The State Students Admission Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan has announced its rating of Azerbaijani universities. In the rating, based mostly on students' preferences at admission exams and published in Abituriyent journal, the top ten places have been grabbed by state universities. This rating, as well as students' preferences, reflects one still strong, but gradually weakening perception in Azerbaijani society - "what belongs to and is run by state is the best one."
Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan comes first in the list, while the oldest higher educational institution in Azerbaijan - Baku State University made the fourth - bad news for a university which claims to be the flagman of higher education in Azerbaijan. It was also surpassed by Medical University and the University of Languages. Only one provincial university made its way to top 10 - Nakhchivan State University.
Private universities continue to perform mediocre, not only because of the poor quality of education they give (such universities as Qafqaz, Khazar and Western prove contrary), but also because of deep distrust rooted in high school graduates towards private higher educational institutions. Except for Turkish Qafqaz University, which is 12th in the list, all other private universities come after even provincial state universities. Even after Lankaran State, which surely wouldn't get 16th place, if they judged according to these photos.
