As part of a series of events dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Ministry of Defense Industry of the Republic of Azerbaijan (MDI), a meeting was held on September 26 with the leadership of the Azerbaijan Technical University (AzTU) and the faculty and students of the Faculty of Special Equipment and Technology to mark the start of the new academic year.
The event, organized in the university’s assembly hall, was attended by Deputy Minister of Defense Industry Hidayat Azimov, Rector of AzTU Vilayat Valiyev, senior officials of the Ministry, as well as AzTU faculty members and students.
The gathering began with a minute of silence in memory of National Leader Heydar Aliyev and the heroic sons of the Motherland who sacrificed their lives for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, followed by the national anthem.
In his speech, Rector Valiyev congratulated the Ministry’s staff on the occasion of its 20th anniversary and emphasized that cooperation between the Ministry and AzTU will be further strengthened in the new academic year. He underlined the decisive role of modern defense technologies in securing victory during the Patriotic War and noted that the preparation of highly qualified engineers in this field is among the strategic priorities of the state. He highlighted the significant responsibility of AzTU’s Faculty of Special Equipment and Technology in this regard and pointed to the establishment of SABAH groups at AzTU, initiated by the Ministry, as an important step toward advancing specialized engineering education.
The meeting continued with the screening of a film dedicated to the activities of the Ministry of Defense Industry.
Deputy Minister Azimov extended congratulations to AzTU’s faculty and students on the start of the new academic year and wished them success. He stressed that reforms are being implemented to modernize Azerbaijan’s defense industry, liberalize the sector, and strengthen human resource potential. Preparing highly qualified specialists remains one of the Ministry’s main objectives.
Azimov also spoke about the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of Defense Industry and the Ministry of Science and Education, which focuses on workforce training for the defense industry. He noted that the Ministry ensures favorable conditions for improving academic curricula, enabling students to gain practical experience at MDI enterprises, and promoting broader scientific and technical collaboration.
The program concluded with an extended meeting at AzTU’s Sustainable Development Center.
