From October 7 to 8, trainings were held at Baku Business University within the framework of the EU-funded ERASMUS + EQAC project (Establishment and development of quality assurance centers in Azerbaijani universities). The purpose of the training was to apply 6 out of 10 quality assurance standards in the European Higher Education Area to the QPR system (Quality Process), as well as discuss management projects and joint projects for ERASMUS + 2020. The training was conducted by Lenart Stahle, Associate professor of the Royal Swedish Institute of Technology, Denise Galvin, Associate professor at the University of Alicante in Spain, George Dafoulas, Associate professor at the University of Middlesex, UK, and Inga Petreikeine, docent of SMK University, Lithuania.

The main topics of the first day of the training were the discussion of the QMS (Quality Management System) model of universities and the internal quality assurance system of universities. Collaboration with team leaders was key to the development of standards.

The session began with the development of standard rules on the second day of training. The groups developed guidelines for each standard, discussed activities that need to be implemented. In the process of assessing and monitoring the standards, the creation of a monitoring standard for QA (Quality Assurance) was discussed.

The training was attended by the rector of Baku University of Business, Professor Ibad Abbasov, senior specialist of the accreditation department of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan Lala Abasova, members of the ERASMUS National Representation Parviz Bagirov and Zafar Hasanov, representatives of Azerbaijani universities and specialists.

Associate Professor George Dafoulas from Great Britain proposed to develop and become a partner of the ERASMUS + project in the following areas: career, e-learning, entrepreneurship and innovation, incubation, social inclusion.

It is worth to note that there are 10 quality assurance standards:

1. Quality Assurance System

2. Development of programs

3. Student-oriented education, training and assessment

4. Admission of students

5. The teaching staff

6. Educational resources and student support

7. Information management

8. Information for the public

9. Regular monitoring of programs

10. Periodic external quality control.

The training was attended by a project manager for SSU, head of the Department of International Cooperation of Sumgayit State University, Ph.D. in history Samira Mammadova, head of the Center for Quality Assurance Nihad Huseynov.