On July 29, 2024, Ganja State University (GSU) launched a summer school as part of the Erasmus+ KA2 program titled “Developing  Research Capacity through Institutional Network Repositories (Electronic Archives) in Azerbaijan” (DIRNA), coordinated by Khazar University.

During the 5-day summer school, representatives from Azerbaijani partner universities involved in the project—Baku State University, Azerbaijan Technical University, the Academy of the Azerbaijan State Customs Committee, Ganja State University, Nakhchivan State University, Lankaran State University, and Mingachevir State University—along with European partners from Finland’s University of Jyväskylä, Italy’s University of L'Aquila, and Türkiye’s Izmir Institute of Technology, are taking part.

Ganja State University Rector Yusif Yusibov addressed the opening ceremony of the summer school, highlighting the significance of the trainings scheduled within the project. He noted that the project would not only facilitate open access to research results but also enhance the management of scientific research and strengthen scientific collaborations between higher education institutions.

Irada Khalilova, Rector of Khazar University, discussed the DIRNA project's crucial role in boosting the research potential of universities, expressed appreciation to Ganja State University for organizing the summer school, and wished the project success.

Raziye Isayeva,  Khazar University’s Development Director, provided detailed information about the project. She explained that the project’s aim is to establish an electronic archive network to collect and preserve printed materials, articles, books, and other scientific publications from Azerbaijani universities on a single platform, while also ensuring that these materials are accessible to the international community. Additionally, the project seeks to enhance the functioning of electronic archives in Azerbaijan, elevate the visibility of conducted scientific research, and facilitate its integration into the global arena.

Gultekin Gurdal, Director of the Library at Türkiye’s Izmir Institute of Technology, gave a presentation discussing the role of university libraries in advancing education and research, the developing of research capacity through Institutional Repositories (Electronic Archives), and Türkiye’s experience in this area. Representatives from Italy's University of L'Aquila—Anna Tozzi, Francesco Tarquini, and Grazia Dibartolomeo—delivered hybrid presentations on topics including "Open Access and the Benefits of Open Science," "Open Science Tools," and "Library Systems and the Role of Open Access."

Note that representatives from European partner universities will give presentations and share their experiences on topics such as "The Importance of Open Science and Institutional Repositories," "Ethics of Open Publishing, Copyright, Legal Issues," "Technical Requirements and Features of Institutional Repositories," and "Reliable Research and Innovations, Trusted Publishers for Research" during the 5-day summer school at Ganja State University, which will continue until August 2.