On September 2009, a project of OL! Azerbaijan Youth Movement called “Free Thought University” (FTU) has officially started. Since the launching date till now this project has achieved outstanding results. During this period FTU conducted more than 150 interactive lectures, seminars and trainings and gave opportunity for more than 2,000 young people to participate in these events.

On November 2010, during the OSCE Summit in Astana, Free Thought University received first annual USOSCE Ambassadorial Award for the Freedom of Expression over the Internet.

OUR VISION

Azerbaijani youth faces serious deficiencies of timely information. Lack of necessary academic atmosphere in universities resulted in most innovative professors and students' activities being ceased or restricted. This causes students getting low quality education on their majors, along with being poorly informed about democratic values such as human rights and freedom of expression.

While communicating with students, it is perceived that they are in need of instructors with decent knowledge and critical thinking. Presence of a few such professors in local universities as well as dominance of conservative professors in academic life do not provide lively educational opportunities for the youth.

Our aim is to help our students to enrich their educational experiences by creating an alternative venue where they can gather and get knowledge comfortably, thus creating a real alternative education center in Azerbaijan.