The word academy is a broad concept, and it means scientific centers covering the fields of science, higher education and art in Greek. The term academy entered scientific circulation in ancient Greece with the name of Plato's Academy, which was considered the first academy in the world, founded in Athens in 387 BC. Thus, the place where the ancient Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle held their conversations at the famous Plato's Academy, which operated in the 4th century BC, was associated with the name of Hekadem, who was mentioned as one of the demigods in ancient Greek mythology. When Plato founded his famous educational institution, by choosing that sacred place called the Hakadema grove, he also conveyed the divinely sacredness of his ideals regarding science and education, and he served this ideal responsibly until the end. That place was considered sacred in the eyes of the educated people of ancient times.

Plato's Academy gained great fame in the world as a higher education institution operating under the leadership of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato (428-347). The fact that Aristotle (384-322), the greatest thinker of antiquity and all the periods of development that humanity has gone through, studied at this Academy played an important role in the world fame of Plato's Academy. For Plato, who did not have a family life, the Academy was exalted as the main driving force of the fate of not only himself, but also of the family of Greek society as a whole.

Later, Academies in the world gained the status of scientific research institutions where scientists worked, scientific research and discussions were conducted. Since the Middle Ages, individual countries have created their own Academies.

According to their functions, the Academies of Sciences are divided into several groups as follows:

1. National Academies of Sciences (Academies of Sciences also belong to this group)
2. International Academic Institutions (International Scientific Council; Academy of International Partnership between Academies, International Association of Academies of Sciences, etc.)
3. Associations of Academies of Sciences (For example, the Association of Asian Academies of Sciences and Scientific Societies)
4. Academies of Sciences by field (Academy of Medicine, Academy of Engineering, Academy of Pedagogical Sciences, etc.)
5. Academies covering the fields of Science and Education (American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Russian Academy of Arts, etc.)
6. Academies of Science and Arts (currently, this is how the Academies of Sciences of most European countries are called)
7. Academies of Science and Technology (this format has been adopted for Academies in Asian countries).
8. Academic institutions of a scientific-research nature, called institutes (American Institute of Standards and Technology).
9. Academy-type scientific institutions operating within universities.
10. Royal Academies (Britain)
11. Pontifical Academy (Rome)
12. Academy-type scientific societies
13. Scientific Research Laboratories with Academy status (For example: US Naval Scientific Research Laboratory)
14. Academic organizations of young scientists and specialists (International Academy of Young Scientists, German Youth Academy, etc.)

In the former Soviet Union, the Academy of Sciences format was adopted, which included all fields of science on the scale of the USSR and for the allied republics. The highest state scientific organization of our country, which continued its activities as the Academy of Sciences of the Azerbaijan SSR during the years of Soviet rule, gained the status of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences by the Decree of the National Leader of our people, prominent statesman Heydar Aliyev dated May 15, 2001.

Academies operate under various names around the world. In the United States of America, the main academic institution continues its activities under the name of the National Academy of Sciences. The vice-presidential positions in the Academy of Sciences, headed by the President of the US National Academy of Sciences, are held by the Presidents of the American Academies of Medicine and Engineering.

The Academy of Sciences, established in 1949 in the People's Republic of China, operates as the National Academy of Sciences.

In Russia, the Academy of Sciences was established as the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences by decree of Peter I on February 8, 1724. Later, it was renamed the Imperial Academy of Russia, and during the Soviet era, it was renamed the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. Currently, this scientific organization continues its activities as the Russian Academy of Sciences.

In England, the Academy of Sciences is known as the Royal Society. This academic scientific organization, also called the Royal British Academy, was founded in 1860.

Although there are several Academic scientific-organizational institutions in Germany, the function of the Academy of Sciences is performed by the German Research Foundation. The main scientific-research institutes and universities in the country operate as members of the German Research Foundation.

The Academies of Sciences, which were established under different names in France at different times, continue to operate under different names. However, the French Institute, which was established in France in 1795 as a scientific research institution, has the status of the main scientific organization. The French Institute combines several academic institutions established in the country. Thus, the French Academy, which was established before it in 1635, the French Academy of Manuscripts, which began operating in 1663, the French Academy of Sciences, which has been operating since 1866, the French Academy of Arts, which was established in 1795, and the French Academy of Political Sciences and Moral Sciences, which has been operating since 1832, are all part of the French Institute.

Most countries on the European continent have Academies of Sciences. The oldest Academy in Eastern European countries is the Russian Academy of Sciences, which was established in 1724. The Hungarian Academy of Sciences has been operating since 1825, the Romanian Academy and the Croatian Academy of Sciences since 1866, the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences since 1869, and the Serbian Academy of Sciences since 1882. Academies of Sciences in other countries in Eastern Europe were formed during the 20th century. Thus, most of the Academies operating in Slovenia (1938), Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic (1952), Bosnia and Herzegovina (1966), North Macedonia (1967), Albania (1972), Montenegro (1976), and Rostov (1978) are called Academies of Sciences and Arts.

The history of the establishment of Academies of Sciences in Western European countries is older than that in Eastern Europe. Thus, the Italian Lincei Academy of Sciences was founded in 1603, the German Academy of Sciences in 1652, the British Royal Society of Sciences in 1660, and the French Academy of Sciences in 1866. The process of establishing Academies of Sciences in Western European countries continued in the 18th century. The Academies of Sciences of Denmark (1742), Sweden (1739), Portugal (1779), and Ireland (1785) have continued to make significant contributions to the scientific, technical, and cultural development of their countries for more than three hundred years.

The Royal Swedish Academy has been responsibly carrying out the mission of determining the Nobel Prizes, the most prestigious award in the world, for more than a century.

The establishment of Academies in Western Europe was completed in the 19th and 20th centuries. The Royal Netherlands Academy has been operating since 1808, the Austrian Academy since 1847, the Spanish Royal Academy of Sciences and Nature, and the Norwegian Academy of Sciences and Letters since 1857. In this part of Europe, the Icelandic Scientific Society (1918), the Finnish Academy of Sciences and Letters (1908), the Academy of Athens (Greece) (1926), and the Vatican Pontifical Academy have been operating since 1936. In subsequent periods, the Turkish Academy of Sciences (1993), the Royal Belgian Academy of Sciences and Arts (2001), and finally the Swiss Academy of Sciences and Arts (2006) were established, completing the establishment of academies not only in Europe but also in the world.

Fundamental and applied research is successfully continued in the Academies of Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences (1724), the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences (1918), the Belarusian Academy of Sciences (1928), the Estonian Academy of Sciences (1938), the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences (1941), Armenia, Uzbekistan (1943), Azerbaijan (1945), Georgia, Kazakhstan, Moldova (1946), Turkmenistan, Tajikistan (1951), Kyrgyzstan (1954) from the countries that joined the former USSR. In general, twenty-four out of 49 countries on the Asian continent have Academies of Sciences. The oldest Academy of Sciences in Asia is the Royal Society of New Zealand, established in 1867. The Mongolian Academy of Sciences was established in 1921, the Indian National Academy of Sciences in 1935, the Japanese Science Council, which functions as the Academy of Sciences in Japan, and the Academy of Sciences of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the Korean Academy of Sciences in 1952, the Pakistan Academy of Sciences in 1953, the Australian Academy of Sciences and the South Korean Academy of Sciences in 1954. Currently, academic institutions such as the Israeli Academy of Social Sciences and Humanities (1961), the Royal Scientific Society of Jordan (1970), the Bangladesh Academy of Sciences (1973), the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology and the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (1975), the Philippine Academy of Science and Technology, the National Academy of Sciences of Sri Lanka (1976), the Singapore Academy of Sciences (1977), the Afghan Academy of Sciences (1978), the Nepal Academy of Sciences (1982), the Indonesian Academy of Sciences (1990), the Malaysian Academy of Sciences (1995), the Palestinian Academy of Sciences, the Taiwan Academy of Sciences (1997), the Academy of Sciences of the Islamic Republic of Iran (1998), the Royal Academy of Cambodia (1999), and the Lebanese Academy of Sciences (2007) are operating in the Asian continent. The Academy of Sciences of the People's Republic of China, which is the largest Academy of Sciences in Asia, has 64 thousand employees. The State Academy of Sciences of the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea has 50,000 employees, and the Academy of Sciences of Vietnam has 1,800. The Nepalese Academy, which is not engaged in scientific research activities but performs the functions of an academic club, has 40 employees, the Philippine Academy has 36, and Afghanistan has 35 employees who perform administrative duties.

There are 24 Academies of Sciences in Africa. The Ethiopian Academy, considered the oldest academy in the world, was founded in 1137. The Egyptian Academy of Sciences has been operating since 1922. On the black continent, Academies of Sciences are operating in Morocco (1952), Sudan (1956), Ghana (1959), Madagascar, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Congo, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo, Ivory Coast (1960), South Africa (1961), Uganda, Algeria (1962), Kenya (1963), Zambia (1964), Zimbabwe (1964), Mauritius (1968), Benin, Mozambique (1975).

In addition, there is the Association of African Academies of Sciences, which coordinates and guides African Academies of Sciences and scientific institutions.

The main international scientific organizations that unite numerous Academies in the world are as follows:

1. International Union of Academies - IUA (Paris - 1920).

Includes 63 Academies of Sciences.

2. International Council of Science - ICSU (Paris - 1931).

Includes 201 Academies of Sciences and scientific societies in 145 countries.

3. International Union of Academies of Sciences - IAR (Italy, Trieste - 1993). Consists of 119 Academies of Sciences and scientific organizations.
4. International Partnership of Academies - IAP (Italy, Trieste - 2016). 140 Academies of Sciences and scientific organizations are members of the ABT organization.
5. International Association of Academies of Sciences - IAAS - MAAN (Kiev - 1993). Consists of CIS Academies of Sciences and other academic organizations.
6. European Federation of Academies of Natural Sciences and Humanities - ALLEA (Germany, Berlin - 1994).

It unites 59 Academies and scientific organizations.

7. European Academy of Sciences - EASAS (Germany, Jagerberg - 2001). Also called the Advisory Council of the European Academies of Sciences.

In 1919, it included the Academies of Sciences of 25 countries.

8. Network of African Academies of Sciences - MASAS (Kenya, Nairobi - 2001).
9. Network of Academies of Sciences of Islamic Countries - NASIC (Pakistan, Islamabad - 2004).

It unites the Academies of Sciences and scientific organizations of 57 countries.

10. Association of Asian Academies of Sciences and Scientific Societies - AASSA (South Korea, Seoul - 2012).

It is organized from the Academies of Sciences of 34 countries.

11. World Academy of Sciences and Arts - VAAS (USA, Napa - 1960).

It has 730 members from 78 countries.

12. World Academy of Sciences - TVAS (Italy, Trieste - 1983). It was founded with the participation of Nobel Prize laureate Abdas Salam. In 2019, it had 1,200 members from 90 countries.
13. World Youth Academy - GYA (Germany, Gallena - 2010)
14. Latin American Academy of Sciences (USA, San Francisco - 1982).
15. Islamic Academies of Sciences - IAS (Oman, Jordan - 1986).

Consists of scientific organizations from 57 countries.

16. European Academies (London - 1988).
17. European Academy of Sciences and Arts (Austria, Salzburg - 1990).

It has 1700 members.

18. European Academy of Sciences (Belgium - 2003).

570 members. 15 of them are Nobel laureates.

19. Arab Academy of Sciences (Lebanon, Beirut - 2002).
20. German Young Academies - YAR (2012).

The first academy-type scientific institution in Azerbaijan was the Maragha Observatory, founded in the 13th century, in 1259 by the prominent scientist Nasir al-Din Tusi. Maragha Observatory was a universal academic institution, and in addition to astronomy, research was conducted on such scientific fields as mathematics, medicine, metaphysics, philosophy, calligraphy, and others. The Tabriz Darush-Safa Academy campus, founded in the 14th century and led by Rashid al-Din, also had a universal scope of activity and covered many sciences and educational fields.

In addition, the organization of science in our country was resumed in the 20th century. Thus, the Society for the Study and Application of Azerbaijan, established in 1923, is the predecessor of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences. Later, the Azerbaijan Scientific Research Institute, which operated in 1929-1932, conducted research on the model of a small academic institution and began training a new scientific generation through postgraduate studies. The Azerbaijani branch of the Transcaucasian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences and the Azerbaijani Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences were already organized scientific institutions.

Finally, on March 27, 1945, the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences was established as an independent scientific organization. Academician Mirasadulla Mirgasimov was elected the first president of the Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences, Shamil Azizbeyov and Heydar Huseynov were elected vice-presidents, and Mirali Qashqai was elected academician-secretary.

The years 1969-1982, when the National Leader of our people Heydar Aliyev led Azerbaijan, are considered the renaissance period of the Academy of Sciences. During these years, excellent scientific schools were established at the Academy of Sciences, our science became known worldwide beyond the borders of the Soviet Union, and a new scientific generation was formed. Unfortunately, this pace of development was not maintained after the Great Leader took over the leadership of the USSR. Even in the early years of independence, statements were made about the abolition of the Academy. Therefore, 1983-1993 are considered a period of decline and crisis for the Academy of Sciences. With the return of the outstanding statesman Heydar Aliyev to political power in the independent Azerbaijani state, as in other areas of the republic, great revival processes began, and the interests of the country were brought to the forefront. Therefore, 1993-2003 entered our scientific history as the stage of the founding of the National Academy of Sciences.

The stage that began in 2003, when the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev headed the Republic of Azerbaijan, is divided into 2 periods: 1. The period of modernization and development (2003-2021); 2. The stage of renewal and reforms (from 2022). Currently, the National Academy of Sciences, as an equal member of the World Academies Association, performs the function of a scientific carrier of the national interests and humanistic ideas of Azerbaijani science. The National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan is successfully advancing in the ways of serving the state interests of our country and the national interests of our people.

The National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan is a member of the following international scientific organizations: International Union of Turkic Academies (Astana), International Scientific Council (Paris), Academy for International Partnership between Academies (Italy, Trieste), Association of Asian Academies of Sciences and Scientific Societies (South Korea, Seoul), International Association of Academies of Sciences - MAAN (Minsk), Eurasian University Association (Istanbul), Caucasus University Association (Istanbul).

In addition, the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences has agreements on mutual cooperation with the Academies of Sciences of the following countries around the world: Turkey, People's Republic of China, Russia, Italy, Bulgaria, Belarus, Hungary, Ukraine, Georgia, Lithuania, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Poland, Romania, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Montenegro, Greece, Pakistan, Vietnam, South Korea, Mongolia, Arab Republic of Egypt, Algeria, etc.

The Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, whose 80th anniversary was celebrated by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev dated March 18, 2025, is a higher state scientific organization that unites Scientific Departments and Regional Scientific Centers.

Currently, the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences includes the Departments of Humanities and Social Sciences, Physics-Mathematics and Technology, Chemistry, Biology and Medicine, Earth Sciences, Nakhchivan and Ganja Departments, 16 scientific research institutes, the Scientific Center of the Azerbaijan National Encyclopedia, the Central Scientific Library, Sheki, Lankaran and Guba Regional Scientific Centers, and the "Elm" publishing house.

Important steps are being taken in the National Academy of Sciences to re-examine and evaluate the ideals of Azerbaijaniism and literary and historical personalities. The study of Karabakh and Western Azerbaijan, and the advancement of Turkology to the forefront are priority areas. At the same time, in accordance with the challenges of the 21st century, artificial intelligence, digital development, green transformations, and electronic services are the current directions of academic scientific circulation. The National Academy of Sciences, which continues to renew itself as the main scientific center of our independent state, successfully continues its multifaceted scientific and organizational activities, and takes important steps in the renewal processes on the paths of development towards tomorrow.

The goal and main objective of the National Academy of Sciences is to step forward without turning back for the priorities and goals set for our country by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

Having an Academy of Sciences is one of the main indicators of the scientific, technical and cultural development of countries.

Developing the Academies of Sciences means giving impetus to the overall development of the country.

Our native National Academy of Sciences, happy 80th birthday!

October 21, 2025

Isa HABIBBEYLI

President of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, academician

“525-ci qazet”