Only months after The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was officially registered in the Republic of Azerbaijan, BYU and the Azerbaijan Institute of Theology sign a groundbreaking agreement.
Since the 1960s, Brigham Young University, located in Provo, Utah, has actively worked to widen the variety of world languages it teaches. Of the 84 languages regularly offered (more than any other US university), one in particular, Azerbaijani, has opened doors for students, faculty, and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Shortly after becoming the first university in the US to teach Azerbaijani, BYU and the Azerbaijan Institute of Theology (AIT) began working to establish cooperative educational ventures on both campuses based upon their shared commitments to education, language, and religious study.
On October 7, 2024, Ramin Mammadov, chairman of the State Committee on Affairs with Religious Associations for the Republic of Azerbaijan; Jeff Ringer, associate international vice president of BYU; and Scott Miller, dean of the BYU College of Humanities, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two educational institutions, officially opening the door for future collaboration.
The agreement allows faculty and students at both institutions to begin outreach involving both campuses. As noted in the document, this collaboration will serve three main purposes: to enrich student experiences, to enhance faculty research, and to promote global service. Miller anticipates that students and faculty will begin to plan for language exchange programs, study abroad opportunities, and collaborative research projects. More importantly, he adds, the MOU “opens doors for BYU student learning, for expanded scholarship, and for new experiences of brotherhood and sisterhood in the world.”
The Republic of Azerbaijan, located on the Caspian Sea at the juncture of Eastern Europe and West Asia, is a country of 10.5 million people bounded by Russia, Iran, Turkey, Georgia, and Armenia. A former Soviet republic, it now is a major oil and gas exporter. Although a predominantly Muslim country, it has a rich history of religious pluralism. The AIT was founded in 2018 to promote the study and preservation of the country’s diverse religious heritage.
Miller believes that working alongside another faith-centered institution will present a unique opportunity for the Church. “I think it’s a great opportunity for just connecting with people in a different country who historically have had very little to do with the United States,” he explains. “And with the Church being officially registered in Azerbaijan, this connection can help link a church-sponsored school, BYU, with AIT, a government school having a religious focus.”