. “There are no advances related to hundreds of ICM student and teacher exchanges, CBHE (Capacity Building in Higher Education) projects, Jean Monnet initiatives, and other Erasmus+ projects. This means that new projects are not being registered, and even the execution of active projects has been halted. Due to the current situation, the National Erasmus+ office is also about to be closed. This could seriously affect the future implementation of the program and hinder the continuity of Erasmus+ projects in our country,” Baghirov said.
He added that, over the years, hundreds of projects have been implemented under this program, with thousands of students and teachers studying at prestigious universities across Europe. The head of the National Erasmus+ office noted that, in fact, 27 projects have been suspended. “The total budget for these projects is close to 20 million manat, and halting their implementation will seriously affect Azerbaijan’s higher education sector and international cooperation. Additionally, 32 different Azerbaijani higher education institutions participate in Erasmus+ projects. The academic collaborations they have established with European universities have been shaped through these projects, and the suspension of this process could significantly impact the international activities of those universities.”
“This situation stems from the uncertainty surrounding the official implementation of the program in Azerbaijan, and unfortunately, no concrete solution is visible at this moment. We have informed all relevant authorities about the issue, and efforts are underway to find a resolution. If the situation changes, we will notify you immediately,” Baghirov added.
The Erasmus+ program is the largest EU-funded program at the higher education level. It typically operates over a seven-year period. The program is renewed periodically, and the current period covers 2021-2027. The seven-year budget for this program is approximately 30 billion euros. To date, nearly 5,000 Azerbaijanis have gone to study in Europe under the Erasmus+ program.
According to information circulating on social media, the Caucasus Journalism and Media Management School (CJMS), funded by the U.S. Department of State and the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA), is also suspending its Master’s program in Journalism and Media Relations in Azerbaijan. The program will no longer accept students with scholarships. Current students will have to finance their education independently.
At GIPA, classes were taught by instructors from the U.S., the European Union, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. This program was funded by the U.S. Department of State with additional support from the Open Society Institute. The program’s goal was to strengthen the media in the emerging democratic society of the Caucasus.
