Social Research Center Presents Key Achievements Over Six Years of Activity

Operating under the motto 'Your Opinion is Our Work!' the Social Research Center (SRC) has actively contributed to shaping and implementing policies related to social research, analysis, forecasting, and public opinion studies in Azerbaijan over the past six years (2019–2024). The Center has systematically analyzed the dynamics of various socio-political relationships reflecting national interests, identified existing trends, forecasted changes, and assessed their potential impact on society. Leveraging modern information technologies and scientific methodologies, SRC has conducted extensive public opinion research and social studies, delivering its analytical findings to government bodies. Beyond research, the Center has played a key role in organizing public hearings and debates on socially significant issues, fostering collaboration with civil society institutions, and establishing and managing broad discussion platforms.

Since officially launching in April 2019, the Center has operated according to an approved action plan, conducting sociological surveys, analytical assessments, and policy reviews that cover the country’s socio-economic and political landscape. Additionally, it has analyzed the progress of reforms implemented by the President, producing various reports, policy briefs, and position papers, which have been presented to national leadership, relevant institutions, and the public.

From its inception, the Center has conducted public opinion polls on the President’s domestic and foreign policy initiatives, producing analytical reports and policy overviews based on the findings. Notably, for the first time in Azerbaijan, these surveys were conducted on a regular basis using scientific methodologies commonly applied in global research on the 'Trust Index,' which measures public confidence and support for national leaders. Over the six-year period, SRC has conducted 13 survey projects as part of the “Public Perception of the President’s Performance: Trust Index” series.

During the reporting period, the Center’s staff produced over 145 analytical reports, analyses, and summary documents—both publicly available and internal—as well as more than 800 documents encompassing research, policy, positions, and recommendations. Moreover, the staff also completed 13 book projects, authored over 190 scientific articles, and produced upwards of 820 analytical commentaries, expert evaluations, and academic-publicist writings. Additionally, SRC team members took part in 187 scientific conferences, seminars, webinars, and training sessions at both national and international levels.

In fulfilling its mission, the Center has maintained close collaboration with state and local self-governing bodies, international and non-governmental organizations, foreign institutions, and both legal entities and individuals. Over the past six years, SRC has established connections with both local and prestigious international think tanks. From day one, the Center has prioritized engaging with global organizations, governmental institutions, universities, and research centers to explore best practices and integrate international expertise into its work. Key efforts have included leveraging global databases, facilitating experience-sharing, executing joint projects, and positioning itself as a reputable international think tank. To date, SRC has signed more than 20 memoranda of cooperation with various institutions worldwide.

The Center has taken another significant step in strengthening its relationships with international organizations by adhering to its membership priorities. It has become a member of the global ESOMAR platform, a leading organization for promoting and advancing the field of public opinion analytics worldwide. Unlike individual memberships, which are typically based on personal applications, corporate membership grants the organization’s employees comprehensive access to ESOMAR’s resources in an organized manner. By obtaining corporate membership, SRC has connected its brand to an international platform, thus creating broader opportunities for engagement.

As part of its collaboration with state and private organizations, the Center has carried out a total of 21 research projects, which have been widely recognized as notable examples of cooperation between the public and private sectors.

During the reporting period, SRC conducted sociological research based on both quantitative and qualitative methods in line with its statutory objectives, studying public opinion on various topics. The surveys carried out by the Center serve as an important source for objectively reflecting society’s views on social, economic, and political processes. Extensive analyses have been conducted across regions to explore citizens' opinions and concerns in various sectors.
A professional approach has been applied in implementing public opinion-based research projects. Sociological surveys are designed according to the objectives of the research, covering the entire country, specific regions, or targeted groups. Over its six years of operation, SRC has carried out 144 sociological survey projects (135 local and 9 international surveys). These surveys have reached a total of 132,160 respondents across the country. In addition, 543 respondents were involved in qualitative research projects, including in-depth interviews and focus group discussions.

Various methods (CATI, CAPI, CAWI, PAPI) have been used for data collection, while tools such as SPSS, R-Studio, Nvivo, and other software have been employed for data processing. Depending on the objectives of the research and the data collection methods, different sampling techniques, such as cluster sampling, stratified, simple, systematic, and others, have been applied. For interviews and focus groups, a non-random selection method was used to choose respondents who met specific criteria. Computer-assisted interviews have been conducted using the "SurveyToGo" software.

One of the Center’s key responsibilities, as defined by its Charter, is to regularly interpret government policies, ensure their accessibility to the public, and organize and implement the communication of the government’s work in various sectors to the population. During the reporting period, SRC staff were consistently invited as experts by media organizations in the country, making active appearances on television and radio broadcasts as well as in print and online media, providing interviews and insights. Over the six years, SRC staff have given more than 12,500 interviews and made numerous media appearances.
In addition, various social, economic, political, and scientific topics have been discussed on television programs hosted and authored by SRC staff, including "Real tədqiqat" on Real TV, "Arxa plan" on Füyuzat TV, "Baxış" on İki Sahil TV, and "Sizin həmsöhbət" on Yeni Azərbaycan TV. These programs were produced and broadcast for the audience. SRC also launched the new Global Bridges project, which involved interviews with prominent foreign experts and politicians (such as Matthew Bryza, Sebastian Schäffer, Paul Goble, James Moran, Maxime Gauin, and Steven Pfeiffer) on current issues. These interviews were uploaded to the Center's YouTube channel. Additionally, key theses from these discussions were shared on several leading national websites.

SRC staff also played an active role in the COP29 events, with over 40 media mentions related to their participation.

To promote the development of professional expertise in social research, enhance staff knowledge and skills, and overall improve human resource potential, the Center regularly organizes training sessions, seminars, and meetings. Furthermore, SRC staff continue their education at various higher education institutions, including doctoral programs at the National Academy of Sciences and master's programs at universities, to further develop their knowledge, skills, and research capabilities.

Additionally, students from some of the country's top universities have participated in internship programs at SRC, where they have conducted research on various scientific topics under the guidance of Center staff. Through this, they have gained hands-on experience with survey methods and research techniques.

SRC's "Social Research" scientific periodical was registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Azerbaijan on August 6, 2019, under registration number 4248. In March 2021, the International Centre for the registration of serial publications in Paris awarded "Social Research" with an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) certification (ISSN 2788-8789 for print and ISSN 2959-5223 for online). During the reporting period, more than 75 scientific articles were published across four issues of the journal in Azerbaijani, Turkish, English, and Russian. The journal also has dedicated online and Facebook pages in two languages—Azerbaijani and English.

Over 2,050 materials have been published on the official website of the Center. Additionally, more than 650 videos have been released on STM TV and other platforms, reaching a wide audience. Moreover, starting from the last quarter of 2024, the SRC website has been updated with a new design. This update is part of the center's ongoing efforts to improve its operations and ensure that the website meets modern standards.

Regarding social media activities, SRC has been active on platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter/X. Over the six-year period, more than 7,000 posts were shared across SRC's social media accounts (Facebook: 2,188 posts, YouTube: 679 videos, Instagram: 1,543 posts, and Twitter/X: over 1,933 posts).

The results achieved from 2019 to 2024 demonstrate the significant contributions of SRC to the social, economic, and scientific development of the country and society. In the coming years, SRC plans to expand its scope further with new projects and international collaborations.

As the world is rapidly changing, reliable information is essential for making informed decisions. SRC has consistently emphasized the importance of scientific research and objective analysis in contributing to the development of an information society. Science, analytics, and research serve to strengthen our community, and SRC proudly continues this mission.

For more detailed information, you can visit www.stm.az or follow SRC's official social media accounts.