March 27 is Science Day in Azerbaijan. This significant day is celebrated as a holiday of the scientific community of Azerbaijan as a whole. The establishment of Science Day in Azerbaijan by the Decree of President Ilham Aliyev dated April 9, 2018 is one of the clear examples of state-level attention to the relevant field.
Science Day in our country also coincides with the day of the establishment of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences. After the establishment of the Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences in 1945, a perfect organizational structure of science was formed in the republic, and the implementation of scientific research became systematic.
National Leader Heydar Aliyev paid great attention and care to the development of science in both periods when he led our country. The stage of rapid development of the Academy is connected with the name of the Great Leader. Thanks to his attention and concern, the Academy of Sciences played an exceptional role in the effective organization of the intellectual potential of the people, in determining the strategic directions of science arising from the requirements of the time, and in the development of fundamental and applied sciences. The difficult and honorable path of the Academy is not only a great historical stage of the development of our science, but also an important indicator of the scientific-social movement, cultural-technical processes, which demonstrate that science, the word of a scientist, and the position of an intellectual have wide possibilities in the progress of our country.
The development of science in Azerbaijan is one of the main priorities of the state policy. Relevant decrees and orders were signed by President Ilham Aliyev in order to carry out reforms in this field, eliminate existing problems and implement strategic tasks facing science, as well as to ensure the continuous development of science in the country. The work done in connection with the implementation of the "National Strategy for the Development of Science in the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2009-2015", the "State Program on the Implementation of the National Strategy for the Development of Science in the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2009-2015" has given a great impetus to the development of our science as a whole. According to the Decree of the head of our state dated August 9, 2016, the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan "On Science" came into force for the first time. This Law defines the main principles of state policy in the field of organization, management and development of scientific activity in the republic, the goals of science and scientific-innovation activity, the rights and duties of the subjects of scientific activity, the mechanisms of financing science, the organizational-legal basis of stimulating scientific achievements.
According to the Decree of President Ilham Aliyev "On some measures related to the improvement of management in the field of science and education in the Republic of Azerbaijan" dated July 28, 2022, the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan was renamed the Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The powers related to the implementation of state policy and regulation in the field of science, coordination and direction of the scientific activities of scientific institutions and organizations were entrusted to the ministry. State Agency for Science and Higher Education, State Agency for Preschool and General Education were established under the Ministry. ANAS and the Ministry of Science and Education started working together in the implementation of science policy in our country. Some of the scientific institutions and institutions of ANAS were placed under the Ministry of Science and Education. The new Charter of ANAS was approved by the President's Decree dated November 3, 2023.
It should be noted that in 2022, another bright page was written in the history of education - the bell rang for the first time in 29 years in the secondary school of Agali village of Zangilan district, which was freed from the occupation of Armenia. Also, in 2023, 7 general educational institutions started operating in the liberated territories.
According to the "Strategy of socio-economic development in 2022-2026", carrying out reforms in the field of education is defined as one of the main goals. It is planned to continue reforms in general education, expand the scope of vocational education, increase the accessibility and comprehensiveness of higher education, and implement measures in many other directions.
In the direction of the integration of Azerbaijani science into world science, important measures are being taken by both our state and scientists working in various research and higher education institutions of the republic. Opportunities are created for scientists, especially young people, to take advanced courses and conduct research in scientific institutions of the world's leading countries, and their participation in international scientific projects is ensured. At the same time, important steps are being taken to modernize the scientific and technical infrastructure in our country, and to strengthen the material and technical base of research institutions in accordance with their status and tasks. Also, ensuring the integration of science and education, improving the system of training highly qualified scientific personnel is one of the main tasks facing Azerbaijani science. Thus, the training of scientific personnel is raised to a new level in quality through doctoral studies, dissertation studies and master's degrees.
Today, in the Republic of Azerbaijan, the main principles of the state's policy and strategy in the field of science are implemented in a defined manner, at the same time, in accordance with modern requirements.
Ensuring the continuous and systematic development of science, adapting the institutional system of scientific activity and funding mechanisms to world standards, ensuring the effective use of scientific potential in the development of society in all directions, modernizing the material and technical base and infrastructure of science, etc. are the main goals of state policy in the field of science.
