Presidents of Azerbaijan and Italy Inaugurate Italy-Azerbaijan University Campus in Baku
Baku, The Gulf Observer: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, and President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella, who is on an official visit to Azerbaijan, attended the inauguration ceremony of the first campus of the Italy-Azerbaijan University in Baku on October 1.
The ceremony began with a briefing by Rector of ADA University Hafiz Pashayev, who presented the new campus and surrounding park to the dignitaries. The leaders also toured an exhibition of agricultural products from Azerbaijan and Italy.
The Italy-Azerbaijan University was established following President Ilham Aliyev’s initiative during his 2020 visit to Italy. In 2022, ADA University signed cooperation agreements with five prestigious Italian institutions — Luiss Guido Carli University, Sapienza University of Rome, Polytechnic University of Turin, Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna, and Polytechnic University of Milan. The partnership brings Italian expertise in key fields such as engineering, agriculture, architecture, design, and creative industries to Azerbaijan, aimed at training future specialists for the country’s economic development.
Currently, the university enrolls 640 students across eight bachelor’s and two master’s programs, including dual-degree specializations. The campus includes modern classrooms, research and teaching laboratories, design workshops, and a dedicated Design and Creativity Center to foster cooperation between academia, industry, and the state.
Speaking at the inauguration, President Aliyev emphasized the importance of the university as a milestone in Azerbaijani-Italian strategic partnership and highlighted education, technology, and human capital as the foundation of long-term national development. He noted that the institution would serve as a hub of friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
President Mattarella praised the project as a symbol of growing ties between Italy and Azerbaijan, calling the university an “exemplary initiative” that reflects shared values in education, culture, and scientific research. He underlined that the initiative would provide students and researchers with opportunities to deepen knowledge, broaden collaboration, and strengthen the bonds of friendship between the two nations.
The inauguration marked a new chapter in humanitarian cooperation between Azerbaijan and Italy, complementing their longstanding strategic partnership in energy, industry, and trade.
