The “Parla” Scholarship and Development Program, jointly launched by the Education Development Fund and NEQSOL Holding for female university students, has been internationally recognized by winning two categories at the 2025 Stevie Awards for Great Employers. The program received a Gold award in the “Training Initiative of the Year - External or Client Program” category and a Silver award in the “Achievement in Diversity and Inclusion” category.
According to the Education Development Fund, as reported by “Tehsil365”, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers—widely recognized as one of the world’s leading business awards—annually honors organizations from around the globe for their achievements in human resources and employee development. The recognition of the “Parla” program reflects its strong commitment to professional growth, equal opportunities, and inclusive values on an international scale.
This achievement at the Stevie Awards serves as a significant source of motivation to further expand the program’s activities and increase its impact.
For reference, the “Parla” Scholarship and Development Program supports 50 female students each year. In 2023, out of 674 applications, 50 students were selected. Each of them received a monthly scholarship of 200 AZN for 12 months. Among the winners, 5 are wives of fallen soldiers, and 14 students successfully completed the program, with 3 of them gaining employment at NEQSOL Holding and its affiliated companies. The remaining 36 students are still benefiting from the scholarship.
In 2024, applications for the “Parla” program were reopened. A total of 791 students applied, with 120 of them shortlisted based on their goals, social background, extracurricular activities, and student life experience. After completing all selection stages, 50 students were awarded the scholarship. As a result, the number of young women benefiting from the program has reached 86.