KHACHATUR ABOVYAN ARMENIAN STATE PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY

At the invitation of Armenian State Pedagogical University, Samantha Shann, President of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT), visited ASPU on October 21. WFOT has an important role in the field; it coordinates the activity of ergotherapy associations in the world and educational programmes.

Within the framework of the visit, the WFOT president met with ASPU ergotherapists (occupational therapists), presented the current situation of the field, existing problems and challenges. She also spoke about WFOT’s programmes and methodology.

Zhanna Harutyunyan, National Consultant on Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology at World Health Organization Country Office in Armenia, was also present at the meeting.

The latter presented WHO’s stance on providing rehabilitation services and introduction of assistive technology (AT) as well as the planned changes in the RA laws related to the occupational therapist’s profession.

By the initiative of Marianna Harutyunyan, ASPU Vice-Rector for Human Resources and International Cooperation, Samantha Shann had a working meeting with Karen Trchunyan, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Armenia.

During the meeting, the parties stressed the need to restore ergotherapist’s specialty in bachelor's degree programs at ASPU. Since the 2014-2015 academic year, the profession has been included only in master's programmes: "There is a need to restore the discipline in bachelor’s degree courses. For years, it has had its own place and role among the university specialties. There is great public demand too," Marianna Harutyunyan said in a conversation with old.aspu.am. The vice-rector added that the discipline is being developed. In addition, an agreement has been reached with the World Federation of Occupational Therapists that the programme will be reviewed and approved by the structure: “ If proved successful, the first internationally recognized professional educational programme will be introduced in the ASPU bachelor’s course starting from the next academic year," said Marianna Harutyunyan

 She added that a large-scale conference is planned to be held in the near future which will focus on the problems of the shere.