Azerbaijan Parliament Proposes Overhaul of Education Law, End of Soviet-Era Degrees

 A member of Azerbaijan's Parliament, Vasif Gafarov, has called for a new law on education to modernize the country’s academic framework and align it with international standards. Speaking at the Committee for Science and Education on Thursday, Gafarov proposed a transition to a unified doctoral degree model, moving away from the current two-tier Soviet-style system (PhD and Doctor of Sciences).

The lawmaker criticized the existing structure as bureaucratic and outdated, noting that researchers often reach retirement age before completing all academic stages. Gafarov also questioned the effectiveness of Master’s theses, suggesting they offer little scientific value, and advocated for strengthening the doctoral level to streamline the path for young scholars to become professors by age 45.