2007

Lead Teacher Conference – Creating Opportunities for Business Educators in Azerbaijan
Date published: Mar 31 2008
2007 >>

 November 30 - December 1, 2007 – one hundred economics teachers and distinguished guests from the United States Agency for International Development and the business community participated in the Lead Teacher Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan. Funded through USAID’s School Economic Education Program, the event was facilitated by Project Harmony and Junior Achievement Azerbaijan.

First organized in 2003 and conducted every two years, the Lead Teachers Conference introduces teaching strategies to secondary and vocational school teachers to enhance economic education in schools and colleges. Attended by representatives from USAID, members of the JAA Board of Directors, business and the academic community, this year’s conference included interactive sessions on business and economics education, development of partnerships between schools in Azerbaijan and the United States, student career guidance, and the use of IT in education.

 In his opening speech, Executive Director of Junior Achievement Azerbaijan Vusal Khanlarov touched upon SEE objectives and results, and the necessity to continue and extend economic programs in Azerbaijan’s rural regions. USAID Country Coordinator for Azerbaijan Mr. Scott Taylor noted the role of SEE not only in student education, but in raising the level of teachers’ proficiency. “The SEE program creates opportunities to strengthen Azerbaijan’s cadre of educators, Mr. Taylor explained, “This conference is a chance for economics teachers to share their successes and to seek out solutions to common challenges.”

Chief Economic Advisor and Nobel Laureate from the University of California, Professor Arnold Harberger gave the conference’s keynote speech on state policy in economics. In addressing the role of education in economic development, Professor Harberger noted, “Building a strong economy is a long-term process for any country. Economic growth comes from such factors as human and capital resources, making it important to invest in economic education to increase the country’s potential.”

Guest speaker, Mr. Jeyhun Karamov from BP, addressing the need for corporate social responsibility, described their support for public initiatives in the country, particularly in the areas of education, community development and environmental protection. Mr. Karamov also noted the importance of programs like the School Economics Education program in furthering Azerbaijan’s development into the new century.

 As the basis for program sustainability, the educators played an integral role in The Lead Teachers Conference. Highly successful veteran SEE teachers partnered with SEE staff and evaluation expert from the Norwegian Refugee Council, Bayaz Zeynalova, to share ideas, success and best practices for International Partnerships, Creating Online Economics Projects, Interactive Methods of Teaching, Preparing Students for Careers in Business, and Project Evaluation. Addressing the significance of the conference for students as resources for the future, economics teacher at Ali Bayramli School #10 Sadiq Samadov explained, “The methods that have been introduced in this conference will greatly influence these teachers methods of preparing youth for their role in the economic and business life of Azerbaijan.”  

At the awards ceremony nine teachers were recognized for their outstanding work on the SEE program.  And a very special prize was

awarded to the SEE alumni team from the State Oil Academy for taking first place worldwide at the Hewlett Packard Global Business Challenge.

The second day of the conference provided participants with the opportunity to reflect on their work over the past five years, and to imagine ways of strengthening links among teachers and ensuring the sustainability of the SEE program. Among the methods suggested for sustainability were creating online forums and message boards to continue the connections begun through the program and at the conference, and organizing themselves into an Economic Teachers Association to advocate for the advancement of economic education in the country. 

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