Arman Zrvandyan Appointed LL.M. Program Chair

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YEREVAN – It is with great pleasure that the American University of Armenia (AUA) announces the appointment of Assistant Professor Arman Zrvandyan as LL.M. Program Chair.   A core LL.M. faculty member since 2012, Mr. Zrvandyan brings fresh perspectives,  a rich background in human rights, international criminal law, and administrative law, and a strong commitment to excellence in teaching to the program.   We are particularly pleased that the new program chair is a scholar-practitioner who is an alumnus of AUA and the recipient of the 2006 Vartkess M. Balian Merit Award for best first-year master’s student.

Mr. Zrvandyan is a member of the RA Chamber of Advocates.   He earned his LL.B. in Armenia in 2002 and holds three masters degrees:  the LL.M. from AUA (2007), the MA in Human Rights from the University of Essex (2009), and the LL.M. in International Crime & Justice from UNICRI/University of Turin (2011).   He has provided legal services to numerous national and international governmental and non-governmental organizations in the field of public law, criminal justice and human rights.  Since 2008 Mr. Zrvandyan was engaged in coordinating international trial monitoring projects, as well as developing practical tools for the enhancement of trial monitoring activities worldwide.  Mr. Zrvandyan has recently completed a research study in the field of penitentiary law focusing on early conditional release of prisoners and probation services in Armenia (available at www.hra.am).  He is currently conducting research on the rights to liberty and security, to a fair trial and to private life of persons with mental disabilities and disorders to be published in early 2014.  In the spring 2012, he helped organize an international conference on the International Criminal Court at AUA.

This year he will be teaching Intro to Human Rights in the undergraduate General Education program as well as the LL.M. Master’s Paper Seminar and several graduate courses in administrative law, human rights and international criminal law.

Following the tradition and practice of most US academic programs, instead of deans for each program, AUA has made the transition to program chairs in conjunction with the university’s launch of the undergraduate program and reorganization into colleges.   Core faculty members typically serve as program chair for several years, on a rotating basis, providing leadership, continuity and periodic renewal of perspectives on the program’s direction.

Mr. Zrvandyan succeeds Dr. Samuelian, who served as law dean and program chair from 2006 to 2013 and is now Dean of the College of Humanities & Social Sciences, which comprises three graduate programs (MATEFL, LL.M. MPSIA), two certificate programs, the undergraduate degree in English & Communications, undergraduate General Education Program, and 4 research centers.

Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia and affiliated with the University of California. AUA provides a global education in Armenia and the region, offering high-quality, graduate and undergraduate studies, encouraging civic engagement, and promoting public service and democratic values.