Baku Higher Oil School (BHOS) held this year’s Graduate Day in a virtual form.

Graduate Day was broadcast on the university's web pages in social networks (Facebook, Youtube, Instagram).

The event was hosted by the well-known presenter Leyla Guliyeva.

Elmar Gasimov, Rector of Baku Higher Oil School, and Richard Williams, Rector of Heriot-Watt University, which is an academic partner of BHOS, congratulated graduates.

In his address, Rector Elmar Gasimov noted that Graduate Day - 2020 coincided with a very difficult period.

“At present, under the leadership of our Supreme Commander-in-Chief, Azerbaijani soldiers are heroically fighting for the territorial integrity of our country. At the same time, in Azerbaijan, as in the rest of the world, the quarantine regime is being strictly observed to prevent the spread of the COVID 19 pandemic. For the first time in the history of education, universities around the world, including in Azerbaijan, do not celebrate Graduate Day. Therefore, Baku Higher Oil School decided to congratulate its graduates in a virtual form. Over the past five years, our teachers have honorably fulfilled their sacred duty, parents, together with their children, felt anxious during exams, they together rejoiced at successes and they together fret over failures. I want to express my gratitude to the parents of our graduates for bringing up such intellectually developed, capable, highly moral and patriotic children.”

Elmar Gasimov wished success to the graduates who will join the Azerbaijani army, continue their studies at foreign universities or start working in local and transnational companies.

“BHOS graduates are a vivid result of our President Ilham Aliyev’s appeal ‘We must turn oil capital into human capital’. I am sure that our graduates will always glorify the honorable name of our Motherland, our Higher School and that their families will always feel proud of them,” the rector said.

Speaking on behalf of parents, Gular Mammadova, the mother of Javid Mammadli, who was named “Student of the Year” at BHOS this year, thanked the teaching staff for the invaluable contribution they made to the formation of students as highly qualified specialists.

“During all these years, the faculty of Higher School, headed by Rector Elmar Gasimov, did everything possible to help our children receive a quality education, overcome the difficulties they faced during their studies, and even solve their personal problems. As a result of the hard work done by teachers, BHOS has become a family for students.

I wish that you, as qualified specialists, contribute to the strengthening of Azerbaijan,” Gular Mammadova said.

The event featured a congratulatory video message sent to this year's graduates of Higher School by last year's graduates of BHOS from various universities and multinational companies around the world.

BHOS graduates who study and work in the USA, Turkey, Japan, Norway, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Saudi Arabia and Angola congratulated their successors.

Then, Javid Mammadli, who was named "Student of the Year", Ramil Shukurov, who was named "Master’s Degree Student of the Year", Nihad Abbasov, who was a presidential scholar and the best student of Petroleum Engineering Department, Ismat Agayev, who was the best student of Process Automation Engineering Department, Niyaz Ahmedzade, who was the best student of Field Assessment and Management Department, Nizam Zahidli, who was the best student of Oil and Gas Technology Department, Guldana Hidayatli, who was the best student of Business Administration Department shared with the event participants their impressions of the successes that they had achieved and the academic and social skills that they had acquired during their education at BHOS.

The artistic part of the event featured musical performances, dances, presentations and interesting excerpts from previous Graduate Days.

At the end of the event, Javid Mammadli, who was the best BHOS student in the 2019/2020 academic year, engraved his name on the symbolic tree stump.

The virtual event ended with the traditional ritual of throwing up hats.

Note that 109 bachelor’s degree students are graduating from Baku Higher Oil School this year. Of these, 49 are students of Petroleum Engineering Department, 46 are students of Chemical Engineering Department and 14 are students of Process Automation Engineering Department.

This year BHOS is holding its second graduation ceremony for master’s degree students. 40 students are graduating from Higher School with a master's degree, including in business administration. 14 students graduated from BHOS with honors in the 2019/2020 academic year.

Note that Baku Higher Oil School was established as a subsidiary of SOCAR by the decree of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev dated November 29, 2011.

BHOS offers bachelor's degree programmes on Petroleum Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Process Automation Engineering and Information Security. In addition, it offers master's degree programmes on Petroleum Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Process Automation Engineering and Business Administration (MBA).

Baku Higher Oil School held its first graduation ceremony in 2017, the second - in 2018, the third - in 2019 and the fourth - this year.

All BHOS graduates are employed. They currently work in such large transnational companies as SOCAR, Azneft PA, Petkim Petrokimya Holding A.Ş. (Turkey), Star Oil Refinery, Azerikimiya, Baku Oil Refinery named after Heydar Aliyev, SOCAR Polymer, BP, Schlumberger, Halliburton, Maire Tecnimont, Technip FMC, etc. And some of the graduates are currently studying for Master's or PhD degree at leading universities in the world, including in Azerbaijan.