PSIA Symposium with Representatives from St. John’s University Held at AUA

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YEREVAN, Armenia – On April 9, 2019, the American University of Armenia (AUA) Political Science and International Affairs (PSIA) program held a symposium with guests from the Institute for International Communications, St. John’s University, New York. The Symposium was titled Armenia on the Silk Road: Its History, Present and Future.

Dr. Basilio Monteiro, Director of the Institute for International Communications, and graduate students from St. John’s University –  Yige Mao, David Bierwirth, Yao Li, Fengying Zhan, Natalie Affenita, and Gohar Aznauryan (BA EC ’18) – delivered presentations on the History of Armenia on the Silk Road, Armenia’s trade policies with Iran, China, Russia, as well as the soft power of the Armenian Diaspora. During the event, PSIA students Elya Aghajanyan, Gayane Shakhmuradyan, Liana Simonyan, Alvina Saakyan, and Ani Matevosyan contributed to the discussion.

The presenters from St. John’s University also elaborated on the current geopolitical complexity of the South Caucasus and how the Republic of Armenia navigates through the regional challenges, using its diasporic soft power at the global level.

The symposium was a valuable opportunity for students to exchange ideas and expand their knowledge on Armenia’s role on the Silk Road, as well as to network with one another.

The video recording of the symposium can be accessed here.

The AUA PSIA program equips students with advanced analytical reasoning, critical thinking, and communication skills through the study of political science and international affairs, emphasizing local and global perspectives and practical applications of theory. The program aims to provide world-class research and teaching, through which graduates can best contribute to the development of the nation.