A delegation headed by Vice President of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) Ziba Mustafayeva visited the Republic of Uzbekistan, Azernews reports.

The delegation also included Head of the Department of Human Capital Development and Functional Improvement of the SOCAR Head Office Elnur Huseynov, Rector of Baku Higher Oil School (BHOS) Elmar Gasimov, and Dean of the Lifelong Learning Department of BHOS Rovshan Budagov.

During the visit, the delegation met with the Rector of the Tashkent Institute of Chemical Technology, Prof. Botir Usmanov, and the Institute’s faculty. At the meeting, a cooperation agreement was signed between BHOS and the Tashkent Institute of Chemical Technology on the implementation of a dual diploma master's program in Chemical Engineering. There was also an exchange of views on the possibility of conducting joint training between the two higher education institutions.

This cooperation will be implemented within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding on joint training of personnel, signed on July 18, 2023, between SOCAR and the Joint-Stock Company “Uzbekneftegaz” of Uzbekistan, marking a first in Azerbaijan’s higher education system.

The dual diploma program will involve students from the Tashkent Chemical-Technological Institute, with teaching carried out by Baku Higher Oil School, utilizing academic and technical support.

At a meeting with Kahraman Khakimov, Deputy Chairman for Regime and Personnel Issues of Uzbekneftegaz JSC, the results of the Memorandum of Understanding signed on July 18, 2023, were discussed, including future cooperation areas between the two universities in human capital development and personnel training.

As part of the visit, the SOCAR delegation met with Sadokat Siddikova, Rector of Bukhara Engineering Technological Institute, to discuss the possibility of implementing a dual diploma program in Petroleum Engineering between BHOS and Bukhara Engineering Technological Institute.

The delegation also visited the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Republic of Uzbekistan, including the Heydar Aliyev Center.