The Faculty of Theology of Baku State University played a key role in the establishment of Azerbaijan Institute of Theology. It was established by the contract signed between the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Baku State University and Turkey Diyanet Foundation in the 1992-1993 academic year and functioned under Baku State University until 2017.
There was a need for the establishment of an independent higher education institution to ensure the interest of people in religion, preparation of high level specialists and development of the field of theology. Azerbaijan Institute of Theology (AIT) was established by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev's Decree no 3654 dated February 9, 2018, under the State Committee on Religious Associations of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
According to the Decree, the abolition of the Faculty of Theology at Baku State University and its inclusion in the structure of the newly established Azerbaijan Institute of Theology were implemented by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the 2018-2019 academic year.