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Հայերեն (Armenian)
YEREVAN, Armenia — On November 17, the Center for Ethics in Public Affairs (ETICA) at the American University of Armenia (AUA) launched the first volume of its flagship publication, ETICA: A Yearbook of Ethics and Public Affairs, marking a significant milestone for the Center. The celebration also featured the unveiling of ETICA’s official website, further strengthening the Center’s presence and accessibility to the academic community and the wider public.
Co-edited by Professor Maria Baghramian and Dr. Arshak Balayan, and issued by AUA Press, the Yearbook publishes peer-reviewed academic articles in Armenian and in English. The debut volume focused on the theme of Science, Policy, and Expertise, bringing together articles from Armenian and international contributors. The volume is available open access, both in print and online. The print version is available at AUA’s AGBU Papazian Library. This publication was made possible through the support of a Horizon Europe ERA Chair Grant from the European Commission.
ERA Chair and ETICA Director Professor Baghramian opened the event by welcoming attendees and inviting AUA Provost, Dr. Alina Gharabegian, to launch the Yearbook. The Provost highlighted the long-term importance of the Yearbook for AUA’s research culture, noting its potential to inspire emerging scholars and strengthen the University’s academic profile.
“A publication of this kind strengthens our research ecosystem. It gives younger scholars a path into international discourse, and it reinforces AUA’s long-term institutional profile as a place where serious, rigorous work can take shape and thrive,” said Dr. Gharabegian. “Institutions mature through habits, and one of the most important habits a research university can cultivate is a sustained, high-quality publication. The ETICA Yearbook establishes exactly that kind of rhythm for us.”
Professor Baghramian expressed her deep appreciation to Dr. Gharabegian and the other members of the editorial board, emphasizing that the Yearbook stands as a major achievement of the ETICA project. She noted that the debut issue reflects ETICA’s commitment to interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary inquiry, remarking, “This issue is special because it shows our aim not to be just a philosophy journal. The journal’s title differs slightly from the Center’s title because we want to investigate public issues — political, social, economic — together with the ethical questions arising from them.”
Professor Baghramian also thanked AUA Press Director Dr. Shushan Avagyan, as well as the volume’s copy editor Nazeni Hovakimyan, and designer Ovsanna Markarian from AUA’s Office of Communications, whose collaboration and commitment brought the publication to fruition.
Following these remarks, Dr. Arshak Balayan, ETICA’s deputy director, introduced the volume in greater depth. He spoke about each entry in the Yearbook, highlighting the diversity of perspectives represented in the issue and acknowledging the authors’ dedication in developing their contributions, many of which were written during challenging periods, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 Artsakh War.
The program continued with Narek Ghazaryan, AUA’s chief communications officer and leader of ETICA’s communications work package, who presented ETICA’s newly launched website. The website will serve as a dynamic hub for the Center’s research, events, and public outreach efforts.
The event concluded with a reception, offering attendees an opportunity to engage with the editors, contributors, and ETICA team in a celebratory atmosphere.
ETICA’s next major public initiative is the upcoming international conference, “Trust and Hope in Times of Crises,” scheduled for June 22-23, 2026, with a call for abstracts now available in both Armenian and English. The call for papers for Volume 2 of the ETICA Yearbook has also been announced.
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 and graduate degree and certificate programs, promotes research and innovation, encourages civic engagement and community service, and fosters democratic values.
