"The State Strategy for the Development of Education in the Republic of Azerbaijan" was approved by Order No. 13 of the president of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated October 24, 2013. The strategy has defined strategic goals and measures in the direction of establishing a competitive education system in accordance with Azerbaijan's development concept and advanced international practice. In this regard, a Strategic Development Center (SDC) was established at Sumgayit State University based on rector's order No. R-10/1 dated January 23, 2023. The charter of the Strategic Development Center of Sumgayit State University was approved by the decision of the meeting of the Scientific Council of Sumgayit State University dated 19.01.2023 (pr. No. 05). In its activities, SDC is guided by the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the normative legal acts, orders, instruction letters of the Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan and state bodies in the field of education, the Charter of the University, orders and orders of the rector, as well as the statute of SDC.

At present, associate professor Pashayeva Gunel Bakhsheyish gizi is in charge in SDC. Gunel Pashayeva graduated from Sumgayit State University with a bachelor's degree in 2006 and a master's degree with honors in 2009. In 2011-2014, he studied at the doctoral level of Sumgayit State University, received a Ph.D. degree in philology by the decision of the Higher Attestation Commission under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated June 23, 2017 (protocol N17-k), 16.12. According to the decision dated 2022, she received the scientific title of docent in the Azerbaijani language specialty of the field of philology due to her scientific and pedagogical activity. In 2021, she was admitted to the specialty 5706.01 - Azerbaijani language under the Doctor of Sciences program. In 2022, she participated in three-module trainings of the Agency for Quality Assurance in Education. She is the author of 1 textbook, 1 monograph, 5 subject programs, about 40 scientific articles and theses.

- Organization of the data collection system that determines the university's activities;

- Determination of long-term and at the same time current strategy and policy of the university;

- Development of activity and quality criteria of the university;

- Collection, analysis and interpretation of information about the services and activities of the university;

- Investigation of external and internal factors that may affect the university's activity (education, training and research), analysis of service efficiency, satisfaction level and preparation of reports based on them;

- Preparation of the strategic plan and execution of work based on the action program;

- Preparation of the annual report in accordance with the strategic plan and action program;

- Monitoring the implementation of the 5-year strategic plan of the university and preparing a report on the work done;

- cooperation with local and international organizations within the interests of the university, preparation of a strategic plan for the future development of the university;

- Preparation of perspective plans for the university to become one of the education-science-research-innovation centers;

- Preparation of proposals about innovative systems in education;

- Development of university-business cooperation relations;

- Acting as a mediator in creating relationships between teachers and students with companies;

- Expanding the strategic cooperation of the university with state institutions, production areas and business, building it according to the requirements of the strategy and solving the issues arising from other main tasks.