The Impact of Foreign Aid and Cooperation on Social Innovation in Azerbaijan: Example of Vocational Acquisition

Öz

Following the disintegration of the USSR, international organizations such as the UNDP, EU, TİKA, and Yunus Emre Institute have encouraged governments and local populations of Central Asian countries to innovate in a bid to find solutions for existing social problems. The impact of foreign aid and international collaboration on social innovation in the Azerbaijan’s vocational education system has been analyzed in this study. Focusing on vocational acquisition, the research has examined how financial aid coming from international organizations and bilateral cooperations has improved transformation in the practice of vocational training in Azerbaijan. The study has merged quantitative data obtained from questionnaires with qualitative data from interviews by adopting a mixed-methods approach. The findings reveal that foreign aid has had an important role in introducing progressive methods and in forging partnerships that form a bridge between education and industry needs. All of these efforts have had significant contribution to develop Azerbaijan's human capital and made vocational training more responsive to the groving needs of the labor market. Additionally, this study is expected to contribute to the sustained international coordination in stimulating social innovation and offers policy directions to enlarge the positive effects of such interventions.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Azerbaijan
• Cooperation
• Foreign Aid
• Social Innovation
• Vocational Education

The Impact of Foreign Aid and Cooperation on Social Innovation in Azerbaijan: Example of Vocational Acquisition

Öz

SSCB'nin dağılmasının ardından, UNDP, AB, TİKA ve Yunus Emre Enstitüsü gibi uluslararası kuruluşlar, Orta Asya ülkelerinin hükümetlerini ve yerel halklarını, mevcut sosyal sorunlara çözüm bulmak amacıyla yenilik yapmaya teşvik etmiştir. Bu çalışmada, dış yardım ve uluslararası iş birliğinin Azerbaycan'ın mesleki eğitim sistemindeki sosyal inovasyona etkisi analiz edilmiştir. Mesleki beceri kazanımına odaklanan araştırma, uluslararası kuruluşlardan ve ikili iş birliklerinden gelen mali yardımın Azerbaycan'daki mesleki eğitim uygulamalarında dönüşümü nasıl iyileştirdiğini incelemiştir. Çalışma, karma yöntem yaklaşımı benimseyerek anketlerden elde edilen nicel verileri ve görüşmelerden elde edilen nitel verileri birleştirmiştir. Bulgular, dış yardımın ilerici yöntemlerin uygulanmasında ve eğitim ile endüstri ihtiyaçları arasında köprü kuran ortaklıkların oluşturulmasında önemli bir rol oynadığını ortaya koymaktadır. Tüm bu çabalar, Azerbaycan'ın insan sermayesinin geliştirilmesine önemli katkı sağlamış ve mesleki eğitimin işgücü piyasasının artan ihtiyaçlarına daha duyarlı hale gelmesini sağlamıştır. Ayrıca, bu çalışmanın sosyal inovasyonu teşvik etmek için sürdürülebilir uluslararası koordinasyona katkı sağlaması ve bu tür müdahalelerin olumlu etkilerini genişletmek için politika yönlendirmeleri sunması beklenmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Azerbaycan
• İşbirliği
• Dış Yardım
• Sosyal Inovasyon
• Mesleki Eğitim

Kaynakça

1. Agora-Analitik Kollektiv. (2022, October 13). Analiz Azərbaycanda Inkişafa Xarici Yardım: Avropa İttifaqının rolu və əsas Göstəricilər. [https://agora-az.org/az%C9%99rbaycanda-inkisafa-xariciyardim-avropa-ittifaqinin-rolu-v%C9%99-%C9%99sas-gost%C9%99ricil%C9%99r/](https://agora-az.org/az%C9%99rbaycanda-inkisafa-xariciyardim-avropa-ittifaqinin-rolu-v%C9%99-%C9%99sas-gost%C9%99ricil%C9%99r/) (Accessed: 02.06.2024).
2. Azerbaijan. (n.d. a). The History of Education. [https://www.azerbaijans.com/content_874_en.html#google_vignette](https://www.azerbaijans.com/content_874_en.html#google_vignette) (Accessed: 21.01.2025)
3. Azerbaijan (n.d. b). Vocational Education. [https://www.azerbaijans.com/content_881_en.html](https://www.azerbaijans.com/content_881_en.html) (Accessed: 21.01.2025)
4. Becker, G. S. (1993). Human Capital: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis, with Special Reference to Education. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
5. Burnside, C., & Dollar, D. (2000). Aid, Policies, and Growth. The American Economic Review 90(4), 847–868. [https://doi:10.1257/aer.90.4.847](https://doi:10.1257/aer.90.4.847)
6. Cajaiba-Santana, G. (2014). Social innovation: Moving the field forward. A conceptual framework. Technological forecasting and social change, 82, 42–51. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2013.05.008](http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2013.05.008)
7. Dechprom, S., & Jermsittiparsert, K. (2018). Foreign Aid, Foreign Direct Investment and Social Progress: A Cross Countries Analysis. Opcion 34(86), 2086–2097.
8. Drucker, P. F. (1987). Social Innovation, Management, New Dimension. Long Range Planning no. 20, 29–34.

9. Easterly, W. (2006). The White Man’s Burden: Why the West’s Efforts to Aid the Rest Have Done So Much Ill and So Little Good. New York: Penguin Press.
10. EU Aid Explorer. (2024). Recipients Data from 2007 to 2024. [https://euaidexplorer.ec.europa.eu/explore/recipients_en](https://euaidexplorer.ec.europa.eu/explore/recipients_en) (Accessed: 06.06.2025)
11. EU for Azerbaijan. (2021, March 16). Lala Gurbanaliyeva, “Zagatala Honey Home” Family Cooperative. [https://eu4azerbaijan.eu/lala-gurbanaliyeva-zagatala-honey-home-family-cooperative/](https://eu4azerbaijan.eu/lala-gurbanaliyeva-zagatala-honey-home-family-cooperative/) (Accessed: 11.6.2025)
12. EU for Azerbaijan. (2022, December 16). EU-funded STEP Project Promotes the Pomegranate Agro-Tourism Action in Goychay and Kurdamir regions of Azerbaijan. [https://eu4azerbaijan.eu/az/eu-funded-step-project-promotes-the-pomegranate-agro-tourism-action-in-goychay-and-kurdamir-regions-of-azerbaijan/](https://eu4azerbaijan.eu/az/eu-funded-step-project-promotes-the-pomegranate-agro-tourism-action-in-goychay-and-kurdamir-regions-of-azerbaijan/) (Accessed: 16.12.2025)
13. Guliyev, F. (2016, December 12). The Quality of Education in Azerbaijan: Problems and Prospects. Caucasus Analytical Digest no. 90, 6–10.
14. Habibova, Z., & Zeynalova, E. (2018). Human Potential of Communities and Social Entrepreneurship as a Factor of Sustainable Innovative Development in Azerbaijan. The Business & Management Review 9(4), 52–55.
15. Hanushek, E. A., & Woessmann, L. (2012, July 14). Do Better Schools Lead to More Growth? Cognitive Skills, Economic Outcomes, and Causation. Journal of Economic Growth 17(3), 267–321.
16. Harrison, R. T. (2012). From Surviving to Thriving: Leadership, Vision and Community in the Social Enterprise. Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research 32(19). Massachusetts: Babson College.
17. Ibraghimov, E. A. (2022). Management of Innovation in Azerbaijan: Relationships with Competitiveness and Sustainable Development. Marketing i Menedžment Innovacij 1(1), 247–256.
18. Indrichovska, I. (2012). Generating Social Innovations: Some Recent Experience from Abroad. ACTA VSFS 6(2), 155–168.
19. Jain, N. (2023, July 18). What is Social Innovation? Definition, Examples and Best Practices. Ideascale. [https://ideascale.com/blog/what-is-social-innovation/](https://ideascale.com/blog/what-is-social-innovation/) (Accessed: 02.01.2025)
20. Kallen, H. (1932). Innovation. In E. R. Seligman, & A. S. Johnson (eds.), Encyclopaedia of the Social Sciences (pp. 58–61). New York: Macmillan Publishers.
21. Konstantatos, H., Siatitsa, D., & Vaiou, D. (2013). Qualitative Approaches for the Study of Socially Innovative Initiatives. In D. M. Frank Moulaert (ed.), The International Handbook on Social Innovation (pp. 274–284). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing Limited.
22. Lancaster, C. (2006). Foreign Aid: Diplomacy, Development, Domestic Politics. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
23. Mavrotas, G. (2010). Foreign Aid for Development: Issues, Challenges, and the New Agenda. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
24. Montgomery, T., & Mazzei, M. (2021). Two Paths of Social Innovation in the Post-Pandemic World. Social Enterprise Journal 17(3), 450–458.
25. Moulaert, F. et al. (eds.) (2013). The International Handbook on Social Innovation: Collective Action, Social Learning and Transdisciplinary Research. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing.
26. Mulgan, G. et al. (eds.) (2007). Social Innovation: What It Is, Why It Matters and How It Can Be Accelerated. Oxford: Basingstoke Press.
27. Murray, R., Caulier-Grice, J., & Mulgan, G. (2010). The Open Book of Social Innovation. London: NESTA.
28. Ogburn, W. F. (1966). Social Change with Respect to Culture and Original Nature. Oxford: Delta Books.
29. Peşə Təhsili üzrə Dövlət Agentliyi. (2024). [https://vet.edu.gov.az/](https://vet.edu.gov.az/) (Accessed: 20.6.2024)
30. Pradhan, R. P. et al. (2023). Does Foreign Aid Affect Innovation and Institutional Quality in Middle-Income Countries? Evaluation and Program Planning, no.100, 102340.
31. Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan. (2016, December 6). Milli Iqtisadiyyat və Iqtisadiyyatın Əsas Sektorları üzrə Strateji Yol Xəritələrinin Təsdiq Edilməsi Haqqında Azərbaycan Respublikası Prezidentinin Fərmanı. [https://president.az/az/articles/view/21953](https://president.az/az/articles/view/21953) (Accessed: 16.1.2025)
32. Psacharopoulos, G., & Patrinos, H. A. (2004). Returns to Investment in Education: A Further Update. Education Economics 12(2), 111–134. [https://doi.org/10.1080/096.452.9042000239140](https://doi.org/10.1080/096.452.9042000239140)
33. Radjabov, B. (2022). Social Innovations in Post-Soviet Countries. London: Routledge.
34. Rehimov, R. (2020, November 25). Yunus Emre Enstitüsü ile Azerbaycan Arasında İş Birliği Protokolleri İmzalandı. [https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/turkiye/yunus-emre-enstitusu-ile-azerbaycan-arasinda-isbirligi-protokolleri-imzalandi/2055610#menu-icerik](https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/turkiye/yunus-emre-enstitusu-ile-azerbaycan-arasinda-isbirligi-protokolleri-imzalandi/2055610#menu-icerik) (Accessed: 25.05.2025)
35. Riddell, R. C. (2007). Does Foreign Aid Really Work? London: Oxford University Press.
36. Rodek, N. et al. (2020). Social Innovation: Examples within Hungarian Context. Entrenova-Enterprise Research Innovation, no. 6, pp. 586–592.
37. Schultz, T. W. (1961). Investment in Human Capital. The American Economic Review 51(1), 1–17.
38. Schumpeter, J. A. (1934). The Theory of Economic Development: An Inquiry into Profits, Capital, Credit, Interest, and the Business Cycle. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
39. Solov’eva, T. S. et al. (2018). Social Innovation in Spain, China and Russia: Key Aspects of Development. Economic and Social Changes: Facts, Trends, Forecast 11(2), 52–68.
40. Stanford Graduate School of Business. (n.d.). Defining Social Innovation. [https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/experience/about/centers-institutes/csi/defining-social-innovation](https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/experience/about/centers-institutes/csi/defining-social-innovation) (Accessed: 21.01.2025)
41. Strategic Roadmap. (2016, December 06). Azərbaycan Respublikasında Peşə Təhsili və Təliminin Inkişafına dair Strateji Yol Xəritəsi. Baku. [https://edu.gov.az/upload/file/serencama-elave/2016/peshe-tehsil-yol-xeritesi.pdf](https://edu.gov.az/upload/file/serencama-elave/2016/peshe-tehsil-yol-xeritesi.pdf) (Accessed: 21.01.2025)
42. Tarde, G. (1903). The Laws of Imitation. New York: Henry Holt and Company.
43. Tarp, F. (2006). Aid and Development. Swedish Economic Policy Review 13, 9–61.
44. The Hope Institute (2017). Social Innovation in Asia: Trends and Characteristics in China, Korea, India, Japan and Thailand. In Morris-Suzuki, T., & Soh, E. J. (eds.), New Worlds from Below: Informal Life Politics and Grassroots Action in Twenty-First-century Northeast Asia (pp. 249–274). Canberra: ANU Press.
45. The World Bank. (2022). Azerbaijan: Human Capital Review. Washington DC: The World Bank.
46. Therace, A., Hubert, A., & Dro, I. (2011). Empowering People, Driving Change: Social innovation in the European Union. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.
47. TİKA. (2021, August 16). TİKA, Azerbaycan’da 1200’den Fazla Projeyi Hayata Geçirdi. [https://tika.gov.tr/detail-tika_azerbaycan_da_1200_den_fazla_projeyi_hayata_gecirdi/](https://tika.gov.tr/detail-tika_azerbaycan_da_1200_den_fazla_projeyi_hayata_gecirdi/) (Accessed: 15.05.2024)
48. UNDP Azerbaijan. (2024). VET for the Future. [https://www.undp.org/azerbaijan/projects/vetfuture](https://www.undp.org/azerbaijan/projects/vetfuture) (Accessed: 12.05.2024)
49. UNDP. (2021). UNDP Annual Report 2020. New York: UNDP.
50. UNDP. (2022, August 11). EU and UNDP Starts a Campaign to Promote Vocational Education in Azerbaijan. [https://azerbaijan.un.org/en/194375-eu-and-undp-starts-campaign-promote-vocational-education-azerbaijan](https://azerbaijan.un.org/en/194375-eu-and-undp-starts-campaign-promote-vocational-education-azerbaijan) (Accessed: 11.05.2024)
51. UNDP. (2024a). About Us. [https://www.undp.org/azerbaijan/about-us](https://www.undp.org/azerbaijan/about-us) (Accessed: 10.05.2024)
52. UNDP. (2024b). Fact Sheet on Vocational Education. Baku: UNDP.
53. UNDP. (2024c, May 15). VET for the Future UNDP Transparency Portal. [https://open.undp.org/projects/00130430](https://open.undp.org/projects/00130430) (Accessed: 07.06.2024)
54. Waters, K. (2017, October 17). Why No Plan Is the Best Plan. [https://www.apg.org.uk/single-post/why-no-plan-is-the-best-plan](https://www.apg.org.uk/single-post/why-no-plan-is-the-best-plan) (Accessed: 20.06.2024)
55. Young, M. D. (1983). Social Scientist as Innovator. Cambridge: Abt Books.