At the Azerbaijan State University of Economics (UNEC), the
final assessment of students’ English language proficiency has, for
the first time, been conducted on the basis of the internationally
recognized APTIS assessment system administered by the British
Council. As the first model of its kind to be implemented within
Azerbaijan’s higher education sector, this initiative enables the
evaluation of students’ foreign language competencies in accordance
with international standards while ensuring international
recognition of the assessment outcomes.
On the first day of the examination, UNEC Rector Professor
Adalat Muradov, British Council Azerbaijan Country Director Nargiz
Hajiyeva, and representatives of the media observed the examination
process and met with students to obtain their feedback and
impressions.
In his remarks to the media, Rector Adalat Muradov stated that
foreign language instruction at UNEC is delivered over a two-year
period and encompasses the four core language competencies:
listening, reading, writing, and speaking. “As of this year, the
final assessment of second-year students’ foreign language
proficiency is being administered by the British Council in the
APTIS format. Students who achieve a minimum B1 level will be
deemed to have successfully completed the assessment and will be
awarded an internationally recognized APTIS certificate,” the
Rector noted. Professor Muradov further emphasized that this
approach will contribute significantly to enhancing the English
language proficiency of students enrolled in Azerbaijani-,
Russian-, and Turkish-medium programmes.
The Rector also underscored that strengthening
Azerbaijani-medium education remains one of UNEC’s principal
strategic objectives.“Our goal is to establish a university model
that delivers high-quality education in the Azerbaijani language.
Increasing both the quality and attractiveness of
Azerbaijani-medium instruction has been identified as one of our
key priorities for the coming years,” he stated.
Addressing the foreign language competencies of the University’s
academic staff, Professor Muradov highlighted the strong
institutional capacity that has been developed in this area. “I can
confidently state that UNEC is home to one of the strongest
English-language departments in the country. The University employs
117 foreign language instructors, 95 percent of whom possess
internationally recognized language certificates,” he said.
The Rector also announced that, beginning with the next academic
year, students will be taught English by the same instructor
throughout the entire two-year period of study. According to him,
this approach will facilitate continuous monitoring of students’
language acquisition progress while also enabling a more
comprehensive evaluation of teaching effectiveness.
Emphasizing the critical role of foreign language proficiency in
enhancing the competitiveness of UNEC graduates, Professor Muradov
noted that one of the University’s strategic priorities is to
encourage students to participate in international exchange
programmes and pursue graduate studies at leading foreign
universities, while simultaneously attracting distinguished
international scholars to the University. “We consider
above-average foreign language proficiency to be one of the
defining advantages of a UNEC graduate,” he remarked.
British Council Azerbaijan Country Director Nargiz Hajiyeva
described the administration of the APTIS examination at UNEC as a
successful continuation of the partnership between the two
institutions and as a reflection of the University’s commitment to
strengthening students’ English language competencies. She noted
that more than 3,500 students are participating in the examination.
The results will be announced within 72 hours, and participants
will be able to access their results online.
