Is there room for LGBTQI+ students at Azerbaijani universities?

The idea of a "safe" or "supportive" university environment for LGBTQI+ students is almost entirely absent from public discussion in Azerbaijan. In recent years, however, some higher education institutions' internal documents with titles like "Inclusive Education," "Equality and Diversity," or "Anti-Discrimination Policy" that draw little attention from anyone, appear to address this topic in strikingly different ways. As Minority Azerbaijan, we reviewed the official documents of four universities to see what this picture actually looks like.

Legislation and the broader picture

Azerbaijan's national legislation does not prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity as a category. In ILGA-Europe's 2025 ranking, the country placed 48th out of 49 European states in terms of legal protections for LGBTQI+ people. This context serves as the essential backdrop against which any progress found in university documents should be assessed.

UNEC: "Inclusion" limited to the concept of disability

Azerbaijan State University of Economics (UNEC) has operated an "Inclusive Education Center" since 2015. The Center describes its own mission as follows:

"Our mission is to create an inclusive and supportive environment for all members of the UNEC community, with particular attention to students and faculty with disabilities."

Although the Center is named "Diversity, Inclusion, Equality," every area of activity listed in its official brochure, adapting housing, preparing materials in Braille and sign language, and psychological support, is directed solely at students with disabilities. Among the Center's stated goals is this line:

"The Center's main objective is to create every possible condition for university students with disabilities and to ensure their full integration into the educational process at Azerbaijan State University of Economics."

The documents make no reference whatsoever to sexual orientation, gender identity, or LGBTQI+ students. This illustrates just how narrow the current public and institutional meaning of "inclusive education" is in the country.

Baku State University: sexual orientation named explicitly in an official document

At Baku State University (BSU), the country's largest and oldest state university, the mission statement of the "Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy," published on its Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) portal, reads:

"The Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy aims to maintain equal rights for representatives from various races, genders, religions, ages, ethnic diversities, socioeconomic backgrounds, financial disadvantages, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, sexual orientation, and people with disabilities."

BSU's "Anti-Harassment and Anti-Discrimination Policy" mentions "gender identity" twice:

"Acts are therefore forbidden, even if they are not unlawful, if they: Limit employment opportunities, access to university housing, or participation in academic, athletic, social, cultural, or other university activities inappropriately based on age, color, gender, gender identity, disability status, height, marital status, national origin, political persuasion, race, religion, or weight; or Harass any University community member(s) based on their age, race, religion, veteran status, height, marital status, country origin, gender identity, disability status, or weight."

ASOIU: the most forward-leaning example

The most notable finding of this investigation emerged from the documents of Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University (ASOIU). The introduction to its October 2025 "Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy" states:

"ASOIU recognizes that diversity encompassing differences in gender, age, ethnicity, disability, socio-economic background, religion or belief, sexual orientation, and other personal characteristics enriches academic and professional life, fosters innovation, and strengthens institutional excellence."

The same document's "Forms of Discrimination and Unacceptable Behaviour" section states:

"ASOIU prohibits all forms of unlawful or unfair discrimination, including but not limited to discrimination based on gender, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, religion or belief, language, sexual orientation, or social or economic background."

Its March 2025 "Anti-Harassment and Discrimination Policy" goes even further. The document's definition of discrimination separately lists "gender or gender identity" and "sexual orientation," and it also names its own distinct category for gender-transition-related harassment:

"Gender Reassignment Harassment: Involves name-calling, jokes, exclusion, misgendering, humiliation, or unequal treatment of individuals undergoing or who have undergone gender reassignment."

The document expresses the university's obligation this way:

"The university upholds its legal and ethical obligation to ensure equal treatment for all staff members, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, gender identity, disability, or age."

ASOIU and BSU appear to be drawing on a similar template as part of international SDG reporting requirements.

Azerbaijan Medical University: a bit of silence

Interestingly, documents built on a similar international template do not always arrive at the same result. Azerbaijan Medical University's (AMU) "Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy" and "Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy" are structurally similar to ASOIU's and BSU's documents. But in its "Key Principles" section, the protected characteristics are listed as follows:

"All employees and students must be treated equally, regardless of Race, Nationality, Religion, Language, Gender, Origin, Financial status, Beliefs, or Membership in political parties, trade unions, or other public associations."

Nowhere on this list do the terms "sexual orientation" or "gender identity" appear. AMU's "Student Wellbeing and Safety Policy" likewise contains no reference to this subject.

Minority Azerbaijan notes that these findings should be interpreted with caution. The existence of a written policy document does not automatically guarantee the actual institutional culture, staff preparedness, or how a queer student would in fact be received on campus. Even so, the mere fact that the terms "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" appear, on paper, in the official, leadership-approved documents of state universities in Azerbaijan is rare — and worth noting.

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