Education
The higher schools
Nakhchivan State University
Nakhchivan State University was founded in 1967 as a Nakhchivan branch of Azerbaijan State Pedagogical Institute.
Nakhcivan State Pedagogical Institute was founded on the basis of Azerbaijan Pedagogical Institute in 1972. In 1990 by the decree issued by Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic Nakhcivan State Pedagogical Institute was transformed into university.
Nakhchivan State University got autonomy and self-governing status by the historical decree of the president of the Republic of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, dated to June 12, 2002.
At present on 47 specialties in 11 faculties about 5 thousand students are studying in Nakhchivan State University. Highly qualified specialists are getting their higher education in bachelor, master and doctoral levels. More than 200 foreign students from around 10 countries are studying at Nakhchivan State University.
In the scientific potential of the university there are 356 teachers, including 2 academicians, five corresponding members of the Academy of National Sciences of Azerbaijan, 192 Ph. Doctors and 32 Doctors of Sciences. The lab “Developmental Problems of the Region” functioning at Nakhchivan State University, investigates the history, culture and economy of the ancient land. “Heydar Aliyev University” functioning at Nakhchivan State University plays an important role in the formalization of the modern youth and bringing up in the spirit of patriotism and national statehood.
12 teaching buildings, Electronic library, Social Service Center, the university clinic, Olympic sports center, 2 stadiums, botanic garden and modern students’ hostels are situated on the territory of 108 hectares of Nakhchivan State University. For the first time in the history of higher educational system of Azerbaijan three storeyed modern Guest House and Social Service Center are at disposal of students and teaching staff.
Three internet centers, a publishing house, press center, a TV studio, “Fikir” (“Thought”) information bulletin, ”Yeni fikir“ (“New Thought”) newspaper and some museums are functioning at Nakhchivan State University. The students and teachers use the best Wi-Fi wireless internet system in the area of NSU. The journal “Scientific Works” of NSU was included into the list of Higher Attestation Commission and got an International Code.
Nakhchivan State University enjoys broad relations with the universities of the USA, England, China, Russia, France, Germany, South Korea, Turkey, Arab Republic of Egypt, Pakistan, Iran, Uzbekistan and other countries.
Nakhchivan State University was honoured with the title “the University of Millennium” by the European Rectors Club in 2009 for its accomplishments in the sphere of science and education and in the development of international relations.
A project was realized in the frame of TEMPUS project at NSU in 1999 and 2001 years. Currently NSU is the participant of three international projects within TEMPUS.
Up today more than 30 thousand highly qualified specialists graduated from NSU. There are senior officials, deputies, high rank military men, and well – known scientists among the former students of the university. NSU is proud of its alumni.
NSU is a modern type of higher school with firm national basis and statehood -directed, and integrated into the world. NSU holds a special place not only among the universities of Azerbaijan but also among the universities of the world. NSU continues its historical way in the process of innovation and development.
Nakhchivan Teachers Institute
Nakhchivan Teachers Institute - was established on June 13, 2000, on the basis of Nakhchivan Polytechnic School. It was the branch of the Azerbaijan Teachers Institute over the period 2000-2003 and by the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan it became an independent institute in 2003.
The institute prepares the teachers on primary school education, pre-school education, social and sociological services in education, mathematics and information, the fine arts. It has 2 faculties and 6 chairs. Since 2004 a master’s degree preparation on the theory and history of pedagogics and since 2006 the training of personnel in the field of pedagogy and methods of primary education was carried out in the institute.
An Extra Educational Centre serves for the capacity building of the teaching staff at the institute. 78 teachers work at the institute in which curriculum and internet centres are also included. 5 of them are doctors of sciences, 35 persons are doctors of philosophy- associate professors. The learners’ guides, conference materials and programmes are published in “Mekteb” publishing house of the institute.
“Nakhchivan” University
“Nakhchivan” University - was established in 1999. Nakhchivan The University provides the bachelor and master degrees of the higher education under a license issued by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Bachelor’s degree courses take 1+4 years. There are 2 departments in the University covering 14 specializations – economics and pedagogy. 6 chairs (Azerbaijani language and literature, pedagogy and psychology, the humanities, economics, natural sciences, and foreign languages) make the university curriculum.
The academic staff of university consists of 69 professors and teachers. In the academic year 2012-2013, 586 students got full-time education and 190 students studied by correspondence.
In order to improve the quality of education there are ICT centre supplied with the modern equipment, rich library, studies for different subjects, lecture halls, modern sports complex supplied with the necessary equipment being up to the modern standards at the university.
The university maintains relations with Perdue of the USA, Gazi, Pamukkale, Gaziantep universities of Turkey.
The secondary professional schools
Nakhchivan Medical School
Nakhchivan Medical School was established in 1931 as Nakhchivan Medical School by the Ministry of Public Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and since June 16, 2010, by the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan was given the present-day name. The medical school prepares medical personnel on 5 professions (treatment, pharmaceutics, public-health nursing, midwifery and dental orthopaedics). There are 65 academic staff members and 350 students in Nakhchivan Medical School.
Nakhchivan Music College
Nakhchivan Music College was established in the city of Nakhchivan as a secondary special music school in 1975 and in 1978 it was named after Uzeir Hajibayov. Since 1992 the school has been functioning as a Music School. Since September 9, 2005, the secondary special school has been named Nakhchivan Music College. The secondary special school carries out the personnel training on the following professions – piano, the orchestral instruments (violin, flute, clarinet, oboe, French horn, viola, trombone, violoncello, tuba, trumpet, cornet, contrabass), folk musical instruments (tar, kamancha, canon, balaban, saz, accordion, naghara), singing, choral conductor, musical theory, opera and chamber singer, librarianship and the art of acting. During its activity over 1000 trained personnel skilled in music had been prepared in Nakhchivan Music College.
At present the college has about 400 students and 110 staff members.
Until April 30, 2012, the college was under the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan, since then by the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan it was transferred to the Ministry of Education of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.
Nakhchivan State Technical College
Nakhchivan State Technical College was established in 1925. In 1972 it was joined with the Shikhmahmud agricultural seed farm of Babak region, subsequently was named farm technical school and was moved to the village of Shikhmahmud. The academicians Hasan Aliyev, Hasan Abdullayev, professors Unis Safarov, Haji Hajiyev, Pasha Zamanov, Hero of the Soviet Union Gazanfar Akbarov, Heroes of 
Socialist Labour Mammad Asgarov and Nari Guliyeva, were the graduates of that school. At present there are departments on 7 professions (customs administration, traffic management, organization and management of transportation, veterinary, economics and management of agricultural areas, accounting and audit, technical operation of vehicles) in the college. 186 students get full-time education and 117 students study by correspondence in the college with academic staff of 35 teachers (2008). Since 2002 the educational institution has been named Nakhchivan State Technical College. According to the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated August 26, 2002, it was established on the basis of Agricultural Technical School of Nakhchivan. Until April 30, 2012, the college was under the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan, since then by the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan it was transferred to the Ministry of Education of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.
The Military College named after Heydar Aliyev.
This specialized school with military bias was established as a branch of the Military College named after Jamshid Nakhchivanski by the decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated March 13, 1998. By the decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan 
dated February 27, 2004 an independent military college was established on the basis of the Nakhchivan branch and it was named after the national leader Heydar Aliyev. It is a modern type military school supplied with new equipment. The college covering 4.5 ha territory consists of the building for studies and dormitory for 750 persons, headquarters building, canteen, hospital, sports hall and training grounds. There are physics and chemistry labs, computer rooms, studies for different subjects and a library in the building for studies. Period of study in the college is 3 years and is free of charge.
The national leader Heydar Aliyev met with the staff of the military college on October 13, 1999, and June 17, 2002, delivered a speech and offered a sound advice to the officers and students.
In December, 2005 the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander Ilham Aliyev visited the college and the “Heydar Aliyev Museum” established there.
The secondary schools
The development of education system in Nakhchivan occurs in the Middle Ages. Muslim religious schools were then widespread. From a decree belonging to the period of the Elkhanies it comes out that even at the end of the 12th century there were 4 high religious schools and about 60 primary religious schools named "mollakhana" under the mosques in Nakhchivan. In Nakhchivan and Ordubad religious schools, where secular subjects were also taught, students coming from the countries of the Middle East studied as well.
The first secular school in Nakhchivan was the Russian-Tatarian (Azerbaijani) provincial school, which was opened in the late 1830s by Ehsan khan Kangarli. In 1879, that school was transformed into three-graded city school.
As in the other areas of Azerbaijan, in the late 19th century there were new "Ussuli-jadid" (reformed) schools in Nakhchivan as well. M.T.Sidgi established "Akhtar" (1892) in Ordubad, "Tarbiya" ("School of Education", 1894) and "Girls' School" (1896) in Nakhchivan. Educational hearths as "Mahalli Maktablar", "Maktabi-kheyriyya" and "Rashdiyya" were also functioning there.
In the early 19th century enlightenment network expanded, secular schools of different standards were opened in the cities and villages. Alongside with M.T.Sidgi, the leading intellectuals of that time, the graduates of Gori and Erivan teachers' seminaries - J.Mammadguluzadah, J.P.Sultanov, M.A.Suleymanov, A.Khalilov, S.Khalilov, M.Kangarli, A.Sultanov, M.Gaziyev, M.J.Shurbi and others had worthwhile services regarding enlightenment in Nakhchivan. There were 45 schools in Nakhchivan until 1920.
Starting from the 1920s a large network of educational institutions was formed and movement for abolishment of illiteracy got a new scope. If in 1939, to each thousand persons there were 47 persons with secondary education, in 1979 their number reached 227. In the autonomous republic school buildings with 51,870 seats started functioning during 1971-90s and their material-technical basis and educational equipment were improved. Number of pupils in 1945/46 educational year reached from 21 thousand to 63 thousand in 1990/91 educational year, increasing 3 times.
Along with general educational schools, there are also pre-school and non-scholastic educational institutions, as well as sports schools for children and youth in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic at present.
Technical and vocational training is also provided for youth to continue their education on specialized areas in the autonomous republic. Since 1984, technical vocational schools of the autonomous republic have been providing secondary school degree as well.
Today there are 221 day time secondary schools, including Nakhchivan, Sharur Turkish High Schools and Nakhchivan, Ordubad Girls’ College in Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. 205 out of them are middle schools. 12 of them are secondary schools and 4 are primary schools. Also there are 44 out of school educational institutions, Children-Youth Sport and Chess school, 18 preschool educational institutions.
There are professional schools in Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic according to the professions (occupations) of the youth and juveniles to continue their education. They are: Sharur Professional College, Ordubad and Julfa professional schools.
The secondary schools of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic include 8240 academic staff members and 57317 schoolchildren.
All the educational institutions of the autonomous republic are supplied with up-to-date computer equipment. 3409 computer sets are installed at the schools of the autonomous republic providing general education. Every 13 pupils are provided with 1 computer. 2849 or 83.6 per cent of 3409 computers have internet access. Installation of 548 electronic blackboards aimed at raising the quality of education at the schools of the autonomous republic providing general education. In 2013, the building, reconstruction and capital repairs were completed in two schools of Nakhchivan city, the schools in Cahri village of Babek district, Sadarak village of Sadarak district, Sarkhanli, Demirchi, Khanliglar villages of Sharur district, Shekerabad, Cheshmebasar villages of Babek district, Sabirkend, Alahi, Nesirvaz, Bist, Khurs, Nurgut villages of Ordubad district, Kirna, Arafsa, Shurud, Teyvaz villages of Julfa district, Kuku, Ayrinj, Gizil Gishlag villages of Shahbuz district, Khok village of Kangarli district.
The construction of kindergartens in Nakhchivan and Ordubad cities, Heydarabad village of Sadarak district has been completed.
The construction of the Children’s School of Music and Craftsmanship named after A. Sabir, and the reconstruction of the building of Children’s School of Music No.3 in Nakhchivan city has been completed.
1677 persons out of the university entrants participated in the entrance examinations in 2013 joined the higher schools, and 515 persons became the students of the secondary vocational schools. 692 persons entered Nakhchivan State University, 220 persons joined Nakhchivan Teachers’ Institute, and 167 persons entered Nakhchivan Private University.
Mr.Ilham Aliyev, the President of the Azerbaijan Republic participated in the opening of the secondary school named after Heydar Aliyev, the Arinj village secondary school of Shahbuz region, Nakhchivan city school №7, the school №14 and visited Shahtakhti village secondary school named after academician Zarifa Aliyeva.