Paola Severino: Students enrolled in program within Italy-Azerbaijan University to obtain dual diploma

The President of the Luiss School of Law in Italy, Paola Severino, who is one of the five founders of the Italian-Azerbaijani University, spoke to Report in an interview about plans related to the university and joint programs being implemented. She discussed the diplomas that students will receive upon graduation from the university, plans for teaching by instructors and professors, as well as issues of cooperation between higher education institutions.

- Will it be possible to get a dual degree for those studying at Italy-Azerbaijan University in the future?

- The academic program currently running within the Italy-Azerbaijan University initiative is Global Management and Politics (GMaP) –Made in Azerbaijan. This is a Double Degree programme for ADA University students, jointly developed by Luiss and ADA. Students enrolled in this program will obtain a diploma both from Luiss and ADA University.

The aim of the Programme is to train professionals who can effectively navigate complex global issues within both governmental and non-governmental organizations and enable students to be equipped with a strong foundation in the social sciences. GMaP – Made in Azerbaijan also includes some modules focused on the Made in Italy model with the purpose of integrating the expertise of Italian excellence with the innovative potential of "Made in Azerbaijan”.

The first edition of “GMAP Made in Azerbaijan” started in A.Y. 2023-2024 and the second edition is starting in A.Y. 2024-2025. The first group of students will graduate in summer 2025. A graduation ceremony will be organized on our Luiss premises. Luiss is the first among the 5 Italian partner universities involved in the Azerbaijan-Italy University initiative to deliver a Double Degree.

- Are Italian professors expected to teach at Italy-Azerbaijan University?

- According to the structure of the Double Degree GMaP - Made in Azerbaijan, the first academic year takes place in Baku, where Luiss professors currently held 8 on-campus courses. Over the years, the number of courses held by Italian professors could change, depending on ADA needs and requirements. Within the ongoing program GMaP Made in Azerbaijan, Luiss professors are also supporting ADA professors in developing the “Made in Azerbaijan” Module, which will be offered by ADA in the second semester of the academic year 2024-2025.

- Are students of this university supposed to study at Luiss University for one or two semesters after the first year?

- Yes, students enrolled in the double degree in Global Management and Politics are supposed to study at Luiss University after the first academic year, which takes place in Baku. Indeed, in summer 2024 the first cohort of students successfully completed their 3-week summer module on “Made in Italy” and “Euro-Mediterranean Trends” at Luiss University in Rome. This learning experience adopted theoretical and operational approaches, combining classes and specialized lectures with company visits and debate sessions, thus creating a strong connection between the academic and operational worlds. Students had the opportunity to deeply analyze several industries and their business models and to listen to various people in different sectors.

After the summer module, during the second year fall semester, students are required to attend 3 courses on campus in Luiss which are focused on the political science area. The first cohort of students is now in Luiss to attend the required courses for approximately 6 weeks.

- What areas do Luiss and ADA University cooperate in?

- In the Italy – Azerbaijan University network, Luiss is providing expertise and collaboration in the field of Social Sciences, with specific reference to the areas of Global Management, Political Science and “Made in Italy”. The objective is to co-develop with ADA an innovative and interdisciplinary programme that, drawing from the know how and excellence of Made in Italy, will teach students to create, manage and promote the “Made in Azerbaijan” quality label.

The academic cooperation between Luiss and ADA will extend from master’s degrees to doctoral programs and research methodologies, to create a connection between academia and research in a long-term perspective. Besides academic programmes, the collaboration extends to faculty training and mobility of academic advisors and administrative officers with the aim of harmonizing the vision and teaching methodologies between the two academic institutions.

There are ongoing discussions about establishing a student mobility program in the field of Law. This initiative would provide students with opportunities to experience diverse legal systems, engage in international projects, and develop skills that are highly sought after in the global job market. Furthermore, on the occasion of the important round table Italy-Azerbaijan that took place at Confindustria on September 5th, I discussed with the Vice Rector of Ada University Elkin Nurmammadov possible further areas of collaboration, including governance rules, organizational models and prevention of maladministration.