The Azerbaijan Skills Accelerator will officially launch on 18 November 2025 as part of the World Economic Forum’s Global Accelerators Network. This national initiative—jointly established by the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan and the World Economic Forum—aims to strengthen Azerbaijan’s preparedness for the future of work through innovation, inclusion, and collaboration.

Under the co-chairmanship of H.E. Mikayil Jabbarov, Minister of Economy; H.E. Emin Amrullayev, Minister of Science and Education; Mr. Rovshan Najaf, President of SOCAR; and Mr. Jalal Gasimov, CEO of PASHA Holding, the Accelerator will focus on:

 Facilitating lifelong learning and upskilling; Enabling proactive redeployment and reemployment; Mobilizing innovative skills funding models; and Building data-driven information systems for current and future skills needs. 

The initiative is coordinated by the Center for Analysis and Coordination of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4SIM) within the Ministry of Economy and will serve as a hub for public-private collaboration in advancing workforce competitiveness.

The inaugural convening will bring together the Accelerator’s leadership, national industry figures, government representatives, development partners, and educational institutions to shape a shared vision for Azerbaijan’s skills ecosystem. The agenda includes insights from the Future of Jobs Report 2025 by the Forum’s Education and Skills team and a strategic dialogue on national skills priorities.