PSIA Students Gain Hands-On Experience at the OSCE and the UN

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YEREVAN, Armenia – For the third year in a row, students from the American University of Armenia (AUA)’s Political Science and International Affairs (PSIA) program visited the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the United Nations (UN) as part of the “International Relations in Theory and Practice” course taught by Dr. Syuzanna Vasilyan, assistant professor in the PSIA program and Jean Monnet Chair of European Studies. The OSCE visit took place on October 31, 2013, and the United Nations visit took place on November 5, 2013.

Mr. Oliver McCoy, democratization program manager of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, Armenia, and Ms. Maria Dotsenko, representative of the UN Department of Public Information in Yerevan, Armenia, spoke about the respective international institutions. They discussed the roles the UN and the OSCE play in fostering security and peace, democracy, human rights and the rule of law, economic development, and environmental protection in Armenia and beyond, as well as the internal and external obstacles that they face. Relevant resources were also provided to students for academic use and emphasis was put on the importance of engaging youth in different initiatives such as Model OSCE, Model UN, and youth contests.

“These visits are organized every year in the fall semester, to help PSIA students relate the theoretical and policy knowledge gained in classroom to political practice as experienced on the ground. By being granted an opportunity to visit organizations like the OSCE and the UN, to learn from practitioners and to be able to pose questions concerning contemporary developments in the world, they become exposed to information, which is essential for them as MA students of international relations, and inter-governmental institutions, which may become their prospective workplaces,” said Dr. Syuzanna Vasilyan.

Mr. Oliver McCoy, democratization program manager of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, speaks to AUA students at the OSCE.

AUA students at the OSCE.

Ms. Maria Dotsenko, representative of the UN Department of Public Information in Yerevan, presents the role of the UN to AUA students.

PSIA students visit the UN in Yerevan, Armenia.

 

 

Students were eager to learn more about the UN.

Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia and affiliated with the University of California. AUA provides a global education in Armenia and the region, offering high-quality, graduate and undergraduate studies, encouraging civic engagement, and promoting public service and democratic values.