Heydar Aliyev's Legacy: Science and Education
10.03.2023 /Talking and writing about Heydar Aliyev's legacy is as responsible a job as telling about an entire historical era. Numerous books and articles written about the phenomenon of Heydar Aliyev have so far failed to fully analyze the characteristic features of this bright and talented personality. In order for Heydar Aliyev's legacy to be fully explored, it is necessary to conduct further extensive research and promote the results of this research.
Heydar Aliyev was a person of such high qualities as an innate managerial talent, profound intellect, political far-sightedness and wisdom, phenomenal memory, iron logic, determination, courage and humanism.
Hard work and unwavering will of Heydar Aliyev protected Azerbaijan from encroachments of the totalitarian communist regime, saved the country from a civil war, made its statehood and independence irreversible, defined successful foreign policy course of the country, determined new oil strategy of Azerbaijan. The military and political crisis, anarchy and powerlessness in Azerbaijan in the early 90s led to the destruction of Azerbaijan's new-found independence and statehood. Heydar Aliyev's return to power saved not only the country, the state and the land, but the Azerbaijani people as a whole from the threat of destruction. Heydar Aliyev has determined the path of further development of the Azerbaijani state. These are: ways of integration into the West, democratic development and legal state, Azerbaijanism and civil solidarity.
Conducting an open policy, Heydar Aliyev succeeded in implementing a strategic plan to establish mutually beneficial cooperative relations with the world's leading states, international organizations and financial institutions.
It is not by chance that today in our republic and even in the whole world, when they say Heydar Aliyev, they think of Azerbaijan, when they say Azerbaijan, they think of Heydar Aliyev. Because these two entities, which live and exalt each other, have really become a single concept.
Heydar Aliyev was a great builder. In whatever field he started to work, he was introducing innovations, doing something fundamental. The great leader, distinguished by his extraordinary energy, organizational skills and foresight, became a legend during his lifetime due to his ability to successfully find a way out of the most complicated and difficult situations, to turn even the impossible into reality.
Since the end of 60s of the last century, when Heydar Aliyev began to lead Azerbaijan, he carried out wide-ranging works in different directions in the reconstruction of the Azerbaijani society, bringing Azerbaijan in social and economic indices into one of the leading republics of the former Soviet Union. One of these areas, perhaps the most important, was the development of science and education in Azerbaijan.
Being a person of great intellect, Heydar Aliyev always used in his activity and political practice the latest achievements of scientific thought. He was always very reverent about solving issues related to the development of science and technology, culture and enlightenment, literature and art, he saw the development of society, the people in the development of science and education.
Intensive development of science in our country, successes of the Academy of Sciences coincide with the years when Heydar Aliyev was the head of Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani science has found its greatest patron and guardian in the person of this wise and far-sighted leader. Due to purposeful measures taken by the head of the country, who always pays special attention to this sphere, fundamental researches have been considerably expanded. Based on the results obtained in the field of physics of semiconductors and power engineering the Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan was approved as the head institution for research of selenium, tellurium and their complex compounds in the former Soviet Union and the leading organization in the field of "Physics and technology of selenium-based devices". A special production site for development of new highly efficient selenium rectifiers was established in our republic in the former Soviet Union.
During this period the construction of the academic campus was fully completed, the number of researchers working at the Academy of Sciences, universities and other institutions significantly increased, new institutes, laboratories and design bureaus were opened.
In 1972 Nakhchivan Science Center of Academy of Sciences and Sheki Regional Scientific Center were created, in 1975 - "Caspian" Science Center, in 1978 - Scientific Production Association for Space Research, in 1981 - Ganja Science Center.
Increase of reputation of the scientists in the society and evaluation of their work was always in the focus of attention of the leadership of Heydar Aliyev.
In 1975, Heydar Aliyev presented the highest award to the Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan - the Order of Friendship of Peoples - for achievements in the development of science, economy and culture, and training of highly qualified personnel. Dozens of Azerbaijani scientists and educators were awarded high orders and medals of the USSR and state awards.
Thanks to Heydar Aliyev's initiative and care, hundreds of students were every year sent to different universities of the Soviet Union, and young scientists were sent to the most prestigious scientific centers of the country. As a result of this far-sighted policy highly qualified personnel and specialists were formed, centers with world-class results in the field of oil engineering, physics, mathematics, informatics and cybernetics appeared in the republic. Most of these very specialists nowadays work at the forefront of the process of formation of independent Azerbaijan. The program of national development implemented by the wise leader thinking about the future of Azerbaijan since the 70-80s of the last century is today bearing its fruits.
The 70s and 80s were a period of revival in the national and spiritual life of our people, deeply rooted in the public consciousness of the values of Azerbaijanism and statehood. Despite the harsh laws of Soviet power, the far-sighted humanitarian policy pursued by our national leader ensured a return to national historical memory and moral values, and in these years the ideological foundations of independence began to take shape. Azerbaijani scientists stood at the center of this socio-cultural process and became its leading force.
It is very regrettable that during the short period when Heydar Aliyev was not in power, the reputation of scientific activity and work of scientists was seriously undermined and the Academy of Sciences, the cradle of fundamental sciences, was in danger of disappearing.
However, after Heydar Aliyev came to power for the second time, Azerbaijan entered a new phase of development. The attention and care to all spheres including science and education increased again. It was not accidental. The genius knew well that the only way for Azerbaijan to progress is for the people to receive higher education, enlightenment, to acquire modern scientific knowledge. It is no coincidence that when he returned to Baku in 1993, he held one of his first meetings with scientists at the Academy of Sciences. He based his decisions related to politics, economics and other fields on science and made them after an extensive exchange of ideas with specialists in the relevant fields.
On January 31, 1997, receiving the leadership of ANAS and a group of leading scientists he emphasized the importance of reforms in science, defined the main provisions of the development strategy of Azerbaijan and the problems of Azerbaijani science arising from this strategy.
This meeting was important in the history of Azerbaijani science and the Academy, it restored the lost authority of scientists, strengthened their role and position in society, and laid the foundation for serious transformations and reforms in the Academy.
He then significantly increased the salaries of leading scientists throughout the country, as well as the salaries of full and corresponding members of the Academy. Concrete steps were taken to strengthen the material and technical base of scientific institutions.
Important steps such as renaming the Academy of Sciences into the National Academy of Sciences in 2001, expanding the membership of ANAS and holding elections, establishing the Nakhchivan branch in 2002, granting ANAS high status in 2003 and approving its new statute, etc. gave a great impetus to the development of science and education in our country.
Heydar Aliyev implemented purposeful programs to ensure harmonious development and organic unity of science and education. Taking into consideration that the main foundation of education is laid in the secondary school, many school buildings were built, new textbooks prepared and published and distributed to pupils free of charge as a result of direct care provided by Heydar Aliyev in Azerbaijan in 70-80s of the last century. Various programs and projects for the development of education were developed and successfully implemented. New higher educational institutions were established in the country, material and technical basis of educational institutions was improved. Heydar Aliyev played a crucial role in the education reforms not only in Azerbaijan, but also as the First Deputy Chairman of the USSR Council of Ministers.
The great leader who said "Education is the future of the nation" also paid a special attention to development of this sphere in our country in 1993-2003. Not only in the capital but also on the outskirts of the country hundreds of schools, cultural centers, libraries and kindergartens were built. Educators and intellectuals enjoyed special care of the state. In those years Azerbaijan education system was improved, new by content and wide opportunities were created for its integration to the world education system.
Great successes were gained under the leadership of Heydar Aliyev in the creation of wide network of education institutions and forming of rich material and technical basis of this network, sending the youth to prestigious universities of the world, training of military cadres, integration of science and education and other directions.
Effective mechanisms were created for the use of oil revenues to build the future development of the country on a scientific basis, to strengthen the cultural and intellectual resources of the Republic, and educate worthy citizens for Azerbaijan. It was during these years that the construction of schools and new buildings for higher and specialized secondary institutions was launched in the republic, the educational infrastructure was completely renewed, and higher and specialized secondary schools were opened to train qualified personnel. In 1998 the State Commission on Education Reform was established, and in 1999 the "Education Reform Program of the Republic of Azerbaijan" was approved.
Following Heydar Aliyev's precept "A person receives the basics of education in secondary school. Therefore, secondary school should occupy an important place in the system of education", the relevant government agencies made significant progress in the comprehensive development of secondary schools.
Establishment of Presidential Scholarship for applicants with high scores in admission examinations has become not only a material but also moral incentive for young talents.
It is impossible to list all merits of Heydar Aliyev in field of science and education in one article. One of Heydar Aliyev's greatest merits to the Azerbaijani people, or perhaps the greatest merit, was his nomination of Ilham Aliyev as his political successor.
We can proudly say that today the way and policy of Heydar Aliyev in all spheres are being successfully continued by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev, and his dreams and ideas are being firmly made reality.
The reforms, target projects and state programs implemented in recent years in our country in the field of education have greatly contributed to the development of this sphere. Important steps have been taken to integrate our education into the world education system. In 2005 Azerbaijan joined to the global educational space - Bologna process.
"The State Program for Educating Azerbaijani Youth Abroad in 2007-2015 and "State Program for Educating Youth in the prestigious Universities of Foreign Countries in 2022-2026" has created an opportunity for thousands of young people to study in prestigious Universities around the world. They study modern and necessary specialties for our republic. A certain number of young people sent for training abroad have already successfully completed their studies and returned to our country and work in various fields.
Within the projects implemented in the education sphere at the support of Heydar Aliyev Foundation in recent years thousands of school buildings meeting modern standards were built and put into operation in our country. These schools have been supplied with new equipment. Significant work has been done in the sphere of education in terms of introduction of information and communication technologies.
Presidential Decree "On some measures to improve management in the field of science and education in the Republic of Azerbaijan" dated July 28, 2022 has created a new basis for strengthening of cooperation between science and education and improvement of management in these fields.
Undoubtedly, the most striking result of Heydar Aliyev and Ilham Aliyev's policy is the liberation of our lands from occupation.
The Azerbaijani people honor and will always honor the memory of Heydar Aliyev with great respect and gratitude!
Aminaga SADIGOV, Executive Director of the Institute of Control Systems, Corresponding Member of ANAS