bp on behalf of its co-venturers in the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli, Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, Shah Deniz and South Caucasus Pipeline projects – TPAO, SOCAR, SGC, LUKOIL, NICO, MOL, Equinor, INPEX, ExxonMobil, ITOCHU, Eni, TotalEnergies, ONGCVidesh – today announced the successful completion of an important training programme for a large group of students of the Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University.

According to bp Azerbaijan, the programme aimed to develop inclusive teaching skills of undergraduate students specialising in primary school teaching.

Some 140 students of the Primary Education and Correction faculty of the university enrolled in the training programme received international certificates mastering innovative methods and specifics of inclusive teaching. In particular, they learned how to create a safe and non-judgmental environment for every individual focusing on their unique characteristics in a manner that is based on empathy and respect.

The programme was based on the international training method called DanceAbility® which embraces inclusiveness in treatment and rehabilitation of people with disabilities via universally common communication techniques. The method is about teaching and practicing movements that enable artistic expression, improvisation, communication and self-confidence through achieving harmony and coordination in action. It is used in teaching and training of primarily vulnerable people such as people with physical and mental disabilities including children, teenagers, elderly people and war veterans.

Addressing the event, hosted by bp to celebrate the students’ certificates, Bakhtiyar Aslanbayli, bp’s vice president for the Caspian region, said: “We believe the project is an important addition to all ongoing efforts to raise awareness of the value of inclusive education. In a wider context, the project aims to promote sense of inclusivity and not only in education but also in the broader society where all types of people should be treated fairly and equally, where every person should feel valued, welcomed and respected. We believe in developing this sense and shaping this culture starting from early ages and this is what prompted us to focus on primary schools.”

The cost of the project was around 78,000 AZN ($45,900) with a seven-month duration - from October 2023 till May 2024.

bp has been present in Azerbaijan for 32 years safely, efficiently and reliably operating major oil and gas exploration, development and transportation projects. To date, together with its co-venturers, bp has invested around $85 billion into projects it operates in the country. In Azerbaijan, we are committed to supporting sustainability efforts focusing on the areas where we believe we can make the most difference.

bp’s extensive social investment activities and capacity-building efforts in the country have had a positive impact and brought tangible benefits to people, improving their lives and making a difference.

The company’s social investments cover such areas as building local capabilities, education, development of communities, local enterprises, the environment, sporting potential as well as research into and promotion of the country’s rich cultural heritage. Overall, since the start, bp itself and together with its co-venturers in the joint ventures that bp operates in Azerbaijan, has spent about $110 million on social investment projects in this country.

In Azerbaijan, bp directly employs around 2,377 Azerbaijani citizens who make over 90 per cent of the company’s professional staff.