bp and the Azerbaijan Oil and Industry University (ASOIU) today signed an agreement to work together to start a new higher education degree in renewable energy sources.The agreement is underpinned by bp’s two-million-dollar social investment initiative aimed at developing the next generation of national engineers specialising in renewable energy.
This will be a brand-new academic course of study for the country allowing the university to commence training professionals who will support Azerbaijan’s energy transition efforts and drive its new energy era.
"We believe the future of the Caspian is about future partnerships. And these partnerships should go beyond oil and gas to cover new areas such as renewables. The project we are commencing today represents just one of the opportunities for joining our efforts to help Azerbaijan’s smooth transition to its new energy era. The professionals to be trained through this university programme will pave the way to the country’s energy future using the new skills and capabilities the country will need, operating the new facilities the country will build and applying the new technologies the world is working to develop. This project is entirely about the future which we believe will be as bright as the past 30 years of our partnership with Azerbaijan."
The agreement follows the Protocol of Intent earlier signed by bp and the Ministry of Education to cooperate in developing a university degree in renewable energy related disciplines at one of the local universities through partnership with a UK university. It has been decided to base the course at ASOIU – one of Azerbaijan’s leading universities with over a century-long experience in training oil and gas engineers.
“We see this as a brilliant opportunity for our university and are grateful to have it. It enables us to directly contribute to our country’s low carbon future through broadening the degrees of engineering we have been offering for over a century and embracing newly emerging areas of clean energy production technologies. We look forward to partnering with a UK university, which has to be selected yet, to join our expertise, knowledge and experience to make this forward-looking programme a success.”
Notes to editors
bp has been present in Azerbaijan for 30 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 $84 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.
Our 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.
Our social investments cover such areas as building local capabilities, education, development of communities, local enterprises, the environment, sporting potential as well as research 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 around $101 million on social investment projects in this country.
In Azerbaijan, bp directly employs around 2,250 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
Tamam Bayatly at bp’s press office in Baku.
Telephone: (+994 12) 525 58 95