A scientific seminar entitled “Urbanization in the 21st Century: Trends, Problems, and Opportunities” was held at the Faculty of Geography of Baku State University (BSU) as part of the “Year of Urban Development and Architecture.” The seminar was delivered by Beyimkhanim Huseynova, a research fellow at the Institute of Geography of the Ministry of Science and Education and Doctor of Geographical Sciences.

Salekh Nagiyev, Head of the Department of Geography and Methods of Teaching Geography at BSU, highlighted the multifaceted nature of urbanization processes in the 21st century, noting that research in this field remains a pressing scientific priority both nationally and globally.

In her presentation, Beyimkhanim Huseynova outlined the key characteristics of urbanization across different regions of the world and provided detailed insights into the emergence of cities, their stages of development, and the principles of territorial organization. She emphasized that rapid urbanization has become a defining global trend over the past century, accompanied by the growth of large urban agglomerations—particularly in developing countries—and that this process continues today.

The speaker underlined the importance of accurately classifying urban systems by scale and functional characteristics in order to effectively address the socioeconomic challenges faced by large cities. She also discussed prospects for creating sustainable and livable urban environments in the context of accelerating urban growth, drawing comparisons between regional urbanization patterns.

The seminar concluded with an interactive discussion, during which students and faculty members exchanged views and addressed questions on the topic.