At the next meeting of the Scientific Council of the Institute of Folklore of ANAS the new scientific directions and issues of improving the quality of training of highly qualified personnel were discussed. The meeting of the Scientific Council was attended by the administration of the Institute, members of the Council and persons related to the issues on the agenda.

The Director of the Institute of Folklore, Associate Professor Hikmat Guliyev, opened the meeting by noting that the agenda of the Academic Council included the discussion of several scientific, organizational and current issues. He mentioned that, in accordance with the “Admission Plan for Doctoral Studies in Higher Education Institutions, Scientific Institutions, and Organizations of the Republic of Azerbaijan for the Year 2025” approved by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated May 2, 2025 and based on Decision № 13/1 of the Presidium of ANAS dated May 8, 2025, admission to Doctoral studies (PhD level) has been announced. According to the admission plan a total of 5 places were allocated at the Institute of Folklore on the specialties “Folklore studies” and “Azerbaijani literature” PhD Hikmat Guliyev brought to the attention that in this regard, appeals were made to the Education Department of the Institute.

Associate Professor Hikmat Guliyev further noted that currently, a total of 20 doctoral and 10 PhD candidates are pursuing their studies at the Institute of Folklore. He mentioned the need for attestation and monitoring of doctoral and dissertation research based on such parameters as the relevance of dissertation topics, the formulation of research problems, alignment with international experience and contemporary challenges and the publication of research in reputable academic journals. In this regard, special forms have been prepared and will be distributed to doctoral and PhD candidates in the coming days.

Associate Professor Hikmat Guliyev, speaking on another item on the agenda - the expansion of cooperation with Uzbekistan in the field of folklore studies - noted that the Institute of Folklore was successfully represented at the Second Turkic World Cultural Forum, held in April this year in Khiva, Uzbekistan, under the auspices of UNESCO and ICESCO. Within the framework of the visit, memorandums of cooperation were signed between the Institute of Folklore of ANAS and the Yunus Rajabi Uzbek National Institute of Music Art in Tashkent, as well as Urgench State University. The scholar noted the importance of conducting joint scientific researches with the academic and educational institutions of Uzbekistan, training specialists, developing and implementing new projects and carrying out joint scientific publications.

Subsequently, the implementation of scientific and organizational matters arising from the new structure of the Institute of Folklore — approved by the decision of the Presidium of ANAS dated April 14, 2025 — was discussed. It was noted that, in accordance with the relevant decision of the Presidium, a Public Relations Department has been established within the structure of the Institute of Folklore, utilizing internal resources and existing staff positions.

At the same time, it was decided to petition the Scientific Council to establish departments on a number of new scientific directions in accordance with the state policy implemented in our country, the challenges of the modern world and the reforms carried out in the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences in recent years. Then the scientific secretary of the Institute, Associate Professor Elchin Abbasov informed about making changes to the composition of the Scientific Council of the Institute of Folklore of ANAS and preparing the publication plan of the Institute for 2025.

From May 8 to 10, 2025, the Head of the Department of Contemporary Folklore, Doctor of Philology and Professor Füzuli Bayat, was on a business trip to the city of Trabzon, Turkey. He delivered a speech and shared his impressions of participating in the international symposium titled “Yavuz Sultan Selim: Science, Thought, and Art”, organized by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Trabzon University. On May 26, 2025, Associate Professor Sakina Gaybaliyeva, PhD in Philology and the leading researcher of the Department of Folklore of Turkic peoples, provided information about the organization of the national scientific conference titled “National Statehood and Folklore”, dedicated to the “Year of the Constitution and Sovereignty.” The event is being organized by the Institute of Folklore of ANAS.

Among the council members, Professor Fuzuli Bayat and Professor Afzaladdin Asgar and expressed their views on the agenda items.

Among the current issues discussed was the proposal to petition the Supreme Attestation Commission for awarding the academic title of Associate Professor in their respective specialties to PhD Elnara Huseyn gizi Amirli and PhD Vusala Roma gizi Nasibova. Following the results of a secret ballot, which were deemed positive, it was decided to submit the petition for awarding the academic title of Associate Professor to the candidates.