Fostering national talents through access to international education
Baku, August 22, AZERTAC
bp today announced the successful completion of the third phase of its educational social investment project, aimed at supporting the development of highly qualified national talents in Azerbaijan.
This initiative is part of bp’s long-standing commitment to contributing to the country’s sustainable future by fostering world-class local expertise.
Building on the success of the previous phases, the third phase of the project supported 30 talented young Azerbaijanis, all of whom gained admission to prestigious international universities across Europe, Asia, and the US. Among these, 10 students have been admitted to bachelor’s programmes, while 20 are pursuing master’s degrees.
The participants have secured places at some of the world’s top-ranked institutions including Bilkent University, Imperial College London, the University of Cambridge, University College London (UCL), the National University of Singapore, Columbia University, the University of California, Berkeley (UCB), Johns Hopkins University, the University of Manchester, the University of Bologna, the University of Hong Kong and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). These results reflect the high academic potential of the participants, and the effectiveness of the support provided throughout the project.
The project specifically targeted students from low-income families, offering comprehensive assistance including SAT and IELTS preparation, entrance exam training, and guidance on applying to universities that offer full scholarships to international students. As a result, sponsorships from various sources have already been confirmed for 24 of the 30 students, with scholarship applications for the remaining six currently under review.
An event was held today to celebrate the achievements of the participants, during which they received graduation certificates and shared their aspirations for the future.
Bakhtiyar Aslanbayli, bp’s vice president for the Caspian region, said:
"We are proud to see the continued success of this initiative, which is helping shape the future of Azerbaijan by empowering its brightest young minds. The growing number of students admitted to some of the world’s most prestigious universities is a testament to their talent and determination, and to the value of investing in education. We remain committed to supporting the development of national capabilities and contributing to a sustainable and prosperous future for Azerbaijan."
The duration of the third phase of the project was 11 months (August 2024 – July 2025) with a total cost of 150,000 AZN ($88,235). The project was implemented by the local organization ROOF Academic Training.
bp has been present in Azerbaijan for 33 years safely, efficiently and reliably operating major oil and gas exploration, development and transportation projects. To date, together with its co-venturers, bp has invested around $87 billion into projects it operates in the country. In Azerbaijan, we are committed to supporting sustainability efforts focusing on the areas where we believe we can make the most difference.
bp’s extensive social investment activities and capacity-building efforts in the country have had a positive impact and brought tangible benefits to people, improving their lives and making a difference.
The company’s social investments target such areas as building local capabilities, education, development of communities, local enterprises, the environment, sporting potential as well as research into and promotion of the country’s rich cultural heritage. Overall, since the start, bp itself and together with its co-venturers in the joint ventures that bp operates in Azerbaijan, has spent more than $111 million on social investment projects in this country.
In Azerbaijan, bp directly employs around 2,395 Azerbaijani citizens who make over 90 per cent of the company’s professional staff.
For more information about bp and its co-venturers’ social investment projects please visit the bp Azerbaijan site at www.bp.com/azerbaijan.
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