The Alumni Relations Office of Baku State University’s (BSU) Career and Alumni Centre organised a meeting titled “From Education to a Successful Career: The Steps Along the Way” for students.

The guest speaker was Narghiz Hajiyeva, a graduate of BSU’s Faculty of International Relations and Economics and Director of the British Council in Azerbaijan.

Opening the event, BSU Rector Elchin Babayev emphasised that the university’s alumni are among its greatest assets. He noted that through her successful professional career, Hajiyeva has brought recognition to both Azerbaijan and her alma mater. The Rector highlighted her longstanding contributions to the development of education in the country, the expansion of international educational cooperation, the promotion of intercultural dialogue and the strengthening of humanitarian ties between Azerbaijan and the United Kingdom. In recognition of these achievements, Hajiyeva received a prestigious British state honour.

Sharing her career journey with students, Hajiyeva spoke about her university years and her first professional experiences. She highlighted the important role BSU had played in shaping her career and expressed her gratitude to her alma mater. She graduated from the Faculty of International Relations and Economics in 2004. During her studies, she took part in internship programmes and volunteer activities.

Hajiyeva also noted that she had been working at the British Council for 13 years, including four years as its Director in Azerbaijan. She is the first Azerbaijani national appointed by the organisation to lead its team in the country.

She went on to introduce students to the British Council’s activities in Azerbaijan, its completed projects and the opportunities it offers, encouraging them to make the most of these programmes. She advised students to take part in various initiatives and forums, read widely, pursue continuous personal development, learn foreign languages, obtain internationally recognised certificates and approach the future with ambition.

The meeting concluded with a question-and-answer session, during which Hajiyeva addressed numerous questions from students.