Baku State University (BSU) hosted a forum dedicated to February 2 – Azerbaijani Youth Day.

During the event, BSU Rector Elchin Babayev emphasized that Youth Day is closely associated with the name of national leader Heydar Aliyev. Twenty-eight years ago, by decree of the great leader, February 2 was officially designated as Youth Day—a first among CIS and Eastern European countries. Much later, on December 17, 1999, the UN General Assembly established International Youth Day (August 12). The national leader’s decrees, orders, laws, and state programs played a crucial role in organizing the young generation, increasing their social engagement, involving them in public administration, and ensuring meaningful employment.

According to Elchin Babayev, under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan’s state youth policy has entered a new stage. Currently, around 200,000 students are enrolled in universities and scientific institutions, while more than 60,000 study in secondary specialized educational institutions. Through the State Program for Education of Young People in Prestigious Higher Education Institutions of Foreign Countries (2022-2028), hundreds of Azerbaijani students are pursuing studies in the world’s top universities. The number of young people obtaining academic degrees and titles is also steadily increasing. Meanwhile, Azerbaijani athletes continue to excel on the Olympic and world championship stages, earning prestigious awards.

The "Strategy for the Development of Youth of Azerbaijan (2015-2025)" places special emphasis on education and employment, fostering creativity and innovation, advancing digital literacy, and promoting volunteerism. The youth of independent Azerbaijan stand out for their patriotism, loyalty to the state, and commitment to national traditions. Azerbaijan’s victory in securing its sovereignty was achieved through the courage of heroic youth, led by Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev.

BSU’s rector also highlighted the impact of youth initiatives spearheaded by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, led by First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva, as well as events initiated by the Foundation’s Vice-President, Leyla Aliyeva. These projects play a significant role in identifying and supporting talented young people, increasing their social engagement, and ensuring their employment opportunities.

BSU actively supports youth development through various student organizations, including:

• The Center for Student Scientific and Technical Creativity
• The Student Scientific Society
• The Student Youth Organization
• The Student Trade Union Committee
• The "BSU Volunteers" Organization

Additionally, the opening of the Center for Student Scientific and Technical Creativity and the Center for Foreign Languages, along with the implementation of the Code for Future project, has further enhanced students' knowledge and skills, creating favorable conditions for discovering and nurturing talent. These efforts have led BSU student teams to achieve remarkable success at TEKNOFEST festivals in recent years. In 2023, BSU students also secured significant victories at the Robotex Eurasia festival, where all seven university teams that participated won awards.

The event featured speeches by:

• Gedir Khalilov, Acting Executive Director of the Youth Fund
• Vugar Aliyev, Chairman of the Union of Voluntary Organizations of Azerbaijan
• Rashad Zeynalov, Chairman of the Union of Student Youth Organizations of Azerbaijan

During the forum, the winners of the "Young Scientist of the Year" competition, dedicated to BSU Youth Day, were announced. Following this, certificates of honor were awarded to 40 students who excelled academically and actively contributed to BSU’s public life.