Speaking at the meeting, Education Minister and Chair of Organizing Committee for Best Secondary School and Best Teacher competitions Misir Mardanov talked about the importance of competitions. Noting they are a great opportunity to create healthy competition between schools and teachers, and be creative the Minister wished the Organizing Committee success in its activity. According to him, competitions have been held in the country for six years within the Executive Orders of President Ilham Aliyev on Establishing Best Secondary School and Best Teacher Awards of 4 September 2007.  The Minister gave a presentation on the first stage of competitions and results of reviewed documents submitted by contestants. According to the Minister, 132 schools from different regions and cities of the country submitted documents to take part in the Best Secondary School competition in 2013. Last year, their number was 151 schools. He noted that, 21 of 132 schools became the winners of competition held in the 2007/2008 academic year, and 2 won the competition in the 2008/2009 academic year. The Minister added that 103 schools received the relevant scores have passed to the second stage of the competition. He also noted that the presentation stage for school directors will begin on 1 March. Noting 481 teachers (464 teachers in 2012) submitted documents to participate in the Best Teacher competition in 2013, the Minister said that 477 documents out of 481 were reviewed and assessed. According to him, 27 of 477 teachers are the winners of competition held in the 2007/2008 academic year. A majority of participants are primary school (44), English language (32) and Azeri language and literature (23) teachers. According to the Minister, 201 teachers out of 477 have passed to the second stage of competition. He also gave information on regions presented by teachers that will continue their participation in the competition.   Noting the second stage of the competition will begin on March 11, the Minister listed schools where exemplary lessons for competitors will be organized. He gave his recommendations for the effective organization of Expert Commissions’ activity that will assess the lessons and noted that the instruction-related meetings for experts and school directors will be held separately.   Next, meeting attendees exchanged views on issues regarding the conduction of competitions.

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Education Minster Misir Mardanov welcomed the guests and highlighted interest engendered by projects for “Distance requalification education for teachers” and “Electronic document circulation in the education system of Azerbaijan.”   Choi Seon Mook, expert for Distance Requalification Education for Teachers Project, gave detailed information on the project. According to him, the project allows teachers to attend the distance learning courses and keep working by not allocating a specific time for the study. According to the guest, the project program and topics will be developed by the Ministry of Education and assimilation of specified topics by teachers attended the distance learning courses will be evaluated electronically. Resident Representative of KOICA Azerbaijan Office Kim Eun Suk talked about the issues that should be solved for the implementation of Distance Requalification Education for Teachers Project. According to him, at first, the video tutorials will be prepared and placed in the relevant base, and teachers that will attend distance learning courses will able to use these tutorials through special permission granted to them. Chul Yun Kim, expert for Electronic document circulation in the education system of Azerbaijan Project, talked about the importance of the project, According to him, it is planning to create the e-document circulation system between region (city) education departments and other structural units of the Ministry. Noting the project will expand e-application capabilities of the Ministry, Chul Yun Kim underlined that a digital signature will be used in the e-document circulation. Education Minister highly praised the activity of KOICA within the abovementioned projects and noted the creation of these systems will contribute to the organization of modern educational system in the country. Noting the projects also will contribute to the improvement of teachers’ professional development level, creation of virtual learning environment, provision of free entrance to the learning and teaching materials and expansion of e-management in the education system, the Minister thanked everyone involved in the projects. Next, the sides discussed other issues of common interest regarding the projects implementation.

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All calls were received, recorded, investigated and responded. A majority of calls were for inquire and information. Inquires were regarding issues, such as recruitment of teachers, education of disabled children, study abroad, recognition of education documents, transfer of students studying abroad to the universities of Azerbaijan, organization of exam sessions at higher and secondary special education institutions, school uniform, provision of teachers with teaching load, and etc.   The Service received 67 complaints from general education, initial vocational education, secondary special and higher education establishments. The Service received 47 complaints from secondary schools of the country, including 23 from Baku, 2 from Sumgayit, 2 from Ganja, 4 from Gabala, 2 from Bilasuvar, Sheki, Gadabay, Lerik accordingly, and 1 from each – Gusar, Agjabedi, Neftchala, Ismayilli, Barda, Khachmaz, Tartar and Gazakh regions. The majority of them were about raising funds for the purchase of technical equipment, shortcomings made by school directors in the management and other issues.    The Physics teacher of school No.146 of Baku received a reprimand, and Math teacher of school No. 171 received a warning as a result of investigated complaints. One inquire was received from initial vocational education establishments. It was from Vocational School No.3 of Sumgayit. A prompt investigation of inquires received by the Service regarding the execution of Order 2216 of the Ministry of Education on “Organization and Conduction of autumn semester exams at higher and secondary special education institutions in the 2012/2013 academic year” of 18 December 2012 were implemented. The investigation helped to ensure the transparency and impartiality in the assessment of student knowledge at higher and secondary special education institutions and avoid negative facts that might occur. Inquires received from higher education institutions were about the organization of semester exams in written and test forms, application of Bologna system in exams, masters-level study, tuition fee payment, procedures for granting scholarships to students at private universities, and etc. In January, the Service received 19 complaints from the higher and secondary special education institutions, including 9 from public, 6 from private universities, and 4 from secondary special education institutions.   

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Speaking at the opening of the meeting Education Minister Misir Mardanov noted that the meeting is devoted to the accreditation results of Gakh Vocational Lyceum, Zagatala Vocational School, Agdam Vocational School and Ganja Vocational Lyceum No.1.  Chair of Accreditation Commission for Gakh Vocational Lyceum Sharif Hajiyev gave information about the results of accreditation. He talked about the activity of lyceum, personnel training on the relevant specialties, its students, job provision for graduates, results of survey held during the accreditation, and etc. Chair of Accreditation Commission for Zagatala Vocational School Shahin Baylarov gave information about the survey held at the school. He talked about the activity of the school, personnel training quality, material and technical base, as well as compliance indicators of school’s activity with its status.  Chair of Accreditation Commission for Agdam Vocational School Vidadi Guliyev gave information about the activity of lyceum, its logistic base, organization of teaching process, overall, the results of accreditation. V. Guliyev also talked about its teaching staff, job provision for graduates and other issues. Chair of Accreditation Commission for Ganja Vocational Lyceum No.1 Sahib Rustamov gave detailed information about the school regarding the activity of lyceum, job provision of its graduates for the last 5 years, and etc. According to V. Guliyev, relevant specialties of the Lyceum weren’t accredited due to poor logistic base, disorganization at industry practice, and other problems existing at school. Further, questions taken from the meeting attendees were answered and made some offers. Education Minister Misir Mardanov shared his opinion on the results of accreditation held at vocational education institutions and gave his recommendations. At the end of the meeting, the activity of Gakh Vocational Lyceum, Zagatala Vocational School, Agdam Vocational School was assessed as “satisfactory” and relevant specialties of these schools were accredited. The activity of Ganja Vocational Lyceum was assessed as “dissatisfactory” and its relevant specialties weren’t accredited.

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The international conference is attended by 1400 education experts, Ministers of Education and representatives of educational management organizations from more than 70 countries. The international conference on Going Global in Higher Education - 2013 will take place over 3 days.

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At the meeting, the sides discussed issues related to the expansion of British Council‘s activity in Azerbaijan, use of ICT in education, distance learning, English language teaching, retraining of English language teachers, and etc. British Council operates in more than 100 countries worldwide. The organization closely cooperates with Azerbaijan and supports the development of international relations between different levels of education of the country, as well as English language teaching. 

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The meeting attendees were welcomed by Education Minister Misir Mardanov. The Minister gave information on the competition that has been held for six years, and consists of 3 levels. Noting documents of 477 out of 481 teachers were analyzed, the Minister talked about their classification by regions stressing the majority of them represents schools of Baku.  According to Education Minister Misir Mardanov, some changes were made to the composition of the Commission this year compared to last year, including the appointment of 33 new experts. He noted that in accordance with the listening lesson plans the second level of competition will start on March 11. Stressing the assessment criteria remain unchanged, the Minister added that each criterion will be awarded maximum of 10 points. He also gave his recommendations to members of Commissions. Noting the competition held according to the Presidential Order, and which offers big money prize to the winners, gained popularity with the public, the Minister underlined the importance of preserving its popularity. He also recommended to members of the Commission to consider the mentioned sides of the commissions’ activity.  Afterwards, the meeting attendees exchanged views regarding the attendance of lessons, and was expressed the belief in decent assessment of each participant. 

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Education Minister Misir Mardanov congratulated teachers that will participate in the next levels of the competition and wished them every success. He noted that the relevant competition, which is held according to the Executive Order of President Ilham Aliyev on Establishing Best Secondary School and Best Teacher Awards of September 4, 2007, has been conducted for six years and its main goal is to identify the best teachers. Stressing the majority of participants are primary school (44), English language (32) and Azeri language and literature (23) teachers, Education Minister Misir Mardanov also gave information on the number of teachers of other subjects that will participate in the competition. He listed name of schools, where the trial lessons will be organized, noting the relevant conditions will be provided at mentioned schools, and gave his recommendations regarding the effective organization of the expert commissions’ activity. The Minister also gave information on the assessment criteria of lessons and rules for determining lessons topic. According to him, each teacher will be able to attend the lesson of other teachers. Noting one Expert Commission was established for each subject regardless the number of participants the Minister highlighted the usefulness of that method to provide the transparent selection of teachers.     According to the Minister, all trial lessons will be recorded on video, and teachers dissatisfied with the assessment result will be able to submit an application to the Ministry within 3 days. After the completion of second level, each teacher will give a 10-minute presentation in front of Organizing Committee and the final score of participants will be defined based on the results of each level.  At the end, questions taken from participants were answered and exchanged views on the relevant issues.

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Speaking at the opening of the event, Minister of Finance Samir Sharifov gave detailed information on the establishment and application of automated information system for Financial and Accounting Statements of Budget-funded Organizations within the Corporate and Public Sector Accountability Project jointly implemented by the Ministry of Finance and the World Bank. According to him, important accounting system improvement measures were taken in the country alongside with the economic growth achieved due to the success of the policy carried out under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev. Moreover, the conversion to International Financial Reporting Standards was achieved within short period of time through establishing necessary legal framework, developing and presenting in accordance with the international standards financial reports for accounting subject area. S. Sharifov analyzed the whole process, including the acceptance of three-year financial statements, and noted the importance of implementing new urgent measures in this field. “There is a need to automate processes for developing, accepting and analyzing financial reports formed based on international and national standards for accounting area, as well as develop single database statements,”- he added.   According to Minister Sharifov, automated information system for Financial and Accounting Statements of Budget-funded Organizations was applied at the Ministry of Finance and 4 pilot universities, including Baku State University, Azerbaijan Technical University, Academy of Public Administration under the President of Azerbaijan Republic  and Khazar University. Moreover, it is planning to expand the application of the system in the near future. According to the Minister, the first stage of the system will cover 35 higher education institutions and 4 ministries. Speaking at the event, Education Minister Misir Mardanov noted that the application of automated information system for Financial and Accounting Statements of Budget-funded Organizations should be estimated as one of the steps taken in the country within the execution of orders and instructions of President Ilham Aliyev regarding the establishment of Electronic Government and expansion of electronic services. Mr. Mardanov also talked about the importance of the new system, the progress made in the field of higher education funding, as well as responsibilities laid upon universities regarding the application of the new system.      Rector of Baku State University Abel Maharramov, rector of Azerbaijan Technical University Havar Mammadov, founder of Khazar University Hamlet Isakhanli and others made a speech at the event. They underlined the importance of establishing and applying modern accounting system in the country, and gave information on the achieved results. According to them, the application of the new system creates an opportunity for each organization for operational analysis, and the automation of accounting area at institutions based on international and national standards provides the automation of financial reporting and its timely submission. Head of “Sinam” company Elchin Aliyev gave information about the functional and technical properties of the system noting software features were created based on the “Institution Resource Management Systems” and provides the automation and management of all types of financial and economic activities of the institution. According to E. Aliyev, the system contains the following modules: “Accounting for inventory”, “Accounting for fixed assets”, “Cash and bank transactions”, “Salary”, “Financial Statements” and “Personnel records.” Further the event was continued with the exchange of views regarding the positive results of automated information system introduction.

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Education Minister Misir Mardanov expressed his pleasure from meeting the guest at the Ministry. He talked about the relations existing between Australia and Azerbaijan, and stressed the importance of further development of educational cooperation between the two countries. The Minister talked about the study of Azeri youth at the world’s top universities within the “State Program for the study of Azeri youth abroad for the period of 2007-2015” stressing 21 Australian universities were included in the “List of universities selected for study of Azeri youth abroad.” According to him, currently, there are Azeri students studying at some universities of Australia. He talked about the need to give more information about Australian universities to Azeri students noting steps taken in this direction will have a positive effect on the increase in the number of Azeri students wishing to study at Australian universities. Misir Mardanov expressed his belief that the expansion of relations in various fields of education between the two countries, inter-university cooperation, joint conferences and symposiums, as well as organization of mutual visits will contribute to the development of relations. Australian Ambassador Ian Biggs thanked Education Minister Misir Mardanov for the warm welcome. He stressed the importance of developing educational ties and expanding bilateral cooperation between Australia and Azerbaijan. He highly praised the study of Azeri students at Australian universities within the relevant State Program noting it will play an important role in strengthening mutual educational ties. Further, the sides exchanged views on other issues of common interest

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