YEREVAN, Armenia — The American University of Armenia (AUA) Manoogian Simone College of Business and Economics (MSCBE) has officially joined the Forum for Research on Eastern Europe and Emerging Economies (FREE Network). The FREE Network is a joint initiative by the Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics (SITE), Belarusian Economic Research and Outreach Center, Baltic International Centre for Economic Policy, Centre for Economic Analysis, ISET Policy Institute, and Kyiv School of Economics.
In 2019, the FREE Network initiated the Forum for Research on Gender Economics (FROGEE), and MSCBE faculty members, as individual experts, actively engaged in a number of initiatives carried out under the FROGEE umbrella. Notable outcomes of this joint collaboration include policy brief and scholarly publications:
- “Gender Gap in Unpaid Domestic Care in Armenia: New Evidence in Light of the COVID-19 Pandemic,” FROGEE Policy Brief 4.” Grigoryan A., Khachatryan K. (2022).
- “Female Representativeness and COVID-19 Policy Responses: Political Representation and Social Representativeness” FROGEE Policy Paper Series, Grigoryan A., Khachatryan K. (2021).
- “Multidimensional Deprivation From Labor Market Opportunities in Armenia: Evidence From 2018 and 2020” Comparative Economic Studies, 1-40 Khachatryan, K., & Grigoryan, A. (2023).
In 2024, SITE and AUA jointly applied for a Swedish Institute Eastern Partnership Cooperation Project and were awarded a two-year funding for the project on “Closing Gender Gaps Through Economics Research in Armenia.” The project aims to enhance research capacity in gender economics at AUA and apply this expertise to generate evidence-based insights on gender gaps in Armenian society — their causes, consequences, and potential solutions. Further details about the initiative can be found here.
These collaborations laid a solid basis for launching a formal partnership and for AUA to become a formal member of the FREE Network.
Dr. Vache Gabrielyan, dean of MSCBE remarked, “There is a frequent need to translate academic research into policy advice and commentary. The FREE Policy Brief Series offers an excellent model for delivering concise, informative analysis on current economic challenges. Network membership will keep us abreast of developments in Eastern Europe and emerging markets, while also providing our faculty with opportunities to contribute expert commentary on critical issues.”
Dr. Pamela Campa, associate professor at SITE, expressed her enthusiasm for the partnership. “We are delighted to welcome AUA to the FREE Network,” she said. “AUA’s membership brings new colleagues, perspectives, and expertise to our community, creating opportunities for joint research, academic exchange, and sharing of good practices in research and teaching. For Armenia, it also means stronger connections to international research networks and greater capacity to address economic policy challenges through rigorous, evidence-based analysis. Based on my experience working with colleagues at AUA so far, I am confident this will be a fruitful and rewarding collaboration for both AUA and the entire FREE Network.”
This newly established partnership is already actively contributing to regional policy analysis. Highlighting this engagement, AUA Associate Professor Dr. Vardan Baghdasaryan recently published a timely policy brief on the FREE Network platform, titled “Extraordinary’ Ordinary Elections in Armenia,” which analyzes the contemporary dynamics of the country’s latest electoral landscape.
Looking ahead, AUA’s involvement within the network will rapidly accelerate this fall. Additionally, an annual FREE Network retreat, including a Ph.D. mentoring session, is scheduled for this September in Poland, followed by an international research workshop to be hosted by AUA in Yerevan this coming November.
MSCBE faculty members, Professor Knar Khachatryan and Dr. Vardan Baghdasaryan will lead this international collaboration as AUA’s designated academic coordinators. Interested faculty members, scholars, and graduate students are welcome to discuss with the academic coordinators their ideas and interests.
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.