BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 21. Azerbaijan's state oil company SOCAR is expanding employees' access to international education and professional development opportunities, SOCAR Vice President Zaur Gurbanov said today, as he addressed the opening of the "AZEMBA" program of the IE Center for Leadership and Innovation at ADA University, TurkicWorld's correspondent reports from the event.
He said that the "Global MBA" program, implemented with SOCAR's support, includes 16 company employees and eight participants selected from international markets through a competitive selection process.
"The program was met with great interest, with hundreds of applications received from highly qualified professionals. This high level of interest reflects the growing desire of Azerbaijani talent to engage in continuous learning, gain international experience and develop the knowledge and skills needed to contribute to the future of their organizations and our country," Gurbanov said.
According to him, participants were selected through a transparent and competitive process in line with established quotas.
Gurbanov noted that one of the initiative's key features is the combination of Azerbaijan's business experience with the academic capabilities and global perspective of IE University.
"Today's ceremony brings together two key priorities at the heart of SOCAR's approach to human capital development: investing in people and building meaningful international partnerships," the SOCAR vice president said.
He said SOCAR is undergoing a transformation, with operations spanning more than 15 countries and a workforce of more than 70,000 employees.
"We are rapidly and systematically transforming into a data-driven, diversified and integrated regional energy company. Our forward-looking strategic vision is aligned with our deep commitment to innovation, new technologies, artificial intelligence and the transition to green energy," Gurbanov said.
According to him, human capital development is one of the key areas of this transformation.
"At SOCAR, we approach this transformation as a comprehensive ecosystem. We are guided by the principles of a fair and people-centered transition. This means that no talent should be left behind amid innovation; instead, every young person and every employee should become an active participant in this transition," he said.
Gurbanov also spoke about SOCAR's projects aimed at expanding the exchange of knowledge and expertise with international partners.
"Today, SOCAR is building a knowledge-transfer ecosystem with leading companies and individuals. We implement management programs jointly with Germany's GIZ and organize cultural and educational exchange projects. Through our partnership with Japan's JCCCP in technical and management fields, we place particular emphasis on supporting women's leadership and promoting inclusion," the SOCAR vice president said.
He added that, under a memorandum signed with Türkiye's TPAO, joint seminars are being held in geology, drilling and other engineering fields, while vocational education, scholarship and practical training programs are also being implemented.
"Through these steps, we are turning our workforce into one of the region's largest centers of knowledge and talent," Gurbanov said.
The SOCAR vice president also highlighted the contribution of the "Study Abroad Scholarship Program" to the professional development of the company's employees.
According to him, the program gives employees the opportunity to pursue higher education at leading international universities in priority fields aligned with the company's strategic vision and needs.
"Since its establishment, SOCAR has made significant investments in international education through this program and supported 380 participants. Among them are 18 executives who have completed or are currently pursuing Executive MBA programs at prestigious institutions such as Chicago Booth, IMD, IE University and Columbia Business School," he said.
Gurbanov noted that graduates of the program are already serving in managerial and other positions of responsibility at SOCAR and across the broader industry.
He said SOCAR's human capital development programs have also received international recognition.
"This year, the program received an award from the Brandon Hall Group HCM Excellence Awards. This is further evidence of our commitment to developing world-class talent and investing in the skills that will shape our future," the SOCAR vice president said.
Gurbanov noted that SOCAR is also expanding cooperation with leading international educational institutions.
"International partnerships with prestigious institutions such as IMD, Klaus University, Sabancı University and Duke University bring global experience and best practices to the fields of leadership, management, energy and technical education," he said.
The SOCAR vice president also highlighted the development of the higher education ecosystem in Azerbaijan as one of the company's priorities.
"At the same time, SOCAR places particular importance on strengthening the higher education ecosystem within Azerbaijan. Our partnerships with educational institutions such as ADA University, Karabakh University and Sumgait State University are a clear example of this. These partnerships support education, research, innovation and knowledge exchange, while creating broad opportunities for young people to develop their skills and contribute to the regions where they live," Gurbanov added.
