Opportunities for transformation in university education in response to the changing demands of the labour market were discussed.

A roundtable on “Labour Market and Industry 4.0 Challenges” was held with the participation of representatives from higher education institutions, jointly organized by the Center for the Analysis and Coordination of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR), under the Ministry of Economy; the Education Development Fund (EDF), under the Ministry of Science and Education; and the U.S.-based company Coursera. The event focused on aligning academic programs with the needs of the modern labour market and integrating existing curricula into online learning platforms, with reference to global best practices.

Deputy Executive Director of C4IR, Soltan Bayramov, emphasized that the agile adaptation of the education sector to rapidly evolving technologies plays a vital role in forming the science and Industry 4.0 cluster. It was noted that mastering and applying technological innovations is crucial to succeed in a globally competitive environment.

Larisa Witcroft, Director of Partnerships at Coursera, one of the world’s leading online education platforms, and Vera Ignatieva, Head of Customer Success, gave a presentation on the integration of university programs with content provided by leading global tech companies and course providers. The presentation also touched on opportunities for localized content and partnership mechanisms tailored to Azerbaijan.

Following the presentations, participants exchanged views on new trends in the labour market, the role of digital skills, and the adaptation of educational programs to these changes.