With the initiatives of Presidents Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Ilham Aliyev, classes have officially begun at the newly established Türkiye-Azerbaijan University (TAÜ) in Baku.

TAÜ, which was founded in collaboration with Azerbaijan Technical University and Turkish institutions like Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ), Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ) and Hacettepe University, welcomed its first group of students.

Excited to begin their first classes, students arrived early and were greeted by their department instructors. They met with their respective academic staff to learn more about their programs and courses while also getting to know the teaching faculty and administrative personnel.

At TAÜ, 86 students attended their first classes, which include programs in computer engineering supported by ODTÜ, industrial engineering supported by İTÜ and food engineering supported by Hacettepe University.

On Feb. 19, 2024, in Ankara, Presidents Erdoğan and Aliyev oversaw the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Science and Education and Türkiye's Higher Education Council (YÖK) regarding the establishment of TAÜ.

The university aims to cultivate qualified professionals in key fields while combining the scientific research capacities of both nations. TAÜ will offer associate, undergraduate and graduate programs from prestigious Turkish universities, targeting international students as part of a new higher education model.