The Expanded Sarkis Cabayan Program at AUA Extension

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YEREVAN, Armenia — Effective March 2024, American University of Armenia (AUA) Extension will begin offering several new courses for women’s professional development with steadfast financial support by longtime AUA benefactor Hriar Cabayan. This expanded program builds upon the ongoing course offerings that have included English language training, as well as Introduction to Business, Finding Markets, Financial Management I and II, Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Business Communication.

The expanded professional training curriculum is specifically geared toward improving participants’ knowledge, skills, and competencies to upgrade individual effectiveness and open up new opportunities for women’s career advancement. By incorporating several cutting-edge courses in various areas of specialized expertise, such as Project Management, Accounting, Social Media Marketing, Communication Mastery, and more, the expanded Cabayan Program will help working women improve their knowledge of English for career advancement and develop leadership, expertise, and influence appropriate to the changing marketplace. The program uses the building-blocks approach to enable continuous self-improvement and life-changing mind shifts that uncover participating women’s full potential.  

Thus, the Cabayan-sponsored expanded program’s additional module, RISE, constitutes four components: Reconstruction, Initiative, Strategy, and Execution. In the Reconstruction phase, participants work on reassessing their intellectual capacity to identify strengths and weaknesses that correspond to current circumstances and demand in the marketplace and can be prioritized accordingly. Next, they take Initiative to upgrade knowledge, skills, and competencies that enable progress and consequently formulate individual Strategy to advance themselves to the target level. Finally, they move on confidently to the Execution phase, where planned goals and objectives turn to reality.

These phases may include rebuilding a first-rate resume and preparing for job interviews; gaining advanced knowledge of management and authority; growing intellectual power and influence for greater impact; and seeking out cutting-edge leadership and management training that enhances individual abilities to best support high performance, manage teams, and influence organizational outcomes. For most, this process also fosters creative development, helps participants reach stretched performance goals as part of their larger professional or personal development plan, upholds ethical standards and corporate accountability, and enhances the leadership skills that take a participant’s organization to the next level of performance.

AUA Extension is the non-degree educational program of the American University of Armenia (AUA), with programs especially geared to meeting the educational needs of individuals from diverse backgrounds and occupations, as well as governments and corporate organizations. AUA Extension offers a comprehensive range of courses and certificate programs, including language classes, test preparation courses, and a wide range of professional development training. Through its regional centers around Armenia, AUA Extension expands opportunities for locals to thrive and contribute to the development of their communities. Additionally, AUA Extension provides testing services on behalf of various standardized tests for college admission and exams for international professional certification.