Joint engineering faculty strengthens China-Azerbaijan education ties

A new joint engineering faculty, established by the Beijing University of Chemical Technology and Baku Engineering University, was officially inaugurated in Baku, the capital of the Republic of Azerbaijan, early this week, aiming to strengthen talent cultivation and foster cultural education in the two countries.

Launched on Monday, the BUCT&BEU Engineering Faculty represents the first Chinese undergraduate-level educational institution in Azerbaijan, serving as a major platform for educational cooperation offering four specialized programs: chemistry, polymer materials and engineering, biotechnology and bioengineering, computer science and technology, and mechanical engineering, process equipment and control engineering.

Students who meet the graduation requirements will be awarded double bachelor's degrees from both universities.

The faculty is committed to cultivating high-caliber professionals with an international vision, deepening bilateral cooperation in teaching, scientific research, and faculty exchanges, and contributing to educational and cultural mutual learning between China and Azerbaijan.

BUCT President Tan Tianwei highlighted that bilateral relations have been growing increasingly sound, and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries have become closer, laying a solid foundation for educational cooperation between the two universities.

He expressed hope that the cooperation will expand into postgraduate training and joint research cooperation between the two sides.

Yagub Piriyev, president of BEU, described the faculty as a vivid demonstration of innovative educational cooperation guided by the consensus reached by the two nations' heads of state on strengthening higher education cooperation.

Noting the increasingly close bilateral ties, he encouraged students planning to study in China to learn the Chinese language and understand Chinese history, so as to contribute to international educational exchanges and cooperation between the two universities.

Emin Amrullayev, Minister of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan, voiced his hope that BUCT and BEU will further expand cooperation in scientific research and doctoral education, taking their educational and scientific collaboration to a higher level.

Founded in 1958, BUCT is a national "Double First-Class" university in China. It has developed into a key comprehensive university with solid foundations in science, strong capabilities in engineering, and distinctive disciplines including management, economics, law, literature, education, philosophy, and medicine. BEU was established in 2016 as a new-type university set up by Azerbaijan to strengthen engineering and technical education.