Read the previous chapters: Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3
The Latest Decade: 2017-2026
In its latest decade of growth, the American University of Armenia (AUA) continued to grow and evolve alongside Armenia. From 2017 to 2026, the University expanded its academic programs, strengthened its research and innovation efforts, developed new partnerships, and created more opportunities for students, faculty, and alumni to contribute to Armenia and beyond.
These years brought many important developments. New programs and facilities expanded the University’s academic and physical footprint, while research projects, conferences, workshops, lectures, and other initiatives brought new ideas, expertise, and perspectives to the University community. Throughout the decade, AUA welcomed scholars, scientists, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and other leading voices from Armenia and around the world, creating opportunities for learning, discussion, and exchange.
AUA’s community also continued to make its mark beyond campus. Alumni took on roles across Armenia’s public and private sectors, including positions of leadership, while students participated in international conferences, competitions, and other opportunities that brought their work and perspectives to a wider audience.
The decade also brought its share of challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Artsakh War, and the changes and uncertainties that followed affected communities across Armenia. AUA, too, had to adapt, while continuing to support its students and remain engaged with the needs of the country.
Through all of this, the University kept moving forward, growing in what it offers, in the people it reaches, and in the ways it contributes to Armenia. And as it has reached its 35th year, that journey of growth is still continuing.
Growing in New Directions
The decade opened with AUA continuing to expand its academic and physical presence. In 2017, the University marked the opening of the Zaven P. and Sonia Akian College of Science and Engineering and the Gerald and Patricia Turpanjian College of Health Sciences, recognizing the longstanding support of two families whose contributions helped strengthen AUA’s academic programs and its ability to serve students.
The same year, AUA received a USAID/ASHA grant to renovate and furnish a student residence donated by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann S. Najarian, laying the groundwork for a new opportunity for students from Armenia’s regions and abroad to live and study in Yerevan.
The years that followed brought further expansion. AUA launched its Bachelor of Science in Data Science in 2018, and opened new spaces including the Student Union (later named the Kevork & Cecile Keshishian Student Union), Faculty Center, and Open Amphitheater. These new campus spaces were designed not simply to add capacity, but to strengthen student life, faculty interaction, academic exchange, and public engagement.
In 2019, Dr. Karin Markides became AUA’s fifth president. During her tenure, the University continued to expand its academic and research activities across a range of fields.
The University reached an important fundraising milestone with the successful completion of the “100 Pillars” campaign, which raised $5 million. During the same period, AUA Press was launched as the University’s publishing arm, while the Zoryan Institute and AUA Center for Oral History opened at the AGBU Papazian Library, expanding opportunities for scholarship and the preservation and sharing of knowledge.
Together, these developments reflected a University that was becoming broader in its academic offerings, more diverse in its community, and increasingly engaged in research, scholarship, and public life.
Resilience and Renewal
The next few years brought new opportunities and unprecedented challenges. In 2020, AUA expanded its academic offerings with the launch of the Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance and the Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management. That same year, AUA launched the “200 AUA ChangeMakers” campaign, bringing together 200 philanthropic leaders committed to strengthening the University’s capacity for research, innovation, and education and preparing the next generation of leaders in Armenia.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought daily life to an abrupt halt. AUA quickly moved its classes and operations online, adapting to a new reality while continuing to support its students and maintain its educational mission. But before the University and the country had fully adjusted to the realities of the pandemic, another devastating chapter unfolded. In September 2020, war broke out in Artsakh, bringing profound loss and uncertainty to families and communities across the country, including the AUA community. Seven AUA students lost their lives during the war.
In the months that followed the war, AUA responded to the needs of students and communities affected by the conflict. Through the Manoogian Simone Foundation, the University established an emergency fund for 34 AUA students from Artsakh who were impacted by the war. The University also came together to honor the memory of its fallen students, while support for veterans continued to grow. In 2021, AUA raised more than $1.5 million for the “Honoring Those Who Served: Investing in our Veterans’ Education” endowed scholarship fund, creating opportunities for veteran students to pursue their education and advance their careers.
Despite these difficult circumstances, AUA continued to move forward. In 2021, the University completed construction of its USAID/ASHA-funded Student Residence (named the Mashikian Student Residence in 2024) and held an unprecedented double Commencement ceremony for the classes of 2020 and 2021, with more than 900 students receiving their degrees. The University also continued its work in research and public service, including initiatives related to COVID-19, infectious disease, and environmental monitoring.
As AUA marked its 30th anniversary in 2021, it looked ahead to its fourth decade under the theme “Engineering the Future.” The University launched the “Build a Better Future with AUA” capital campaign, setting out a vision for expanding education and research in science, technology, and engineering and strengthening AUA’s contribution to Armenia’s future.
That same year, AUA received a USAID/ASHA grant to establish the AUA Media Lab, laying the groundwork for a new space dedicated to media literacy, civic engagement, and the development of a stronger media landscape in Armenia
In 2022, AUA continued to expand its academic offerings, announcing the launch of the Master of Arts in International Relations and Diplomacy and Master of Public Affairs, alongside the Bachelor of Science in Nursing, the Bachelor of Science in Environment and Sustainability Sciences, new graduate and certificate programs, and a Minor in Gender Studies. The new programs reflected AUA’s continued response to Armenia’s changing needs, preparing students for careers in fields ranging from healthcare and environmental sustainability to public service, diplomacy, and governance.
Research and international collaboration also continued to grow during these years. AUA became part of major international research initiatives, while the Entrepreneurship and Product Innovation Center launched new programs to support innovation and entrepreneurship in Armenia. These efforts reflected AUA’s continued commitment to applying knowledge and expertise to issues facing the country and the wider world.
Through a period marked by uncertainty, loss, and change, AUA continued to adapt, support its community, and create new opportunities. Resilience became part of the story of these years, but so did renewal: even in difficult circumstances, the University continued to grow, develop, and look toward the future.
Investing in the Future
In 2023, AUA entered another period of significant growth. The opening of the K. George and Carolann S. Najarian MD Building expanded the University’s space for teaching, outreach, and entrepreneurship. The year also brought major philanthropic commitments that would shape AUA’s next stage of development. Edward and Pamela Avedisian made a transformational $20 million gift toward the construction of new buildings for the humanities, social sciences, and arts, while the Akian family committed $9 million to the new Science and Engineering Building. Together, these investments gave new momentum to AUA’s plans to expand its campus and academic offerings.
The University was also strengthening its academic and research capacity. In 2023, Dr. Bruce Boghosian became AUA’s sixth president, bringing back a familiar leader at a time when the University was preparing for its next stage of growth.
In 2024, AUA received a major vote of confidence in the quality of its academic programs and institutional work when WSCUC reaffirmed its accreditation for another 10 years. That same year, the University also opened its Media Lab, established with a USAID/ASHA grant, creating a new space focused on media literacy, civic engagement, and strengthening the media landscape in Armenia.
Research and international engagement gained new momentum. AUA received a €2.5 million Horizon Europe grant to establish the Center for Ethics in Public Affairs, the first European Research Area Chair grant awarded in the South Caucasus. The Center is designed to bring together research, teaching, training, and public outreach around ethical issues in public life, further strengthening AUA’s growing research profile and international connections.
These developments reflected a University preparing for a larger role — one that would bring together science and technology with the humanities and social sciences, strengthen research, and create new opportunities for students and faculty as AUA looked toward its next chapter.
The Journey Continues
In recent years, AUA continued to expand its academic offerings and strengthen its connections with Armenia and the wider world. In 2025, the University launched the Bachelor of Science in Economics, opening new opportunities for students interested in economics, policy, and the forces shaping Armenia’s development. New initiatives and partnerships also continued to broaden the University’s work in research, education, and public engagement.
Research and public engagement continued to grow. The Center for Ethics in Public Affairs was publicly launched and hosted its inaugural international conference. AUA also signed a memorandum of understanding with the United Nations Development Programme to advance environmental innovation and community impact across Armenia, further strengthening the University’s engagement with issues affecting communities throughout the country.
The University also continued to develop its campus and its connections with the broader community. Continued support from AUA’s donors and partners made possible new spaces and opportunities across the University. In June 2026, the opening of Triangle Park–Karen Kakosian Gardens added a new space for students, faculty, and the wider community to gather, connect, and enjoy the campus.
As AUA is marking its 35th year, this milestone offers an opportunity to look back at how far the University has come while also looking toward what lies ahead. Across these years, AUA has continued to grow in its academic offerings, research, partnerships, facilities, and, most importantly, in the people whose lives it touches.
The journey, however, is far from over. As AUA enters its next chapter, it continues to develop new programs, pursue new research, build new partnerships, and create opportunities for future generations. Thirty-five years after its founding, AUA remains a university in motion: growing, adapting, and continuing to contribute to Armenia and the world.
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.