CAMPUSES FOR SECURITY

Migration of citizens from the regions to Baku, as well as the natural growth of the population resulted in expansion of the city. Thousands of young people enter higher education schools in Baku annually. This increases the population density and aggravates the situation with traffic jams. During the school year, thousands of students travel from different parts of the city, and sometimes from the suburbs and neighboring Sumgayit and Khirdalan to central areas where all major higher education institutions are concentrated.

At the beginning of March this year, a terrible tragedy occurred on the Baku-Sumgayit highway - a Ford Transit taxi taking students to the university crashed into a truck parked on the roadside. Six students were killed, 17 received varying degrees of severe injuries. The head of the press service of the Main Department of the State Traffic Police Kamran Aliyev said that the driver also violated the rules of passenger transportation, since, most likely, he took more people than he should.

The public was shocked by the news that five girls living in a rented apartment in Khirdalan died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning. Two of them were students of the Baku State Economic and Humanitarian College. They were sisters. This means that one family lost two of their children at once.

Such tragedies could be avoided if there were campuses for each university, where all conditions are provided for students, so that they, as people at high risk, are not exposed to various dangers. Usually, student hostels are located on campuses, the territory of which is protected, and no one can enter there without a pass. In addition, in each building there is a commandant, who follows the orders. On weekends, parents can come and check the living conditions of their children.

Thus, the modernization of the infrastructure in the field of education would help solve many problems, as well as avoid tragedies. If we can create a system of university campuses based on international experience, then the problem of finding housing for students will be solved.

Secure higher education

In October 2013, President Ilham Aliyev approved the State Strategy for the Development of Education in the Republic of Azerbaijan. The fourth direction of this strategy precisely stipulates the creation of relevant infrastructure that meets modern requirements and ensures continuity in the education process. In addition to streamlining the network of educational institutions and introducing other concepts - distance learning organizations, regional centers, etc. It also ensures the creation of campuses.

The name "campus" dates back to the 18^th century. The first campus was constructed on the territory of Princeton University in the United States. Its literal meaning is "a field", "open space". So, the idea of ​​university campuses, complexes of university buildings was created.

Typically, universities tend to concentrate the entire infrastructure in a small area so that students do not spend a lot of time moving. Theoretically, the creation of campuses means campuses with a developed infrastructure, places for housing, catering, libraries, classrooms, etc. and should have a positive effect on the regions where they will be constructed. This will help to provide jobs for those who construct and organize them, as well as the service providers. Thus, the loading between the city and region will be distributed.

Doctor of Arts, President of the Club of Architects, Elchin Aliyev, also supports the idea of ​​creating campuses. "In general, the transfer of higher education institutions outside the city, to the periphery, creates opportunities for the creation of campuses," said Aliyev. According to Mr. Aliyev, such a program already exists.

Legal Support

This process can have legal support. Paragraph 4.6 of the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers on some regulations related to the Land Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan is dedicated to science campuses, research centers, design offices. Science campuses should be located either in specially designated areas outside the city, or in suitable satellite cities of large cities. Within the city, campuses should be located in accordance with the structure of a single plan, including libraries, printing houses, engineering infrastructure, roads and landscaping. Paragraph 4.7. On campuses, zones of higher and secondary education includes universities, lyceums, vocational schools, institutes. Student camps, as well as academic campuses, should be located either in specially designated areas outside the city, or in suitable satellite cities of large cities. In this case, it is also necessary to provide transport with a high passenger capacity. Hostels of the town should be located within the same complex. This zone should be fully equipped with a research complex, a library, a technical and cultural structure, a sports complex, a recreation area and walkways. Individual vocational schools can be located near industrial facilities that are appropriate for their profile.

Protected childhood

"There is a professional concept that we call "educational environment". It is for children of all ages and categories, including the students. In fact, from the socio-psychological point of view, the childhood is over by the age of 25, then the real "adulthood” begins. But before that, the process of self-formation continues. During college education, a human brain continues developing, and the last significant function of the brain is established: the "ability to foresee consequences" (20-23 years)... This implies that in his 16-25 years, a young man continues seeking for and mastering himself, while still not able to "qualitatively" evaluate the consequences of his choice and actions... And if a person receiving higher education is interested in the quality of consequences, then he must create such conditions that the young man "plunged" into a new educational environment completely, with all his energy," says Rufat Aliyev commenting the need for creating a closed education environment.

"There are no important or secondary components here - everything should be seen in a full-fledged interdependence... Obviously, the practice gathered during the last century shows that the social and educational model for campuses of higher education facilities behind the city line, on a picturesque, environmentally sound territory is the most effective environment today. I am sure that the government understands this demand," said Rufat Aliyev.

And what about the resources?

Economist Togrul Mashalli notes that several projects were proposed to create university campuses. According to one of them, which has existed for a long time, all universities, except BSU, should be moved beyond the city limits. "The Baku State University, on the other hand, is building hostels nearby, since it has a rather large territory," he notes.

On the other hand, for the construction of individual student campuses, infrastructure and considerable resources are needed. This is expensive with dubious economic benefits. "First of all, of course, urban transport will be unloaded but students from September to June are the main consumers in such important sites as Elmlar Akademiyasi, 28 May metro stations. If you remove them, then a lot of local people will lose their jobs – doner-houses, confectioneries, tea-houses, cafes, cheap shops, etc. And to implement a major project to transfer all universities from the center - in general it is very difficult, only the Moscow State University has realized this. Therefore, some examples are possible, but it will not be possible to fully transfer universities - there is no necessary infrastructure. At the same time, under existing projects, universities can be transferred to the suburbs of Baku. And where it would be more profitable to choose a certain regional center and transfer large universities there. In this case, the benefit would be to the region - the infrastructure would also be adjusted, many jobs would open for servicing universities with campuses," believes the economist.

As for the transfer of universities to Gabala, it was planned initially, but this project was not approved, it remained at the level of conversations, the expert said. Only some state academies are located outside the city - aviation, customs, etc. "But this is natural, since there are objects directly related to their sphere. There are a few students studying there (no more than 800 people) to invest in an expensive campus," concluded Togrul Mashalli.

Campus of the Azerbaijan branch of the Moscow State University

Lala Guliyeva is a third year student of the Azerbaijan branch of the Moscow State University. It practically fully implemented the standards of a classical campus. "Our small campus is in Hojasan - geographically it is not far from the city center, however it is rather difficult to get there by public transport. Therefore, during my studies, like many other students, I live in a hostel. Those who live far away - in distant districts or suburbs – can live there. The conditions here are not bad, there is a free laundry - this is especially convenient for out-of-town students who do not go home for the weekends. Accommodation is free of charge but instead we have no right to miss more than 16 academic hours per semester, otherwise we will be evicted," says Lala.

Although the campus is far enough from the city, there are all conditions for leisure - the student center with a TV, chess room, reading room with a small library. In the evenings students gather in the gym and play volleyball, basketball, and football. In addition, there is a fully equipped gym and swimming pool.

"Of course, one feels isolated in the campus. Some students like it, some not. Personally, I like living and studying here: it's easier to concentrate on studying, and in general it's just beautiful - green, almost Irish hills, a lake nearby, silence. If you want to go to the center, you can use our shuttle-bus service - they are free and leave on schedule."

So, although the creation of campuses is not a very profitable economic project but their effectiveness is obvious. This issue should become an integral part of the national policy, since it is closely related to the organization of students’ safety - young people, the future of Azerbaijan. Therefore, the involved costs are not a priority. If we had campuses today, we could avoid the recent tragedies.