Society News 27 October 2026 12:03 (UTC +04:00)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 27. A digital competencies framework is being prepared in Azerbaijan, separately for the general population and for civil servants, the head of the Digital Competencies Development Department at the Innovation and Digital Development Agency (IDDA), Vusala Gurbanova, said during the event on "Digital skills: today's results, tomorrow's opportunities" held in Baku on Tuesday, Trend’s correspondent reports from the event.
According to her, an assessment of the digital literacy of various population groups in the country, including schoolchildren, university students, and teachers, is currently underway. At the same time, the digital skills of civil servants are also being evaluated. Out of the approximately 30,000 civil servants included in the scope of this assessment, nearly 29,000 have participated in the survey.
Gurbanova noted that cooperation is being maintained with the Austrian Agency for Economy, Employment, and Development regarding the creation of a digital competence framework. This initiative is based on the Digital Competence Framework (DigComp) endorsed by the European Union.
"In collaboration with this agency, we are preparing a digital competence framework tailored for Azerbaijan. We are working on two separate documents: one intended for the general population and the other for civil servants. This is because the digital literacy and competence requirements of these two groups are not the same," she pointed out.
According to the department head, it is not feasible to wait for the preparation of framework documents and the completion of assessments before taking action to enhance digital skills. The rapid development of technology necessitates that training in this area be conducted immediately.
"We cannot afford to wait, first drafting a framework document, then conducting assessments, and only then working to improve the population's digital literacy. We don't have time; we must accelerate. That is why we have already begun the training," Gurbanova explained.
She also touched upon the "Digital Horizons" project, which is aimed at developing the digital skills of civil servants. She noted that training sessions under the project began on October 12, and as of October 27, 4,210 civil servants had received a certificate from IRIA.
Gurbanova remarked that civil servants from the regions have also been actively participating in the project. According to her, civil servants from the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic have shown particular engagement in terms of submitting applications and providing information.
The department head emphasized the importance of expanding training on digital literacy for accelerating digital transformation within the public sector. According to her, the development of competency frameworks for the general public and civil servants will facilitate the organization of training tailored to specific needs and enable the systematic development of digital skills.