KHACHATUR ABOVYAN ARMENIAN STATE PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY

Armenian State Pedagogical University is hosting these days Gor Sargsyan, Director of the Confucius Institute in Armenia, Yang Meihua, Director on behalf of Chinese side, Zhu Ruiping, Director of Chinese Language & Culture College of Beijing Normal University and Chan Sieuzi, a representative of the same institution.

During the working meeting, the Armenian and Chinese partners discussed avenues for deepening cooperation between the two universities in question, preconditions for introducing Chinese at ASPU as a profession and issues related to joint projects.

Ara Yeremyan, ASPU Vice-Rector for Personnel and International Cooperation, welcomed the guests and assured them that the Pedagogical University is ready to cooperate and develop ties between the two universities. The vice-rector stressed that ASPU attaches great importance to the Chinese language, the culture of the country and is ready to develop educational programs and curricula in that direction.

“To be able to cooperate effectively we need to know each other very well,” Zhu Zhoupi said adding that during their visit to Armenia they planned to have a number of business meetings and specify details of the agreement signed between the rectors of the two universities in 2016. 

Zhu Ruiping underlined that the Chinese Language & Culture College of Beijing Normal University has a great experience of international cooperation with a number of leading universities, which is an important condition and a good beginning for new cooperation.

“The two universities have the same mission, i.e. to educate future teachers,” he said stressing their great interest in ASPU.

Tigran Mikaelyan, Dean of the Faculty of Foreign Languages at ASPU, presented the picture of foreign languages at the Pedagogical University. He added that in case Chinese is introduced at ASPU, it will become a unique language which will introduce a unique culture. “We have a great interest in the Chinese language. We hope that we will be able to provide a corresponding academic environment,” Mr. Mikaelyan added.

Cooperation between ASPU and the Chinese Language & Culture College of Beijing Normal University also implies development of curricula and educational programs.

In this context, Mkrtich Avagyan, Head of the Education Reforms and Quality Assurance Department at ASPU, spoke about the activities carried out by the Department he heads. He assured everyone that the University has a great experience in developing foreign language curricula and educational programs.

“There are unique principles and approaches for teaching each language and to develop them we need to create a working group first. Your experience of international cooperation should be localized as a result of our joint work. In case we succeed, we shall have a new profession - Chinese Language and Culture introduced at our University,” Mr. Avagyan said. He assured everyone that ASPU attaches great importance to foreign languages and their teaching at the University.

At the end of the first working day, the Chinese guests were received by ASPU Rector Ruben Mirzakhanyan. He introduced the history of the 95-year-old university and its faculties to the guests and spoke about the activity of the largest pedagogical smithy.

"I assure you that we are resolute to cooperate with the Chinese side, as we highly appreciate the history, culture and rich traditions of the Chinese people,” Mr. Mirzakhanyan. He also asked the guests to convey his invitation to the rector of Beijing Normal University.

During the meeting, the ASU rector also spoke about the University’s achievements in chess, sports and culture and expressed hope that the upcoming reciprocal visits will provide an opportunity to get acquainted with the directions for future cooperation.

Zhu Ruiping thanked for the warm reception adding that the discussions with the Armenian colleagues were productive and interesting. “If Chinese is introduced at the Pedagogical University as a profession, it will be of great importance for both countries,” he said adding that it is a great honor for them to cooperate with ASPU.

Let us add that the Chinese guests will also be hosted by the Faculty of Culture and Faculty of Art Education on the sidelines of the working visit.