VUSAL BEHBUDOV
+994 50255 6106


Education
George Mason University, VAUSA
Edmund S. Muskie Fellow
2005 - 2007 / MSc International Affairs: International Development/Conflict Analysis and Resolution
AzerbaijanUniversity, Baku, Azerbaijan
1999 – 2003 / BA Regional Studies and English
Skills and career progression
OSCE Office in Baku
National Democratization Officer
May 2008 to present
Baku, Azerbaijan /
  • Focal point on issues offreedom of the media, democratic governance, civil society support and human trafficking
  • Project development, implementation and monitoring
  • Monitoring developments in the democratization field and providing case analysis/opinion
  • Trial monitoring and reporting
  • Program design, analysis and resource scoping
  • Contact maintaining and coordination with experts, organizations and state institutions

UN DPI
Public Information Specialist (consultancy)
Oct 2007 – Feb 2008
Baku, AzerbaijanTbilisi, Georgia /
  • Supporting Press and public affairs officer with responsibility for communications strategy
  • Collecting and analysing information from available sources and writing press reports, news releases and media advisories for the media
  • Implementing/monitoring short-term projects on media development
  • Coordinating and maintaining contacts with state institutions, civil society organizations, including the international donor community
  • Monitoring developments and providing weekly briefings on political situations

Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution/US State Department/USAID
Projects Associate/Research Assistant
Oct 2005 – Oct 2006
Arlington, VAUSA /
  • Projects/research officer for activities on post-conflict analysis, human rights monitoring andpolitical development analysis in the Caucasus and Central Asia; two projects funded by USAID and US State Department
  • Designed a project on Policy analysis in Tajikistan and conductedregional needs assessments/analysis on regional political developments;
  • Research support and development of policy papers on the Caucasus and Central Asia

Save the Children (US)
Regional Program Associate
Mar 2004 – Aug 2005
Baku, Azerbaijan
NGO Support Center- NED
Projects Coordinator
Jan 2001 – Feb 2004 /
  • Regional program Coordination, $1.5m budget, 8 direct reports
  • Regional trainings for journalists in reporting on conflicts, human rights and socio-political issues
  • Regional trainings on investigative journalism
  • TV Program development on regional conflict transformation
  • Training needs analysis, curriculum development and course design on critical thinking in conflict prevention
  • Officer for projects on human rights, local media development, civic education, training of domestic observers, poverty reduction and local civil society building
  • Program analysis, evaluation, monitoring and reporting
  • Conducted trainings on NGO and Project Management, including monitoring and evaluation
  • Project design, implementation, monitoring and reporting
  • Training needs analysis, curriculum planning for workshops on human rights, NGO management, and civic education

Teaching Experience

Aug 2007 to present, Lecturer of International Affairs, Comparative Political Development and Conflict Analysis & Resolution, Baku State University, Baku, Azerbaijan

Awards & Acknowledgements

Open Society Institute/OSI Returning Scholars Teaching Fellowship; 2008-2009

For teaching courses on international affairs, comparative political development and conflict analysis/resolution at the Faculty of International Affairs and International Law, Baku State University.

Truk Family Award – ICAR, GeorgeMasonUniversity: Sept - 2006

For the outstanding excellence and qualifications in education, as well as for the professional contribution to the researches on international development, political violence, genocide and diasporas at the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, George Mason University;

Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship in International Affairs: 2005-2007

International Affairs sponsored by the US State Department Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and administered by International Research and Exchange Board (IREX-US;);

Democratic Leadership Fellowship of The Council of Europe: Oct - Dec 2002

Awarded to a select group of youth activists in the Council of Europe member countries who have clear and demonstrated commitment to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law;

Training & Conferences

Jun 2009/Certificate in Human Dimension Induction Course, OSCE/ODIHR; Warsaw, Poland

Jan-Apr 2006/Certificate in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, The United Nations Institute for Training and Research Programme of Correspondence Instruction in Peacekeeping Operations (UNITAR-POCI),NY, NYUSA

Mar 2005/Citizenship and Participation, Regional Youth Work Unit North East England/European Commission/British Council; North East England, UK

Nov 2003/Symposium “Youth Participation in Democratic Institutions – From Disillusionment to Participation”; Council of Europe; Strasbourg, France

Jul 2003/Summer Study Session on Federalism; Forum of Federations; Ottawa-Quebec, CanadaMexico, Mexico

Oct - Dec 2002/Democratic Leadership Program (DLP): Management+Leadership+Conflict Transformation+Human rights/Rule of Law”; Phase2; Council of Europe, Strasbourg, France

Sep 2002/Co-operation & Partnership between Civil Servants and NGO Leaders in Charge of Youth Questions; Council of Europe, Budapest, Hungary

Languages

Azeri – native; English – fluent; Russian – fluent; Turkish –fluent;