Orkhan Yolchuyev — Director and Co-founder of the Center. A historian and international journalist with extensive experience. He is the author of numerous articles and interviews on topics such as politics, culture, economics, history, and more. Orkhan has worked in leading Azerbaijani and Russian publications as a political observer and foreign correspondent, was part of the press pool of the President of Azerbaijan, and led the development of digital platforms for media agencies.

 

 

Miri Baghirov — Deputy Head and Co-Founder of the Center. Defines the strategic direction of the Center’s analytical work and provides expert oversight for key projects. Oversees the preparation of analytical outputs and the development of strategic recommendations for partners and clients. Expert in international affairs and intergovernmental processes.

 

 

 

Nargiz Mammadova – Research Fellow  in international relations. Her primary areas of professional focus include the politics of the South Caucasus, as well as the European Union and the United Kingdom. At the Center, she works as an analyst, with a particular research interest in the integration of artificial intelligence into international relations and its implications for diplomacy and global political processes.

 

 

 

Distinguished Fellows

 

                                         M. Gökhan Özçubukçu 

Researcher and analyst specializing in diplomacy, international relations, and geopolitical analysis. As President of the Center for Diplomacy and Strategic Studies (DASAM), he conducts analytical work on Eurasian geopolitics, the Turkic world, Turkish foreign policy, theories of nationalism and identity, and political communication. His publications and analyses address issues such as the Karabakh conflict, Turkey–Azerbaijan relations, the Shusha Declaration, the political system of Armenia, the global power potential of BRICS countries, and the Zangezur Corridor. He collaborates with various international think tanks and strategic research platforms, serves on the scientific boards of academic journals, and regularly provides expert commentary on international affairs in media outlets and analytical platforms.

 

Vakhtang Maisaya

PhD in Politics, Master’s degree in Public Administration, USIA Alumni, Chairman of the Georgian Institute for Geostrategic and Euro-Atlantic Integration Studies and member of the Independent Experts’ Club of Georgia. He has held senior advisory positions in Georgia’s security and foreign policy institutions, including State Advisor to the President on Caucasus Regional Security Affairs, senior advisor to the Ministry of Defence, and Councillor at Georgia’s Diplomatic Mission to NATO Headquarters. Currently, he is Professor of the MA Program at Caucasus International University (CIU), Professor and Head of the MA Program Global Politics and Security Studies (CIU), Visiting Professor at Tbilisi State University, and Adjunct Professor at universities in Poland. He is the author of six monographs and over 200 academic publications, with more than 25 years of professional experience as a journalist and analyst in geopolitics, security, and international affairs.

 

Adilbek Ermenbayev 

PhD in International Relations. His research interests focus on Central Asia, the Middle East, Russia, and Turkey. Over the years, he has served as Deputy Dean of a faculty, Chair of the Youth Affairs Committee, and Head of the Center for Social and Religious Risks. Since September 2020, he has been affiliated with the Department of International Relations and World Economy at the Faculty of International Relations of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. He is the founder of Questioning Regional Affairs, one of the largest analytical center in Central Asia.

 

Consulting Fellows 

 

László Vasa – Consulting Fellow in international relations, Central Asia, the Caucasus, international agricultural economics, natural resource economics, and trade policy. He holds degrees in agricultural economics, German–Hungarian translation, and an international MBA, and completed his PhD and habilitation at Szent István University, Hungary. He previously served as Associate Professor and Vice Dean for International Affairs at the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences. László Vasa is currently a Research Professor at Széchenyi István University and a private professor. He is a professor and PhD supervisor in Hungarian and international doctoral schools, a member of editorial boards of several peer reviewed journals, and an active participant in international academic networks as a visiting professor and honorary doctor at universities in Japan, Russia, and Kazakhstan.

 

 

Fuad Chiragov – Consulting Fellow in international relations, defense, and security. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Baku State University and master’s degrees in international relations from Baku State University and Columbia University, United States. He has lectured at several universities in Azerbaijan, delivering courses on United States foreign policy, national security, and US policy in the South Caucasus.

 

 

 

Rauf Agamirzayev – Consulting Fellow in international transport corridors and logistics, specializing in the development of regional transit and logistics systems. Taking into account Azerbaijan’s strategic position, he conducts in-depth analysis of the Middle Corridor, multimodal transport, and railway and port infrastructure projects. His expert commentary and publications contribute to shaping regional transport policy and improving Eurasian logistics routes, with regular appearances in local and international media, alongside analysis of urban mobility and public transport issues.

 

 

Ilyas Huseynov –Consulting Fellow, PhD in Political Science. Author of more than fifty academic publications. He serves as Head of the Department of Domestic Policy Analysis at the Center for Social Research and is the author of numerous analytical reports and research studies. He is also a lecturer at the Department of Sociology at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Psychology of Baku State University.

 

 

Associate Fellows

 

 

Toghrul Valikhanli – Associate Fellow in international relations. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Russian Language and Literature from Baku Slavic University, a second bachelor’s degree in Law from Cairo University, and a Master of Business Law in European and International Energy Law from the Technical University of Berlin. He is currently pursuing a PhD in International Relations at Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University. His research interests include European energy law and policy, arbitration, Russian foreign policy, Middle Eastern studies, international law, and international relations.

 

 

 

Tamilla Mamedova – Associate Fellow in international politics and economics. Her work focuses on the South Caucasus, Azerbaijan’s foreign economic relations, energy policy, and cooperation with the European Union, Türkiye, and the Gulf states. She publishes analytical materials, conducts expert interviews, and provides commentary on key developments in international affairs.

 

 

 

Laman Nazarova – Associate Fellow in international relations. She specializes in geopolitical dynamics in the South Caucasus and Central Asia, as well as in the analysis of regional connectivity initiatives, including transport and logistics corridors and their impact on regional strategic architecture. She publishes analytical materials, conducts expert interviews, and provides commentary on regional and global developments.

 

 

 

...Elmira Amiraslanova – Associate Fellow in international relations. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University College London (UCL). Her analytical ...focus includes Russian foreign policy in the South Caucasus and broader geopolitical dynamics in the region. She publishes analytical materials, conducts ...expert interviews, and provides commentary on regional developments.

 

Samad Samadsoy – Associate Fellow specializing in international conflicts, armaments, and security. His research focuses on military political developments in post Soviet states, Russia NATO relations, and transatlantic security.