UFAZ Secretary General Charlotte Payen has represented UFAZ (ASOIU) today at the SHE Congress organised in the Boulevard Hotel Baku. (Smart. Happy. Elegant.). It is a great opportunity for intelligent and smart (business) women to get together and discuss important issues as well as exchange experience and valuable tips from their own work experience. Mrs Payen spoke about the importance of setting big goals and improving on the way of implementing those big goals. Among other panel speakers were the CEO of the Ekonomika and the SHE Congress, Caroline Savage from the Public Affairs section of the US Embassy in Baku and Sada Davud, representative of the ISTEK Lyceum in Baku.

Ms Payen spoke about the importance of setting big goals and not giving up to the social pressure. She has also shared her vision of the role of UFAZ in educational development of Azerbaijan and the purpose behind the creation of the French-Azerbaijani University.

"Your goals should not be imposed by the social pressure or anyone outside. It is important to always question yourself and look for the answers within youself. Your goals can change with time: you can have one goal at your 20s and then different at your 30s and 40s. This is normal. 

The motivation behind UFAZ is to try to synthes the positive aspects of the French and Azerbaijani systems of higher education. We are trying to create the same educational conditions for our students as if they were studying in France".

Other panels included leading women in public and private sector from Azerbaijan as well as Turkey, UK and USA. These were Nargiz Nasrullayeva (Advisor of CEO of the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan), Aliya Azimova (head of the International Finance Corporation Baku office), Sona Abbasova (Director of Communications of PASHA Bank), Zinyat Valiyeva (Co-Founder of the Disabled Women Society), Reyhan Camalova (Founder of the Rainergy), Dr Ozge Akbulut (Founder of Surgitate, Turkey), Aradhana Khowala (CEO&Founder of Aptamind Partners) etc.