BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 28. The IE University
Leadership and Innovation Center in Baku is not just an educational
initiative, but a strategic investment in Azerbaijan’s future,
First Deputy Minister of Economy Elnur Aliyev said, Trend reports.
Speaking at the signing ceremony of a Memorandum of
Understanding on the establishment of the IE Leadership and
Innovation Center in Baku, Aliyev said the initiative would create
a new platform for ideas, leadership and innovation in
Azerbaijan.
“Today we are not just signing a document. We are opening a new
platform for ideas, leadership and innovation in Azerbaijan. The
establishment of the IE Leadership and Innovation Center in Baku is
an important step. It connects Azerbaijan with one of Europe’s
leading academic and intellectual institutions - IE University -
and gives new momentum to our cooperation with Spain,” he said.
According to Aliyev, the project goes beyond education and
focuses on developing talent and preparing a new generation of
leaders capable of thinking globally, acting creatively and
building the economy of the future.
He noted that Azerbaijan is a stable, dynamically developing and
ambitious country investing in infrastructure, connectivity,
industrial zones, digital transformation and international
partnerships.
“Our geographic location gives us strategic advantages, and our
economic policy provides direction. But the main driver of
long-term success remains human capital,” Aliyev said, adding that
infrastructure and technology become engines of growth only when
supported by skilled people.
He stressed that this is why the center should be viewed as a
strategic investment rather than solely an educational project.
Aliyev also highlighted the initiative as an example of
effective cooperation between the state, business and international
partners, particularly noting the role of PASHA Holding and
SOCAR.
“Their participation shows that our private sector clearly
understands one thing: investment in people is the most important
investment,” he said.
According to the deputy minister, the initiative also adds a new
dimension to Azerbaijan-Spain relations, which already cover trade,
investment, energy, transport, agriculture, technology and
innovation.
He noted that the Strategic Economic Dialogue and the adopted
Roadmap provide a practical basis for deepening cooperation.
“In this context, the future establishment of an
Azerbaijan-Spain University, agreed at the level of President Ilham
Aliyev and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, will become an important
milestone in our bilateral agenda,” Aliyev said.
He added that the project would institutionalize cooperation in
education, science, innovation and human capital development, while
creating a strong bridge between the two societies.
“I am convinced that education and human capital can become one
of the most promising bridges between Azerbaijan and Spain, and
today’s event is a concrete step in this direction,” he said.
