Azerbaijan University of Languages

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The training of foreig Language specialists in the Republic of Azerbaijan began in 1937 with the opening of the School of Foreign Languages affiliated to the Azerbaijan Pedagogical Institute (Teacher Training Institute) in accordance with the decree of the People's Commissariat* of Education of Azerbaijan. The School had only one Department - Department of Foreign Languages. Beginning with 1939 the Department of English, Department of German, and Department of French began to function.

In the light of increasing demand for foreign language specialists, People's Commissariat of Azerbaijan adopted a resolution to set up an independent Institute of Foreign Languages in 1940. In the academic year 1941-1942 about 150 students were admitted to the Institute. However, as a result of the Great Patriotic War, which broke out in 1941, the institute could not continue its activities and again became a School of Foreign Languages in the Azerbaijan Pedagogical Institute.

During the post-war years, interest towards the learning of foreign languages increased. In December 10, 1947 the Council of Ministers of the Azerbaijan SSR adopted a resolution "On the Training of Teachers of Foreign Languages". In compliance with this resolution, in 1948 the Azerbaijan Institute of Foreign Languages was founded to train specialists of foreign languages in English, German, and French, and this institute functioned until 1959. In the first year there were three schools and eight departments at the Institute, but later the number of departments increased to twelve.

In 1959 the Institute merged with the Azerbaijan Institute of Russian Language and Literature. Later, in 1973, the Azerbaijan Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages was established as an independent institution.

Since 1984, the University has been offering programs in translation. Today we train translators and interpreters in the English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Korean languages. Later the University expanded its programs to cover Philology, International Relations and Regional Studies.

In 1996 Azerbaijan Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages was renamed as the Azerbaijan State Institute pursuant to Decree number 728 by the Council of Ministers of the Azerbaijan Republic dated December 26, 1996. And in 2000 the Institute was given the status of a University and renamed as Azerbaijan University of Languages.

At present the University has 8 schools altogether offering 21 undergraduate and 16 graduate programs.

More than 4,000 students are being trained at the bachelor's level through the following programs:
* During the Soviet period commissariats were structures performing the functions of ministries.

• Teaching English as a Foreign Language
• Teaching German as a Foreign Language
• Teaching French as a Foreign Language ( joint program between Azerbaijan University of Languages and Marc Bloch University of France )
• English Philology
• German Philology
• French Philology
• Azerbaijani Language and Literature
• European Studies ( Great Britain )
• European Studies ( Germany )
• European Studies ( France )
• American Studies
• Middle East and Israeli Studies
• Scandinavian Studies
• Azerbaijani and Caucasian Studies
• Translation and Interpreting (English)
• Translation and Interpreting (German)
• Translation and Interpreting (French)
• Translation and Interpreting (Spanish)
• Translation and Interpreting (Italian)
• Translation and Interpreting (Korean)
• International Relations

The following programs are offered at the graduate level to more than 900 students every year:

• Teaching English as a Foreign Language ( dual degree program between Azerbaijan University of Languages and Cortland College of State University of New York )
• Teaching German as a Foreign Language ( joint program between Azerbaijan University of Languages and Bochum University of Germany )
• Teaching French as a Foreign Language ( joint program between Azerbaijan University of Languages and Marc Bloch University of France )
• English Philology
• German Philology
• French Philology
• Linguistics
• European Studies ( Great Britain )
• European Studies ( Germany )
• European Studies ( France )
• Translation and Interpreting (English)
• Translation and Interpreting (German)
• Translation and Interpreting (French)
• Translation and Interpreting (Spanish)
• Translation and Interpreting (Italian)
• International Relations

Courses are offered from 32 departments by more than 700 faculty including 36 professors, 123 associate professors, 225 assistant professors and 330 instructors.

The University has post-graduate courses in Comparative and Modern Linguistics, Methods of Teaching Foreign Languages, Translation and Literature. The research activity is supported by numerous laboratories and research centers such as the Laboratory of Experimental Phonetics, the Laboratory of Lexicography, a Linguistic Center, a German Reading Room, French, Italian and Korean cultural centers, American Studies Center, Middle East and Israeli Research Center , Center for Scandinavian Studies, Center for Azerbaijani Studies, UNESCO Translation Department and Sociological Research Center.

More than 120 researchers are engaged in the research centers. A Dissertation Board conferring academic (doctoral) degrees in World Literature, Methods of Teaching Foreign Languages, English Philology, German Philology and French Philology.

The University also offers long-term and short-term Azerbaijani and foreign language courses for executives.