Intellectual Capabilities Units established in Azerbaijan Army

Intellectual Capabilities Units have been established in the Azerbaijan Army as part of the reforms in army development under the leadership of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Mr. Ilham Aliyev, the Ministry of Defense told Report.

The Ministry of Defense is implementing a new concept of military service designed to more effectively benefit from the knowledge and skills of the outstanding youth who excel in education while also fostering their career development.

Under the new training and internship concept, exceptionally intelligent conscripts will serve under specialized conditions within units established under the National Defense University. This initiative aims to engage these individuals in various projects and activities related to their qualifications upon the completion of the foundational training program for new soldiers.

Conscripts who have gained a score of 600 or more on the entrance exam to universities conducted by the State Examination Center, as well as winners of the competitions listed in the "Rules for the Admission of Winners of International and Republican Subject Olympiads, International Competitions, and Contests to Higher Education Institutions Without Examinations," approved by Decision № 229 of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated May 20, 2019 will serve in the newly established Intellectual Capabilities Units. Additionally, conscripts who are graduates of undergraduate or master’s programs from foreign universities ranked 500th or higher in the international ranking based on the results of the calendar year preceding the current calendar year (such as the Times Higher Education World University Rankings or the Academic Ranking of World Universities Shanghai) will also be included.

Among the young individuals conscripted for active military service in this specified category, those possessing relevant qualifications in the field of information technology are expected to make a substantial contribution to the enhancement of digital skills and the development of new opportunities in the Army.

Taking into account the significance for Azerbaijan of forming human capital with required skills that may apply modern technologies and approaches, it will be ensured that particularly talented young people will gain useful work experience in their professional fields during active military service.