Private universities announced discounts

Today, no one will be able to predict what a competitive situation will be for admission to higher and secondary special educational institutions of Azerbaijan. Until the number of planned places in universities and colleges has been announced, only the first stage of the entrance examinations, which took place on April 30 and May 7, was completed. Over 63.000 applicants took part in them, of which about 50.00 are graduates of this year's schools, and 13.000 are last year's applicants.

The second stage of the tests, according to the decision of the State Examination Center, is scheduled for July. More than 68.000 young people will take part in them. These are those who have just finished school, and those who want to improve their scores on points scored in the previous stage of testing.

Meanwhile, some commercial universities have already announced a reduction in payment for studies in a number of specialties. This step is quite understandable: universities try to make sure not to repeat last year's failure, when the admission plan in many universities was fulfilled only by 50%. Of the limited number of students, the teaching load of teachers had to be reduced, along with their salaries.

So, the university "Azerbaijan" participates in the educational discount campaign. The press-service of the alma mater was informed that this year the students will be admitted to 14 specialties, of which the annual education fee for four specialties has been reduced from 3,000 manat to 2,500 manat. These are the "world economy", "accounting and audit", "business management" and "marketing". For the rest, prices remained the same.

The head of the press service of the Eurasia University Shafayat Aliyev shared information about the discounts. According to him, the payment for studies is reduced by 300-400 manats for humanitarian and technical specialties, and will be 1600-1700 manats. We are talking about the specialties "philology and the Azerbaijani language", "philology and Turkish literature", "philology and English literature", "translation". The same tariff is set for "regional studies", "mathematics" and "general economy". Last year, the admission plan in the university was fulfilled by 55%, this year there is a hope to exceed this milestone.

Western University is also a member of the discount campaign. The head of the university's press service Vusal Mammadov notes that the cost of training in all specialties is reduced by 50%, and will amount to 1500-2000 manats. University infrastructure is being modernized, new programs and specialties are being introduced, new educational buildings are being built.

In the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy, the tuition fees did not change. The cost of studying in the bachelor's degree is 6000-6500 manat, in the magistracy - 6500 - 28.000 manats. Apparently, they hope on the rich parents who want their children to study in a university belonging to a well-known family with a well-known family name.

Commenting on these facts, education expert Etibar Aliyev noted that last year's dramatic failure of students to private universities, when 50-60% of planned places in these universities remained vacant, and only 11% of places were filled at Odlar Yurdu University, served as a good shake-up for them. Several universities were then closed. In order not to repeat this bitter experience, they reduced the payment for studies, since under the economic crisis not all families are able to finance the higher education of children on a paid basis. Some students refuse to study at all, others leave for Turkey, where they can continue studying for a similar fee.

"Higher education in Azerbaijan becomes inaccessible for the poor and students with an average income. The price policy in this sphere is not weighed and ill-conceived, it has been dictated by the interests of officials and deputies who are the real owners of these universities. For them, the main thing is to pay back the finances invested in this "project" and earn as much money as possible. Therefore, the rectors of these universities do not worry about the quality of education, innovations, they care about the recruitment plan and the collection of money. As a result, graduates of these universities are not required by the labor market, they work as a waiter or forwarder, "Aliyev said. -0-