YEREVAN, Armenia — The American University of Armenia (AUA) College of Humanities and Social Sciences is pleased to share that from April 13 to 17, as part of the Erasmus+ faculty mobility program, AUA Associate Professor Arman Zrvandyan taught at the University of Barcelona (UB).
“Within the European Higher Education Area, such exchanges foster academic collaboration, transfer of knowledge, and the strengthening of institutional ties between AUA and European Universities,” remarked Zrvandyan. For him, the exchange was also an opportunity to return to the European academic space, since he received part of his education and professional development at European educational and judicial institutions.
The teaching element of the mobility focused on the practical aspects of protection of rights before the European Court of Human Rights, where professor Zrvandyan previously served as a registry lawyer. Particular attention was paid to formal requirements and admissibility criteria of individual applications, life-saving and rapid mechanism of interim measures, and to current developments of the Court’s practice concerning freedom of religion and legal capacity of persons suffering from mental illness. Zrvandyan further enriched the sessions through comparative analysis of statistics concerning pending cases against Armenia, Spain, and other European states, which sparked interest among participants.
Reflecting on Zrvandyan’s teaching, UB host Professor Antonio-Martín Porras Gómez said: “Professor Zrvandyan delivered a highly engaging session drawing on his experience before the European Court of Human Rights, and his participation in several of my classes significantly enriched our discussions. In particular, his comments on student presentations in constitutional litigation, approached from the perspective of the European Convention on Human Rights, were both insightful and very well received, even by students with a more limited command of English. We very much enjoyed having Arman with us.”
The exchange also included meetings with faculty and administration at UB, where opportunities for future cooperation and joint initiatives were discussed. The experience emphasized the practical value of academic mobility as a platform for strengthening institutional ties and expanding the international dimension of teaching and research. Reflecting on the mutual value of continued engagement between AUA and European universities, Porras Gómez noted: “This experience has further reinforced my interest in deepening academic collaboration between our institutions.”
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 (WSCUC) 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.
