BP has presented eleven world class laboratories to the Baku-based Qafqaz University as part of the company`s commitment to supporting the development of the country`s national experts and workforce potential through training, partnerships and sponsorship of educational initiatives.
Rector of the Qafqaz University, Professor Ahmet Sanich stressed the importance of the cooperation between the University and BP and spoke of the projects carried out within the bilateral cooperation.
The laboratories designed for the university’s mechanical engineering department established by BP in 2011. The new facilities specialize in such areas as aerodynamics and fluid mechanics; thermal sciences and heat transfer; internal combustion engines and automotive; materials-metallographic; upgrade of materials; mechanical vibrations and noise control; mechanisms and machine dynamics; automatic control; design and rapid prototyping; machine tools; non-destructive testing.
BP’s Regional President for Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey Gordon Birrell said: “BP is pleased to be part of today’s event which marks the success of our five-year long partnership with one of the leading universities in Azerbaijan. BP as operator of Azerbaijan’s major oil and gas projects has always seen a role for itself to play in developing Azerbaijan’s oil and gas specialised human resources to international standards. We have been working closely with SOCAR and the Ministry of Education to support their efforts to develop world class local experts and workforce who will be involved in our future giant projects and operations in the Caspian.”
“Our partnership with Qafqaz University is a very good example to demonstrate that such initiatives can bring a change. This partnership has allowed us to be involved in establishing new departments and providing access to world class laboratories and educational equipment. I am aware that the chemical engineering department which we established here in 2009 has attracted very talented young people from all over Azerbaijan. The five world-class laboratories, which we presented to that department in 2011, have served a very useful tool for them to acquire international standard knowledge within Azerbaijan without having to go to a western university,” he added.
To date BP has invested over $2.5 million in the projects that have helped Qafqaz University establish two new departments and 16 laboratories including $1.3 million spent for the laboratories presented today.
BP’s partnership with Qafqaz University is aimed at supporting the university in the efforts to broaden its curriculum to cover undergraduate education in chemical, mechanical, petroleum and other engineering disciplines. This is a major educational development project that supports BP’s commitment to developing national oil and gas industry experts and workforce through training, partnerships and sponsorship of educational initiatives.
The chemical engineering department currently has 104 students who have access to excellent laboratories specializing in general chemistry, analytical chemistry, organic chemistry, chemical engineering and physical chemistry.
Addressing the event, Deputy Education Minister Jeyhun Bayramov spoke of the conditions created at the Qafqaz University for development of the education, as well as university’s achievements.

AzerTAc