AUA Delegation Visits Goris

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YEREVAN, Armenia — On March 10, the American University of Armenia (AUA) Assistant Vice President Anahit Ordyan; Director of Admissions Meghry Khoshian; Director of Facilities, Services, and Events Hasmik Hovhannisyan, and Chief Communications Officer Narek Ghazaryan had a multipurpose trip to Goris to hold a series of informational presentations to prospective students, visit the Open Education (OE) office, and have meetings with local establishments.

During the visit, the AUA delegation held information sessions at high school N1 after Aksel Bakunts, high school N4, as well as Goris State University, presenting AUA’s programs of undergraduate and graduate study and financial aid opportunities, as well as sharing interesting personal experiences with these young audiences for encouragement to enroll in AUA’s programs. Special emphasis was placed on the newly-launched degree and certificate programs, notably the Bachelor of Science in Environment and Sustainability Sciences set to begin in Fall 2023 semester. At Goris State University, AUA’s graduate programs were in focus, informing students and addressing inquiries about pursuing further studies at AUA. 

The delegation then stopped at the AUA OE Center in Goris to meet with colleagues, observe an English class in progress, and interact with the children. As OE regional coordinator Hayarpi Avanesyan remarked, educating the children is of foremost importance to local families, some of whom use their savings to enroll their children in OE English classes. Considering the high demand for English classes for children as well as adults, OE is continuously in search of more qualified English teachers to add additional levels and groups.

The high point of the visit was the donation of three big boxes of books to the OE Goris library on behalf of the AUA community. The books were collected by AUA on Book Giving Day in the prior week and were mostly recent publications in both English and Armenian, primarily written for young children and teenagers. Library assistant Elen Hakhverdyan noted that the library is in the process of replenishing its inventory, particularly aiming at adding recent publications that are in high demand among students. “In this respect, the support provided by AUA and the AGBU Papazian Library is invaluable. We have received a considerable number of contemporary fiction books that will enrich our library collection,” she noted, adding that together with students, they have already planned what to read next in their reading club.

The establishment of the AUA OE Goris Center was made possible with the generous support of the Manoogian Simone Foundation, ContourGlobal, and the Goris Municipality. ContourGlobal facilitated the establishment of the Center through its partner companies, Voith Hydro (Germany) and EFACEC Power Solutions (Portugal), that generously contributed resources for renovating the Center and acquiring equipment and other necessities for its efficient operation. 

Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, affiliated with the University of California, and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission in the United States. AUA provides local and international students with Western-style education through top-quality undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs, promotes research and innovation, encourages civic engagement and community service, and fosters democratic values.