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From 8-10 October, a conference was organized on the initiative of the RA Government and the UN agencies headed “Development of Management and Managerial Skills for Sustainable Development”; among those participating in the conference were representatives of state government and self-government authorities, 12 international organizations, more than 60 representatives from 30 countries.
The aim of the two-day conference was to summarize the activities aimed at sustainable development as a result of cooperation and exchange of experience, to discuss issues referring to development of the fields of public management, science and education, natural resources, as well as other directions of sustainable development.
The Pedagogical University was one of the cooperating organizations of the conference, which was, by the way, entrusted with the organization and conducting one of the plenary sessions.
The activities of the two-day conference within the section of “Science and Education for Sustainable Development” took place at the Pedagogical University during which the teaching –professorial staff of the ASPU and other universities’ were present together with students, representatives of NGOs, as well as guests from Germany, the Netherlands, the USA, Slovakia, and Tajikistan.
The University’s Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Ms. Srbouhi Gevorgyan welcomed those present; she considered it to be quite reasonable that the Pedagogical University was the venue for the conference.
“The Pedagogical University gives a lot of attention to sustainable development in the field of science trying to a greater extent support the UN activities aimed at sustainable development in Armenia. Besides, the ASPU Department of Ecology and Sustainable Development serves as a proof, as the provisions for sustainable development are taught almost at all faculties, and the MA Ecology students study the sustainable development practice and theory together with the international experience of the field”.
The RA Deputy Minister of Science and Education Mr. Manuk Mkrtchyan in his turn introduced a report on the subject of “Problems and Requirements for Realization of Ideas of Sustainable Development”.
The reporter introduced three theses the third one of which was particularly highlighted as the main philosophical one. Passing to the important role sustainable development of education and science he considered the human-society-nature relations as a starting point.
Furthermore, Mr. Manuk Mkrtchyan spoke about the competition and cooperation considering cooperation as the pledge for building up the best society and future.
“There can be no development in case of self-deception.”
Moreover, the reporter also referred to the secondary education issues, educational and teaching questions at the Pedagogical. “There will be the next generation if there is the process of building the future; future is to a great extent conditioned by what you will choose – competition or cooperation”, summarized Mr. Manuk Mkrtchyan.
The UN representative of Education for Sustainable Development Committee Ms. Gayane Poghosyan introduced the 2004-2014 ESD analyses, the process, strategy, aims, and activity fields.
The latter also discussed the three stages and core topics of education for sustainable development, legislative regulation in Armenia and organizational mechanisms.
Likewise, the speaker presented the analyses of the state of sustainable development of education in pre-school institutions and secondary education sector of Armenia.
Later during the conference the ASPU Head of the Department of Ecology and Sustainable Development Ms. Karinei Danielyan introduced her report on the subject of “Education for Sustainable Development; practice, problems, challenges and perspectives”, during which she reminded that society-nature conflict was already existing for a long term and that would fully change the human life.
Similarly, Ms. Karinei Danielyan spoke about her participation at the “Rio +20” UN summit and observed that our country could allocate ample and positive experience in sustainable development, generate a strategic plan consisting of a concept paper and activity plan.
Further on during the conference, the ASPU Professor Mr. Ashot Khoyetsyan presented his report on “the Role of Geography in Sustainable Development”, the Director of Centre for Ecological-Noosphere Research, the Deputy Director of the Engineering Research Centre of the American University of Armenia Mr. Armen Saghatelyan delivered his report on “Scientific Research Aimed at Sustainable Development in Armenia”, followed by the report of Mr. Artak Ghambaryan about “Snow Reservoirs as a sustainable factor of water resources”.
And last but not least, the conference was concluded with active discussions where the participants had a chance to share their approaches about the issue.
