Read Chapter 1 here.
1997-2006
By 1997, the American University of Armenia (AUA) had moved beyond its founding years. Its first graduates were entering professional life, new programs were emerging, and the University was beginning to find its place in a changing Armenia.
The next decade would bring a period of growth and consolidation. AUA would expand its academic programs, strengthen its research, build new facilities, and reach further into Armenian society.
The University Finds Its Direction
In 1997, President Mihran Agbabian stepped down after guiding AUA through its formative years. He was succeeded by Dr. Haroutune Armenian, who began his tenure by developing AUA’s first strategic plan and helping define the University’s direction for the years ahead.
AUA was beginning to look beyond its establishment and respond to the changing needs of a newly independent Armenia. Information technology (IT) was gaining importance, and new academic offerings reflected the country’s evolving workforce needs. Under the umbrella of Industrial Engineering and Systems Management, AUA introduced a minor in Information Technology, emphasizing the use of computer and information technologies. Open to all AUA students, the minor consisted of at least five courses covering topics such as information systems analysis, database design, Java and C++ programming, and computer-human interfaces.
In 1998, AUA established its Department of Law, preparing a new generation of legal professionals at a time when Armenia was building the institutions of a democratic state.
The University was also extending its work beyond traditional education. Its environmental and research initiatives connected students with emerging challenges in conservation and sustainability, while the Digital Library Project helped preserve and expand access to Armenian literary heritage.
AUA’s growing capacity for research was increasingly being put to practical use. At the Engineering Research Center, researchers launched an international solar energy project to heat and cool the University’s Small Auditorium, which is an early example of research being applied to a real-world challenge on campus.
The University’s reach continued to grow. The College of Health Sciences expanded its work in preventive ophthalmology through the Garo Meghrigian Eye Institute, supporting blindness-prevention efforts across Armenia. At the same time, AUA’s Extension Program brought educational opportunities beyond Yerevan, with a four-year initiative offering English courses in Gyumri to students and professionals.
By the turn of the century, AUA was becoming more than a place where students came to earn degrees. Its education, research, and outreach were increasingly connected to the needs of Armenia and the wider region — a direction that would shape the University in the years to come.
A Decade of Achievement
In 2001, AUA reached its first major anniversary. Ten years after opening its doors, the University celebrated a “Decade of Achievement” in education and research.
During the celebrations in Armenia, President Robert Kocharyan awarded the Movses Khorenatsi Medal to AUA co-founders Dr. Mihran Agbabian and Dr. Armen Der Kiureghian, as well as President Haroutune Armenian, recognizing their contributions to education. Louise Manoogian Simone, president of the Armenian General Benevolent Union, received the Mesrop Mashtots Medal for her contribution to Armenia’s development.
The anniversary was marked in the United States as well. AUA held a celebration in San Francisco on December 7, the anniversary of the Spitak Earthquake. University of California President Emeritus David Gardner was among the attendees. Years later, in his book From Earthquake Tragedy to Beacon of Light: The Story of the American University of Armenia, Dr. Der Kiureghian recalled Gardner’s happiness at seeing the university they had once helped establish flourishing in Armenia.
By then, AUA’s work was gaining recognition beyond its campus. The College of Health Sciences was accepted as a member of the Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region, while the Digital Library Project received the President of Armenia’s award for the best IT project accomplished in the country in the previous five years. The same year, AUA launched its Master of Science in Computer and Information Science, an applied program designed to prepare students for careers in computing and related industries.
The University was growing physically, too. The first phase of construction of the AUA Center on Alek Manukyan Street was completed, and in 2002, groundbreaking took place for the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB), the first major addition to AUA’s main campus. It would take several years for the building to become a reality, but the vision behind it was transformative, giving AUA much-needed space to expand its academic programs, research, and community life and marking a new chapter in the University’s growth.
That same year brought another milestone in AUA’s institutional development. In November 2002, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, a U.S. accrediting agency, recognized AUA as a Candidate for Accreditation. AUA became the first university outside the U.S. to receive such status. For a young university, accreditation was more than a formal process. It provided external recognition of AUA’s academic standards and strengthened confidence in the value of its degrees. As Dr. Der Kiureghian later wrote, achieving accreditation was a “major morale boost” for the University community and reaffirmed the quality and credibility of AUA’s education.
Expanding AUA’s Reach
As AUA grew, so did the ways in which it engaged with Armenia and the wider world.
New academic and professional connections continued to develop. In 2003, AUA and San Francisco State University signed an agreement supporting the Computer and Information Science program. The Turpanjian Center for Policy Analysis was also established that year, and AUA hosted an international seminar on seismic isolation and earthquake engineering.
The University was also looking for ways to make education more accessible. In 2003, AUA launched Armenia’s first student loan program. Scholarships from families, foundations, and organizations continued to provide support for students who might otherwise struggle to afford their education.
AUA’s work also reached younger generations. In 2005, the Turpanjian Family Foundation supported the first Armenian Big Brother and Big Sister program, giving AUA students an opportunity to mentor children and young people.
Meanwhile, AUA’s health and research activities were attracting international attention. In 2005, the College of Health Sciences hosted a major European public health conference, bringing delegates from more than 50 countries to Armenia. AUA researchers also took part in international projects, including a U.S. Department of Energy-funded initiative involving scientists in Armenia, the U.S., and Russia.
The University was becoming increasingly connected to other universities, international researchers, and the communities it served.
A Growing Community
By 2006, AUA had grown considerably from the university that opened its doors to 101 students 15 years earlier. The Alumni Association reported 1,400 AUA alumni, many of whom were already contributing to Armenia and the wider region.
The University’s work was also reaching further into the country. AUA launched the Turpanjian Rural Development Program, an initiative focused on economic growth through adult education and rural entrepreneurship.
In the health sector, AUA organized training for doctors and nurses in Nagorno-Karabakh, providing basic first-aid and emergency-skills training through a humanitarian assistance program supported by USAID.
Research and academic exchange continued to bring new ideas to campus. AUA hosted international workshops and conferences, welcomed guest speakers and prominent professionals, and became a founding member of a consortium of American-style academic libraries serving institutions across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.
By the end of this period, AUA had broadened its academic programs, developed its research activities, and built relationships with universities and institutions in Armenia and around the world. Its growing community extended beyond the campus as well. Students were learning through research, community programs, mentoring, and engagement with the challenges facing Armenia, while graduates were beginning to form a growing network of professionals across the country and beyond.
AUA had grown from a new university responding to the immediate needs of a newly independent Armenia into an institution with a broader role in the country’s development.
The next chapter of AUA’s story was already taking shape.
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.