Not all chairs have been departmentalized yet, and this process is continuing in stages. It should be noted that the work began 3-4 years ago, and the completion date is not yet known".
The traditional chair system at UNEC is being abolished. This was announced by the university's rector, Professor Adalat Muradov. The rector emphasized that the process of establishing a new management system at UNEC, by separating academic and administrative management, is ongoing. The main goal is to provide administrative support for academic decisions and to align administrative decisions with academic objectives.
To this end, the Soviet chair system at UNEC has been abolished, and the process of departmentalization of chairs is ongoing.
AzEdu.az sent an inquiry to the university regarding the topic.
According to information obtained from Azerbaijan State University of Economics (UNEC), the main goal of the structural reforms implemented at UNEC is to increase the efficiency of academic activities and to apply modern standards in management:
"The abolition of chairs and the transition to a departmentalization model primarily stem from the necessity to optimize management and increase the efficiency of teaching. In the new structure, academic leadership is solely responsible for the content and quality of teaching, while administrative staff undertakes all documentation and technical work, which facilitates more agile and goal-oriented decision-making.
This approach, while centralizing the decision-making process, directly focuses attention on the quality of teaching and opens up broad opportunities for teaching subjects with a wider, interdisciplinary methodology.
The departmentalization process allows instructors to focus more deeply on teaching and research, which are their primary areas of activity. At the same time, instructors' workloads and employment contracts are being aligned with modern international standards.
Currently, two academic departments operate at UNEC: the Department for Organization of General Subjects and the Department of Foreign Languages. Work continues towards the departmentalization of other chairs.
Not all chairs have been departmentalized yet, and this process is continuing in stages. It should be noted that the work began 3-4 years ago, and the completion date is not yet known".
Jeyhun Mammadov, a member of the Science and Education Committee of the Milli Majlis and a deputy, noted that, in general, the existing chair system today is a model inherited from the Soviet era:
"That system was formed during that period, and it is currently being re-evaluated in various countries around the world. A department-based operational model is now on the agenda, and some Azerbaijani universities have also started to implement this approach.
I believe that this step can make a significant contribution to the overall development process. In general, it is important to introduce new management models into the education system, and we must take steps in this direction. I believe that UNEC has thoroughly investigated this issue, and this step will have a positive impact on the management of education and the further improvement of teaching and learning processes. I am confident that we will see the results of these changes in the near future and that the process will advance further.
In this regard, I wish success to the innovations being implemented. The main goal before us is to improve governance and enhance the quality of education. The objective of all steps taken is precisely this, and we must continue to advance in this direction".
Zahid Mammadov, Doctor of Economic Sciences and Professor from Azerbaijan, Russia, and Turkey, stated that, in general, 'kafedra' means 'chair':
"In fact, chairs are mostly defined by a single specialization. Even at UNEC itself, there used to be several chairs for a single specialization. There should be a one-specialization, one-chair model, because students should operate within a single system. Chairs are small, but a department is broader. Considering that interdisciplinary research is conducted worldwide, attracting grants through departments allows for increased productivity.
If we make such a comparison, chairs are smaller, have a narrower scope, and are specialized. However, departments have the opportunity to utilize broader resources more efficiently. In Turkey, narrow specializations exist within departments. From this perspective, transitioning to a departmentalization process is, of course, one of the main challenges of the modern era. Here, decision-making is also accelerated, and responsibilities are clarified.
I recall that previously there were 5 chairs for a single specialization. Two questions arise here: Do we want to increase the number or workload of instructors, or meet the needs of students? Do students and the labor market need it?
These changes respond to the need for alignment with the global university model. In the chair system, the same subject was sometimes taught by several chairs. Considering a cabinet, laboratory, etc., for each chair, imagine how much budget is required. I evaluate the implementation of this process as a correct step".
