The “Foreign Languages” Department began its activity in 1950, from the very first day of the establishment of the Azerbaijan Polytechnic Institute (currently Azerbaijan Technical University). At that time, three languages, English, German, and French, were taught at the Department.
In the early years, the Department employed 8 English, 2 German, and 1 French language instructors. In 2010, the teaching of the Russian language was added to the Department.
The first Head of the “Foreign Languages” Department was Zal Javad Mammadli, who had served in the army of the independent Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in 1918, studied in Germany between 1919 and 1928, and knew seven foreign languages. He served in this position until 1965.
Between 1965 and 1975, the Department was headed by German language specialist Heybat Salman Pashayev. During the tenure of Z.J. Mammadli and H.S. Pashayev, the Department’s human resources potential increased, and the level of teaching-methodological and scientific-research activities, as well as the overall quality of work, began to improve.
From 1975 to 2011, the Department was headed by French language specialist, Doctor of Philology, Professor, Honoured Scientist Rauf Abdulali Ismayilov. Prof. R.A. Ismayilov is the author of 4 textbooks, 4 scientific manuals, and numerous scientific articles published in the Republic. Professor R.A. Ismayilov completed advanced training courses at Sorbonne University in Paris, France, and delivered extensive presentations in French.
Between 2011 and 2019, the Department was headed by English language specialist, PhD in Philology, Associate Professor Yusif Ashraf Suleymanov.
Since 2019, the Department has been headed by doctor of philology, professor Sabina Almammadova. Professor S.M. Almammadova is the author of 9 monographs, 3 teaching manuals, 2 dictionaries, 1 monograph, 25 translated books, and 105 scientific articles. Prof. S.M. Almammadova completed advanced training courses in 2024 in Oxford and London (United Kingdom), in 2025 in Barcelona (Spain), and in 2026 at the Language Institute in Vienna.
Currently, the “Foreign Languages” Department is one of the largest departments at AzTU. The Department includes 1 professor, 3 associate professors, 5 PhDs in Philology, and 38 senior lecturers.
