Widespread English proficiency in Azerbaijan shifts British Council focus to exam administration

The widespread proficiency of English across Azerbaijan has prompted the British Council to pivot its operational priorities from direct classroom teaching to high-stakes international testing, British Ambassador to Azerbaijan Duncan Norman said.

"Particularly in Baku, a great number of people speak English exceptionally well," Norman stated. He pointed out that while the British Council was among the trailblazers offering English tuition across Azerbaijan in the 1990s, the emergence of a broad domestic market for language services has significantly reduced the need for direct instruction.

Norman emphasized that the current demand lies in administering reliable, high-standard international certification and examination oversight. The British Council will channel its main efforts into managing global examinations required by Azerbaijani citizens for overseas university admissions and multinational employment opportunities.
 

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