AZE.US
An Azerbaijani lawmaker has proposed reducing the country’s master’s degree programs from two years to one amid declining student interest in postgraduate education.
Nearly 4,000 places allocated for master’s students remain unfilled, renewing debate over whether the current system meets the needs of young people and the labor market.
Member of Parliament Ceyhun Mammadov said the length of study could be one reason students are turning away from master’s programs.
He noted that one-year programs are widely available in many developed countries, allowing students to complete their education and enter the workforce sooner.
Mammadov said young Azerbaijanis increasingly question whether spending two additional years at university provides sufficient professional benefits.
The problem is not limited to the duration of study, he added. If employers do not give applicants with master’s degrees a meaningful advantage over those with bachelor’s degrees, students have little incentive to pursue further education.
The lawmaker called for the content of master’s programs to be revised and aligned more closely with labor market requirements. He also said postgraduate qualifications should provide clearer benefits during recruitment.
Without more flexible and practical programs, universities could struggle to compete with short-term courses and alternative forms of professional training, Mammadov warned.
Reducing master’s programs to one year remains a proposal. Azerbaijani authorities have not announced an official decision to change the current two-year system.
AZE.US