American University of Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) offers Master’s level graduate programs that are intended to develop critical analysis and depth of knowledge through advanced coursework, independent study, and research.
By offering its instructional programs in English, AUA strives to make these programs accessible to qualified individuals from other countries in the region.
AUA currently offers graduate instruction leading to the Master’s degree in eight fields of study: Business Administration, Industrial Engineering and Systems Management, Computer and Information Science, Political Science, Public Health, Law, Comparative Legal Studies, and Teaching English as a Foreign Language.
To accompany their Master’s degrees, highly qualified students may complete an interdisciplinary Certificate in Environmental Conservation and Research. In preparation for the academic program, AUA offers its students instruction in the English language and in computer applications.
History
In the aftermath of the earthquake, many Western specialists in the field of earthquake engineering visited Armenia and had the opportunity to interact with their Armenian counterparts. It was during one such meeting in 1989 that the idea of an American style technical university in Armenia was proposed by Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering of the University of California at Berkeley, as a way to establish a new foundation for education and training in Armenia.
The idea soon evolved into the specific goal of founding a graduate university based on the American model. What followed was a period of steadfast effort led by two earthquake engineering professors, Mihran Agbabian of the University of Southern California and Armen Der Kiureghian of the University of California at Berkeley. The vision of an American graduate university in Armenia soon became a goal to which other academics in America and Armenia lent their support. The late Professor Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the Graduate School of Management at the University of California at Riverside, soon joined the Agbabian and Der Kiureghian team early on. The team then approached the Armenian government and several organizations seeking support for the achievement of the stated goal.
The American University of Armenia became a reality thanks to the steadfast support of the Armenian government and two major institutions in the United States: the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) and the University of California (UC). From the very beginning, the government of Armenia ¾ and specifically the Ministry of Higher Education and Sciences (now the Ministry of Education and Science) ¾ provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of the University. Despite the significant political and economic changes occurring in Armenia during the period from 1989 to 1991, the Ministry delivered its unwavering assistance facilitating steps and removing hurdles.
AGBU agreed early on to underwrite a major share of the operational funding necessary to launch the University. From the outset, AUA also benefited from a vital working relationship with the University of California. When approached for its technical assistance, David P. Gardener, then President of the University of California, responded by appointing a task force, chaired by then Senior Vice-President for Academic Affairs William R. Frazer, to explore the feasibility of UC's participation in this undertaking. The task force visited Armenia in July 1990. A year later, the Regents of the University of California unanimously agreed to an affiliation with the University. Based on this affiliation, UC lends valuable technical support and educational experience in the growth of the American University of Armenia, collaborating in the preparation of a cadre of faculty and participating in the development of a program of exchange and cooperation.
On September 21, 1991 Armenia declared its independence. On the same day, AUA began instruction with 101 students enrolled. In a phenomenally short time, the vision had become a reality. Today, the American University of Armenia (AUA) operates as an independent, private, non-profit institution of higher education in Armenia.
Vartkes and Hasmig Barsam Complex
On October 6, 2005 it was announced that Vartkes and Hasmik were donating the Hye Business Suites Hotel (opened in 1990) to the AUA. During the ceremony, Mr. Vardges Barsam stated that Armenian Business Hotel Complex is delevered to the management of the American University of Armenia (AUA) for the purpose of assisting the program on enrollment of regional and foreign students, and would be named after them.
With a financial assistance of the USAID's organization "American Schools and Hospitals Abroad", the AUA need to make an investment of about 300 thousand USD inorder to repair and technically re-equip the building.
US Accreditation
PRESS RELEASE
March 2007
American University of Armenia Corporation 300 Lakeside Drive, 5th Floor Oakland, CA 94612 Telephone: (510) 987-9452 Fax: (510) 208-3576
Contact: Gaiane Khachatrian E-mail: Gaiane@auac.net
American University of Armenia Receives US Accreditation
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) has accredited the
American University of Armenia. The American University of Armenia (AUA)
received the maximum of seven years initial accreditation from WASC's
Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities. WASC is one of
six regional associations recognized by the United Stated Department of
Education that accredit public and private universities and colleges.
"We are extremely proud of achieving WASC accreditation," said AUA President Haroutune Armenian. "This is an unprecedented event in the history of Armenian higher education and US accreditation opens new doors for the University. Accreditation will increase regional and Diaspora interest in higher education in Armenia and will create new lifelong linkages to Armenia," continued President Armenian.
Armenian Minister of Education and Science Levon Mkrtchyan explained, "The accreditation of the American University of Armenia by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges will exert considerable influence on Armenia's educational system. AUA is a University that underwent the very complex procedure of Western accreditation and it provides the assurance of quality at international standards. This success is the result of AUA's consistent work and self-analysis of many years."
AUA was established in 1991 with support from the Armenian Government, the Armenian General Benevolent Union, and USAID and from its founding has been an affiliate of the University of California. The University offers graduate degrees in the health sciences, political science and international affairs, industrial engineering, computer and information sciences, teaching English as a second language, business management, and law.
Accreditation indicates that AUA has undergone a period of intensive and comprehensive self-study followed by on-site evaluations of institutional performance and educational processes, that AUA operates at a high level of quality consistent with WASC Commission standards, and that it has sufficient resources to support existing and planned programs at a satisfactory level of quality.
According to AUA Provost and Vice President Lucig Danielian, "As a young institution that carries the traditions of Western higher education to Armenia and its region, the American University of Armenia has the important responsibility of attaining the highest possible standards in education and academic management. The process of accreditation provides us with the opportunity to achieve the high standards that we seek."
AUA began the WASC accreditation process in 1998 and was supported throughout with grants from the US State Department. Three teams of distinguished American university academics and administrators visited Armenia to evaluate AUA during the different stages of the accreditation process.
UCLA summer program in Armenia at AUA
AUA and UCLA Announce Joint Summer Program
LOS ANGELES - In a ceremony held at UCLA on January 15, 2015, the American University of Armenia (AUA) and the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) announced an AUA-UCLA Summer Intensive Program in Armenian Studies. Offered for the first time in summer 2015 at the AUA campus in Yerevan, the program will comprise language courses in Eastern Armenian at the introductory and intermediate levels, a survey course on Armenia in the context of history of civilizations, and an undergraduate research seminar-workshop. The program will start on June 15 and last for 5 weeks. Visits to historical sites, participation in cultural events, and interaction with prominent artists and scholars in and around Yerevan during the week and guided weekend excursions to other regions of the republic will add a further dimension to the summer school's immersion experience. Each course will carry 3 to 5 quarter units (equivalent to 2 to 3 semester units) of credit. The courses are designed jointly by AUA and UCLA faculty and the units are transferrable since both universities are accredited by the same agency.
Dr. Anahid Keshishian Aramouni, Lecturer in Eastern Armenian, and Prof. Gregory Areshian of UCLA, a Foreign Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, together with AUA faculty will provide the instruction. The courses are open to students from any UC campus, other US universities, and institutions of higher learning worldwide. For further information about this program, visit http://admissions.aua.am, email admissions@aua.am or contact http://fb.com/AUAadmissions
The summer school initiative with UCLA has been developed in the context of a wider range of collaborative projects proposed by Peter Cowe, Narekatsi Professor of Armenian Studies, which is planned to be incorporated within a Memorandum of Understanding between the two universities. An affiliate of the University of California (UC) since its founding in 1991, AUA is also developing relations with other UC campuses. An agreement of collaboration with the University of California at Irvine (UCI) was signed at the ceremony on January 15. It is hoped that these collaborations will lead to a rich and diverse interchange between the students and faculty of these universities.
Present at the meeting were President Armen Der Kiureghian as well as President Emeriti Mihran Agbabian and Haroutune Armenian of AUA, Dean Georges Van Den Abbeele of UCI, Professors Peter Cowe, Gregory Areshian, Ann Karagozian and Dr. Anahid Keshishian Aramouni of UCLA, as well as other faculty, staff and students from the three universities.
Source: California Courier
External Links
- http://www.aua.am - official site
- http://www.hybusiness.com - AUA Suites at HyBusiness official site