SABAH Groups

Admission to the SABAH Groups at the Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts (ASUCA) began in 2015 in the fields of Directing and Acting. The main objective of the initiative is to create an environment conducive to sustainable, long-term and comprehensive improvements in the quality of higher education; support the personal and professional development of Azerbaijani youth; expand opportunities for experience- and student-exchange; and prepare highly skilled and well-qualified specialists in line with the needs of the labour market.

In 2023, admission was also conducted in the field of Creative Writing and Screen Dramaturgy (Screenwriting).

The SABAH Groups at the Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts provide students with opportunities to develop and strengthen their creative abilities and further their professional development through practical experience beyond the classroom. These opportunities include internships and practical training, domestic and international touring trips, performances of student productions on professional theatre stages, and participation in theatre and film festivals and various creative projects.

The SABAH Center is currently headed by Honored Artist Nofal Valiyev. Konul Alakbarova serves as Coordinator for Student Affairs and Academic Advisor. In addition to ASUCA faculty members, the SABAH Groups engage specialists from the Ministry of Science and Education’s teaching pool for SABAH Groups, as well as professionals from the field.

The teaching staff includes prominent representatives of Azerbaijan’s arts and cultural community, including People’s Artist Mehriban Zaki; Honored Artists and Cultural Figures Aydin Talibzade, Rafiq Guliyev and Hafiz Guliyev; Honored Cultural Workers Asad Asadov and Mehman Nadirov; Honored Artists Nargila Garibova and Ali Isa Jabbarov; PhD holders Elchin Jafarov, Farida Jalilova, Irada Khalilova, Lala Kamalova, Azad Jafarov, Mahira Hajiyeva, Parvin Badalbeyli, Goychak Mahmudova and Kifayat Bunyatova; and faculty members Associate Professor Nadir Huseynov, Mikayil Mikayilov, Jeyhun Dadashov, Ruslan Ismayilov, Fikrat Malikov, Hilal Damirov and Shovkat Maharramova, among others.

SABAH Group Student Selection Procedure

The admission process to the SABAH Groups consists of three stages:

Stage I – Registration: Students register for the competition provided that they have no outstanding academic debts and have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 61 points.
Stage II – Testing: Applicants take tests in Logic and English. The English-language component consists of 50 questions, while the Logic component consists of 50 questions. Applicants are given 2 hours to complete the test.
Stage III – Interview: Candidates are selected through interviews conducted by a commission appointed by the Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Notes

Students may participate in the competition only in the field of study in which they are currently enrolled.
Students who need to transfer from one higher education institution to another in order to study in a relevant SABAH Group may participate in the competition provided that the academic difference between the curricula of the relevant programs at the two institutions, based on the first academic year, does not exceed two subjects.
Candidates who participate in all stages of the competition are assessed based on the results of the respective stages, taking into account the relevant weighting coefficients, as well as their admission scores for higher education institutions.
Assessment throughout all stages is based on the following criteria:
Academic performance (GPA);
Test examination results;
Interview results;
Admission score for the higher education institution.
Acting

Specializations:

Acting for Drama Theatre and Film
Musical Theatre Acting
Directing

Specializations:

Film Directing
Television Directing
Theatre Directing