H.E. Ilham Aliyev studied at Moscow State University of International Relations (MSUIR) and received a PhD degree in history in 1985. From 1994 to August 2003, he was vice-president of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR). In 2003, Ilham Aliyev was for the first time elected as President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and holds the position since. He has also been president of the National Olympic Committee of Azerbaijan since 1997. President Aliyev has received numerous international honours and awards.