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Representatives of the U.S. Embassy, ADA University, and North Carolina State University inaugurated Friday a two-day workshop and conference for more than 400 Azerbaijani secondary school English teachers.

U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Hugo Guevara and ADA University Vice Rector for Strategy and Advancement Dr. Vafa Kazdal gave opening remarks.

The conference is the culmination of an 18-week, online master’s-level English Language Teaching Certificate Program for Azerbaijani teachers of English administered by North Carolina State University and funded by the U.S. Department of State. This is the program’s fourth year. The event brings together English language teachers from different regions of Azerbaijan, including Baku, Ganja, Nakhchivan, Mingachevir, Yevlakh, Sumgayit, Barda, Gadabay, Shamkir, Sheki, Zagatala, Fuzuli, Lankaran, Astara, Masalli, Beylagan and others. It is an opportunity for participants to learn about pedagogical best practices while fostering techniques to build a professional network of peer educators.

Since its inception in 2020, the virtual training program has seen 350 Azerbaijani English language teachers successfully graduate from this rigorous, masters-degree level course. The program continues to grow and evolve each year, enhancing its impact and reach.

The U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan and North Carolina State University intend to continue this successful project next year in partnership of the Ministry of Science and Education and the Institute of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan. This partnership has resulted in significant advancements in the teaching of the English language across Azerbaijan and has brought our two countries closer together, strengthening our people-to-people ties and at the same time supporting Azerbaijan’s goal of increasing English-language fluency throughout the education sector. Several graduates of this and other U.S. Embassy English-language programs have distinguished themselves in international conferences, exchange programs, and other significant ways.