KHACHATUR ABOVYAN ARMENIAN STATE PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY

The first meeting of the ASPU Academic Board for 2018/2019 academic year was held on September 26.

ASPU Rector Ruben Mirzakhanyan congratulated all those who are celebrating their birthdays this month after which he bestowed an honorary title of ‘Professor’ on Samvel Poghosyan, the title of ‘Associate Professor’ on Ara Gevorgyan, Susanna Baghdasaryan, Astghik Balayan, Karine Mirzoyan, Lusine Soghomonyan, Armine Vahanyan, Hayk Grigoryan, Mariam Yeghyan and Levon Nazaryan.

Reforms in Pedagogical Internship
Head of the Internship Centre Vahan Sargsyan presented the current phase of the reform process. He underlined the success of the Google Classroom platform as a system providing consultation, monitoring and feedback with students.

“There is a need to introduce a concept of teacher consultants and psychology consultants who will also be guidance counselors and will teach how to work with learners, taking into account their abilities and professional preferences,” said Vahan Sargsyan. He stressed the importance of professional development schools and mutual quality assessment.

Vahan Sargsyan also spoke about the improvement of master internships. He said they plan to organize one phase of internship at schools, education and rehabilitation centers, to assess and summarize the results by a commission and ensure simultaneous operation of research and pedagogical components. Besides, it is envisaged to strengthen the scientific and methodological accompaniment, organize semi-annual seminars and raise the accountability of internship supervisors.

Ruben Mirzakhanyan once again stated that there are serious achievements in the field of teaching practices thanks to the effective collaboration with the University of Oulu in Finland. The Academic Board discussed other practice-related issues and approved the draft decision.

List of specialties and exams for 2019/2020 academic year
“Next year, Armenian State Pedagogical University will offer Bachelor's degree programmes in 40 specialties and distance learning Bachelor's degree programmes in 34 specialties. In addition, students can apply for Master’s degree studies in 55 specialties and another 6 specialties in the distance learning system. There will be no admission in Bachelor’s degree studies in Elementary Pedagogy and Methodology (Russian language teaching), Natural Sciences, German Language and Literature,” said Mher Melik-Bakhshyan, ASPU Vice-Rector for Education Process Planning and Organization. He added that no changes are foreseen in the entrance examinations.

Presenting the new order of final attestation of graduates of Bachelor's degree courses, the vice-rector said graduates will be free to choose the form of final exams. Besides, the recordings of the examinations will be kept not for 24 hours, but for 6 months.

Mariam Ispiryan, Secretary of the Academic Board, presented the Board’s academic calendars for 2018-2019.

Other Issues
Srbuhi Gevorgyan, ASPU Vice-Rector for Educational and Scientific Affairs, submitted for the Academic Board’s approval dissertation topics and books proposed for publication.

Dean of the Faculty of Special Education Siranush Karapetyan proposed to rename the Faculty of Special Education as Faculty of Special and Inclusive Education.

The Academic Board also approved the decision of the Faculty of Art Education to merge the Chair of Design and Decorative Applied Arts and the Chair of Fine Arts.

Hayk Grigoryan, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of History and Law, proposed the Academic Board to grant a scholarship after Movses Khorenatsi to Laura Rashoyan, a fourth-year student of the same Faculty.

By secret ballot, the Academic Board members awarded the title of Associate Professor to Armine Baghdasaryan and Armine Mikaelyan.