KHACHATUR ABOVYAN ARMENIAN STATE PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY

On June 17, Armenian State Pedagogical University hosted a meeting of the Board of Trustees, with the election of the ASPU new rector being the main issue of the agenda.

Prior to voting, Kamo Vardanyan, Head of the ASPU Research Centre and a member of the Board of Trustees, introduced the only candidate – Ruben Mirzakhanyan, his biography, scientific, educational, social and political activities and assured everyone in the name of the academic staff that Mr Mirzakhanyan deserves to be re-elected as the ASPU Rector considering his human qualities, as well as professional skills and abilities.

In compliance with the procedure, Ruben Mirzakhanyan, the candidate for the position of Rector of Armenian State Pedagogical University, presented the directions of the University's strategic plan, specifically initiatives to improve the quality and efficiency of education, process of University’s internationalization and development of research directions. These, the rector stressed, need urgent solution and attention.

“Any attempt to imitate best practices is useless and dangerous unless it is adapted to the particularities of national education,” the rector stressed presenting the Board of Trustees the forms and methods used at the University in the recent years for knowledge testing, conduct of qualification examinations and new methods of teaching.

Speaking about the development of research directions at the University, Mr Mirzakhanyan said they intend to do everything to ensure that lecturers view students as their junior colleagues and future successors. He also stressed the strengthening of university-school ties, saying universities should be aware of the school curriculum framework. “The strength of every country lies in its schools,” he said.
His speech was followed by a number of questions by the Board members which concerned the University's strategic plan, its conformity with the national educational programme, etc.

Hravard Hakobyan, Professor, Doctor of Arts, a member of the Board of Trustees, has worked with different rectors but she confesses that Ruben Mirzakhanyan brought a new quality to the University. The Professor stressed that the link between the University and research institutes is poor; it is important to strengthen it for the development of all scientific specialties.

“I have connected my life with this University for 23 years – at first as a student, postgraduate student and then as a lecturer. Throughout these years, the University has passed through many things for which I am also thankful to the former rectors. This is the University of Mesrop Mashtots’ heirs; hence we need to ensure that teaching becomes the most popular profession in our country. The future of our country depends on it,” said Eduard Sharmazanov, Vice-Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly, a member of the Board of Trustees and a lecturer at the ASPU. He added that a good knowledge is not enough for a person to be called a teacher; the latter should improve his/her knowledge every year to keep abreast with the times, system of value and new requirements.

Manuk Mkrtchyan, Deputy Minister of Education and Science and a member of the Board of Trustees, hailed the work done at the University in the recent years as well as the activity of Ruben Mirzakhanyan. At the same time, he made several proposals, offering, in particular, to open a military preparedness department at the University.

Hamik Poghosyan, another member of the Board of Trustees and Minister of Culture of Armenia, emphasized in her speech the University’s active participation in various cultural programmes and activities, offering to double pedagogical orientation in Library Science, Museology (Museum Studies). She stressed only the Pedagogical University prepares specialists in the aforesaid spheres.

Avetik Gevorgyan, a student of the Faculty of History and Law, thanked Ruben Mirzakhanyan on behalf of the Student Council and students for carrying out a student-centered policy during his term of office, assuring everyone that it was at that period that the University had numerous achievements locally, nationally and internationally.

According to the rules, the Board members elected the rector by secret ballot. Summarizing the results, the three-member counting committee announced that with 19 votes for, 1 against and 1 abstention, Professor Ruben Mirzakhanyan was re-elected as ASPU Rector for a term of five years.

The newly elected rector thanked the Board members for the trust and promised to meet their expectations, at the same time realizing the great responsibility laid on the largest teacher-training institution.

During the meeting, Ruben Mirzakhanyan presented Galust Sahakyan and the Board members the structural changes underway at the Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, and Faculty of Education Psychology and Sociology, the reconstruction of the ASPU building situated at 20 Garegin Nzhdeh in Yerevan and other issues.

Galust Sahakyan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, congratulated Ruben Mirzakhanyan on his re-election as ASPU Rector, wishing him success and new achievements.