KHACHATUR ABOVYAN ARMENIAN STATE PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY

The studnets of the Pedagogical University spent a two-week internship in Switzerland. Exchange of experience, professional discussions, team work activities, new methods of teaching, familiarization with modern art, visits to museums; this is how busy the students’ two-week internship was organised at the town of Bülach in Switzerland. Within the framework of cooperation among the Pedagogical University, the Zurich University of Arts, and the “Artas” Foundation, 8 Fine Arts studnets and 2 lecturers had an opportunity in the first week of the internship to get familiarized with the educational system in Switzerland, learning processes, methods of organising classes, made preparatory activities.

During the second week Armenian and Swiss students applied their theoretical knowledge in practice in 4 groups of four consisting of two Armenian, two Swiss members with preliminarily selected topics and prepared programme, and conducted a lesson in one of schools of Bülach.

The Lecturer of Armenian State Pedagogical University Chair of Fine Arts Davit Hovhannisyan, highly appreciating the initiative undertaken by the University, considers internships spent abroad very effective for both students and lecturers.

“In my future teaching practice I will surely apply the patterns of culture, approaches and methods that our Swiss partners possess, specifically the incredibly high and seamless level of communication between lecturers-students, lecturer –lecturers”, mentioned Davit Hovhannisyan and highlighted that the two weeks’ effective trip had a huge significance for students in terms of acquiring new practical knowledge and developing skills.

“In the whole process of internship, the ASPU studnets demonstrated high professional level and active participation in organised discussions, after which they skilfully conducted subject-related open discussion lessons. And the high appraisal of the Swiss colleagues for our students served as a proof for all that”, Davit Hovhannisyan proudly mentioned.

Among the attendants at the students’ open discussion lessons was the ASPU Vice-Rector for Personnel and International Cooperation Mr. Ara Yeremyan. During his three-day visit the Vice-Rector met with the Head of the Swiss students and lecturers’ teams Dagmar Reichart. Recalling the meeting held in Yerevan in April, they spoke about the quality and effective work of the studnets in Switzerland, their arrangement to present future cooperation plan. Likewise, Mr. Ara Yeremyan and Dagmar Reichart were looking forward to having continuous cooperation, thus strengthening the Swiss-Armenian intercultural links and creating the opportunity for involving more studnets in the project, including other Faculties of the University.