On 13 February, the “Quality, Sustainability and Innovation in Education Forum – 2026” was held with the joint organization of Mingachevir State University and the Education Quality Assurance Agency, in partnership with AKTA (Association of Cybersecurity Organisations of Azerbaijan).
The forum, organized at the Heydar Aliyev Center in Mingachevir, focused on quality assurance in higher and secondary vocational education, sustainable development, innovation, and university–industry collaboration.
The event brought together senior representatives of state institutions, delegates from 29 higher education institutions, heads of 36 general and vocational education institutions, as well as representatives of more than 24 companies and organizations. AKTA member companies and experts were also among the participants.
Within the framework of the forum, AKTA’s Executive Director, Rauf Jabarov, delivered a speech emphasizing that, in the era of digital transformation, cybersecurity has become an integral component of the education system. He highlighted the strategic importance of strengthening specialized cybersecurity education in higher education institutions, implementing practice-oriented teaching models, and expanding university–industry cooperation. Mr. Jabarov also stressed that the impact of artificial intelligence on education will become an increasingly significant topic in the near future and that universities should pay particular attention to this field.
As part of the forum, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between AKTA member company AREA Engineering Academy and Mingachevir State University. In addition, a workshop was conducted by MegaSec LLC. AKTA experts Teymur Hajiyev and Togrul Valibayli also participated in panel discussions, sharing their views on digitalization in higher education, fostering a culture of information security, and adopting quality approaches aligned with international standards.
It should be noted that the forum, held with AKTA’s partnership, was regarded as an important step toward strengthening the digital security and innovation agenda within the education sector.
