In order to investigate the problems caused by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the educational process, complaints and suggestions of students, a special commission acting by the order of the rector of the University of Azerbaijan has completed its work and addressed an appeal to students. The appeal says:

Dear students,

The global pandemic, which began in March 2020, has made the transition to distance education necessary. This period of sudden capture, in addition to difficulties and limitations, creates more fertile conditions for education and learning with the advantages of saving time, psychological comfort, development of independent learning skills, absence of spatial problems.

The year 2020, which left the world helpless in the face of a pandemic, has been engraved in our history as the most significant and glorious year. The Patriotic War, which began on September 27 and lasted for 44 days, ended with a brilliant military-political victory of our country. During this period, the application of temporary restrictions on the Internet in order to prevent provocations committed by Armenia in the cyber environment did not go unnoticed in the field of education.

Azerbaijan is a country that has won a glorious victory over the enemy, we are a victorious people and citizens of a victorious country. In the war for the restoration of the territorial integrity

of our country, about 3,000 servicemen were killed, our soldiers went missing, our veterans were wounded and lost their health. Our lands have been liberated from occupation at the expense of the blood, soul and health of our martyrs and veterans.

Therefore, we should not have a way, a choice, a right to retreat for fear of hardship. Our front, our battlefield is education, science. On our front, we must fight like an Azerbaijani soldier, we must be worthy of the deed for which he was martyred.

Azerbaijan University is one of the first universities to use the Microsoft Teams platform for distance learning on the recommendation of the Ministry of Education. Starting from April 2020, our classes continue online according to the curriculum. The work of our teachers in the successful organization and implementation of the process is undeniable.

Compared to the previous academic year, the technical support of distance learning has been improved, and new functions and opportunities have been added to the program. In September, trainings were organized for teachers and students to improve their skills in using the program. The results of the monitoring conducted by the Department of Education and the participation of representatives of the Ministry of Education in measuring the quality of distance education at the University of Azerbaijan were considered satisfactory.

Dear students,

Azerbaijan University has always supported its students and will continue to do so. The most obvious proof of this is the meetings held by Rector Saadat Aliyeva at the beginning of each academic year before the pandemic in order to communicate directly with students, listen to their suggestions and be aware of

their individual problems. The activity of the commission is based on this tradition. Until January 1, 2021, students' appeals to info@au.edu.az were mainly in 6 areas, including the organization of exams, reduction of exam questions, difficulties in living in the frontline, technical problems, abolition of the absentee limit, tuition discount. All incoming appeals were discussed by the commission members and relevant decisions were made. We bring to your attention the decisions below:

1. The examination session of the autumn semester of the 2020/2021 academic year at the University of Azerbaijan will be organized in the form of online oral and online tests from January 11 to February 6, 2021.

2. The number of exam questions and the degree of difficulty are compiled and determined by the teacher who teaches the subject in accordance with the volume of topics taught.

3. II, III, IV year students living in the front and frontline regions and submitting a relevant certificate to the university are given a final grade on a 100-point scale in accordance with the results obtained during the study of the subjects in the current semester (UOMG). Students must join an online exam room for all subjects scheduled for the current semester and read the final grade offered to them. An online oral exam in the subjects is organized for students who do not agree with the results determined in accordance with the UOMG. First-year students living in the front and frontline regions and submitting a relevant certificate to the university are allowed to pass the exams in the subjects planned for the current semester with 34 points.

4. The issue of admission of COVID-19 patients and students who have undergone major surgery, submitted a relevant certificate to the University and passed the 50% absentee limit will be considered individually.

5. Students who took part in the Great Patriotic War are exempted from education. Problems of education of students involved in military service in connection with partial mobilization It will be eliminated according to the decision No. KQ-07 dated November 19, 2020. They will be granted academic leave until they are called up for military service when they are called up for military service, and those who return from academic leave will be allowed to study from the next semester. We ask those students to contact the university after their expulsion. The applications of other students who apply for a tuition discount will be considered individually.

6. During the examination session, the activity of the appeal commission will be provided in accordance with the specialty departments in order to re-evaluate the knowledge of students and eliminate the negative situations that occurred during the examination.

Congratulations to each of you on the occasion of the New Year, we wish you success in the winter exam session!

Public Relations Department
08.01.2021