The general management of Azerbaijan State Marine Academy is performed by the Academic Council which is currently organized and lead by the vice-chancellor.  The composition of the Academic Council for  academic years of 2015/2018 has been approved in accordance with "Regulations on Academic Council of Higher Educational Institutions" dated 10th of October 1997 issued by the Minister of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan and approval by Mr. Rauf Valiyev - the chairman of  "Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping" Closed Joint Stock Company date 19th of October 2015, no. RV03/01-575.

The validity period of the Academic Council is 3 years.  Premature re-organization of the Academic Council may be performed by request of 2/3 of its members.

Academic Council of Azerbaijan State Marine Academy shall :

• Adopt, make changes and amend the Charter of the Academy;
• - Approve progression programme of ASMA, determine the most important direction of progression of ASMA and resolves various matters relating to education and science and organize international relations of the Academy ;
• approve workplace standards (rules) for students, teachers, employees, postgraduate students, postdoctoral students and participants ;
• approve regulations, instructions and other regulatory documents ;
• Hear annual report of the vice-chancellor on the activities of the higher education institution ;
• Hear annual report of ASMA on financial activities of ASMA ;
• Consider the cases relating to training, improvement of professional skills and additional training of specialists as well as academic staff and resolve all issues relating to disciplinary and scientific research ;
• Establish commissions on the matters relating to educational and scientific, as well as social economic and production activities, hear their reports and make relevant decisions ;
• Elect the Scientific Secretary of the Council amongst members of the Academic Council for the purposes of organization of Councils work, preparing meetings and ensuring control over execution of decisions made ;
• Resolve all matters relating to establishment, liquidation and re-establishment of faculties (departments), sub-departments and other structural divisions of ASMA ;
• Hear educational, scientific research and disciplinary reports of faculties (departments) from time to time ;
• Submit documentation to Higher Attestation Commission for awarding of academic ranks such as "professor" and "senior lecturer" ;
• Present employees of ASMA to be rewarded with state honorary titles and awards, as well as, with orders and medals ;
• Approve curriculum ;
• Determine guides for holding of examinations and criteria of assessment ;
• Approve composition of Scientific and methodological Council of ASMA ;
• Establish and approve the composition of the Commission which holds competitions for holding positions of head of subdepartment and dean.

The Academic Council performs its activities based on the working plan drawn up for each academic year and academic semester.  Meetings of the Academic Council are held at least once per month.  The action plan of the Academic Council is adopted upon being discussed at the meeting and the approved by the vice-chancellor.

Decisions of the Academic Council in respect of all issues relating to -  educational, scientific and disciplinary issues are made through open voting on the basis of a simple majority of votes,  whereas the decisions,  relating to election and recalling of higher education teaching staff, deans of the departments as well as decisions relating to submission of proposals for awarding of  academic titles such as a doctor or philosopher degrees or honorary degrees, are made through undisclosed voting as applicable .

Participation of at least two-thirds of members of the Academic Council is mandatory for making a valid decision.  If more than 50 percent of those participating in the meeting vote for the issue under discussion, in this case, the decision shall be considered valid.

However, the decisions of the Academic Council shall come into force only after approval by the vice-chancellor of ASMA.

Minutes of meetings of the Academic Council are always drawn up. Afterwards, such minutes are signed by the chairman and secretary of the Academic Council and maintained by the scientific secretary.

The Chairman of the Academic Council organizes regular checks of the Council's decisions and informs the members of the Council on the implementation of the decisions made.

If there is a good reason - if the decision of the Academic Council is found not to be objective and contradicting to law, the decision of the Academic Council may be liquidated by Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Closed Joint Stock Company or Tthe Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan.