KHACHATUR ABOVYAN ARMENIAN STATE PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY

On 4 May, the official presidential inauguration took place at the San Jose State University, California, USA: this is a fact that deserves particular attention not only for the reason of San Jose State University being one of the oldest state educational institutions on the US East Coast, but also because of it being the largest higher education centre operating among the developed and exceedingly competitive higher education institutions in the States for more than one and a half centuries. Likewise, it deserves attention not only for the fact that thousands of the University’s graduates are directly offered positions by such giants of the IT sphere as the Apple and Google companies, and get employment at the creative and progressive centre of the modern IT sphere- the Silicon Valley, but for the reason that the Government of the State of California, the leading scientific community, and students actually voted for our co-patriot, PhD Mary Papazian. This is already the second American University the governance of which is assumed by Professor Papazian. By her invitation, the ASPU Delegation led by the Rector, Professor Rouben Mirzakhanyan, visited the San Jose State University.

The aim of the visit was not only to establish cooperation between the two Universities by the initiative of Mr. Mirzakhanyan and by the patriotic support of Professor Papazian, but also organization of possible practical discussions on the spot.

Among those participating in the ceremony were the State authorities, the Mayor, Rectors of around twenty Universities and officials thereof, as well as the representatives of the leading scientific community. PhD, Professor Papazian is the 29th President of the University and the 3rd female Rector in the 160 years of history of the University.

She stated with particular pride her Armenian origin, the dedicated work of her ancestors, who survived the Armenian Genocide, to the sphere of education all for longevity and decent life.

The inauguration held with a special ceremony was followed by business meetings between the Rectors of the ASPU and the San Jose University where they discussed the establishment of cooperation between the two Universities on practical and realistic grounds. They expressed their mutual desire to collaborate within the scope of educational programmes, joint academic and research activities, as well as, if possible, to implement students’ exchange programmes.

Tigran Mickaelyan
USA, California