Введение
Американский университет Армении (АУА) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) – частный, независимый университет в Ереване, Армения, аккредитованный Комиссией по старшим колледжам и университетам Западной ассоциации школ и колледжей. Это первое в бывшем Советском Союзе учебное заведение, аккредитованное в США, предоставляющее образование бакалавриата и магистратуры. Он был основан в 1991 году, в первый год независимости Армении, Армянским общественным благотворительным союзом (AGBU), Калифорнийским университетом (UC) и правительством Армении. Университет является первым в стране учебным заведением, построенным по образцу западного высшего образования, приверженным преподаванию, исследованиям и общественной деятельности; он предлагает 11 магистерских и 8 бакалаврских программ.
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
История
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
Возникновение идеи открытия в Армении высшего учебного заведения американского типа относится к концу 1980-х годов. Когда в 1988 году Армению потрясло разрушительное землетрясение, страна, все еще входившая в состав Советского Союза, была открыта для беспрецедентной международной гуманитарной и технической помощи. Ряд инженеров-строителей из стран Запада помогли в восстановлении зоны бедствия. В 1989 году Юрий Саркисян, тогда ректор Ереванского политехнического института, предложил Армену Дер Кирегхиану, профессору гражданского строительства Калифорнийского университета в Беркли, создать армянский технический университет по западной модели для содействия прогрессу образования в Армении. Предложение было сужено до создания аспирантуры по американской модели. Дер Кирегхиан и другой инженер-строитель, Мигран Агбабиан, профессор-эмерит Университета Южной Калифорнии, приступили к реализации этой цели. Концепцию университета поддержали ряд американских и армянских ученых. Дер Кирегхиан и Агбабиан, вместе с покойным Степаном Карамардяном, бывшим деканом Высшей школы менеджмента имени А. Гэри Андерсона в Калифорнийском университете в Риверсайде, представили свое предложение правительству Армении. Агбабиан стал президентом-основателем в 1991 году и занимал эту должность до 1997 года.
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
Кампус и имущество
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
Два центральных здания университета, Главное здание и здание Парамоза Аведисяна, расположены по адресу проспект Маршала Баграмяна, 40, в центре Еревана.
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
Главное здание
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
Главное здание университета, неофициально известное как «старое здание» (հին մասնաշենք), в советский период было домом политического просвещения Центрального комитета Коммунистической партии Армении. Оно было передано АУА 21 сентября 1991 года правительством. В нем шесть этажей, и изначально там располагались лекционные залы, аудитории, лаборатории, библиотека и офисы. После строительства здания Парамоза Аведисяна в 2008 году оно используется для административных и неакадемических целей.
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
Здание Парамоза Аведисяна
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
Строительство здания Парамоза Аведисяна (PAB) началось в 2005 году и было завершено 1 ноября 2008 года. Расположенное рядом с главным зданием, оно имеет площадь, на которой размещены учебные классы и семинарские комнаты, лаборатории и исследовательские центры, а также кабинеты преподавателей. Студенческий союз АУА, прилегающий к зданию Парамоза Аведисяна (PAB), был построен в 2018 году.
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
Центр АУА
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
Центр АУА расположен по адресу улица Алекса Манукяна, 9, в центре Еревана. Центр был основан в 1999 году при финансовой поддержке правительства США. Агентство США по международному развитию (USAID) инвестировало 300 000 долларов США в реконструкцию и модернизацию здания.
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
Здания Дзорагюх
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
В 2016 году два здания были переданы АУА филантропами К. Джорджем и доктором Кэроланн Наджарян. После успешного завершения строительства первого здания, Студенческой резиденции АУА, в середине апреля 2021 года началось строительство Наджарского центра социального предпринимательства, открытие которого запланировано на лето 2023 года.
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
Библиотека AGBU Papazian
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
Библиотека AGBU Papazian была основана в 1991 году, когда был создан АУА. Она названа в честь семьи Папазян, щедрых жертвователей АУА. По состоянию на 2015 год в библиотеке насчитывалось 31 426 печатных книг и 482 350 цифровых книг, журналов, компакт-дисков, DVD, аудио- и видеокассет.
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
Аккредитация
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
АУА был аккредитован Комиссией по старшим колледжам и университетам (WASC) в 2006 году. Университет получил статус кандидата на аккредитацию в 2002 году, став первым университетом в бывшем Советском Союзе, аккредитованным образовательным учреждением США. Аккредитация означает, что дипломы, выдаваемые АУА, имеют статус, эквивалентный дипломам, выдаваемым в США. К 2013 году университет получил аккредитацию WASC и лицензию Министерства образования и науки Армении на предоставление четырехлетнего образования.
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
Известные выпускники
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
Давид Акопян, исполняющий обязанности постоянного представителя Программы развития ООН (ПРООН) в Сирии, окончил программу магистратуры делового администрирования (MBA) в 1993 году.
Эмиль Бабаян, заместитель генерального прокурора (с 2013 года), имеет степень магистра права, полученную в 2001 году.
Седрак Барсегян, советник министра, руководителя аппарата правительства Армении (с 2013 года), выпускник 2009 года.
Лилит Галстян, депутат парламента от Армянской революционной федерации (2007–2012), окончила факультет политических наук и международных отношений в 1996 году.
Теван Погосян, депутат парламента от партии «Наследие» (с 2012 года), окончил факультет политических наук и международных отношений в 1996 году.
Ованнес Авоян, генеральный директор и основатель Picsart, получил степень магистра политических наук и международных отношений в 1995 году.
Арташес Эмин, переводчик, бывший почетный консул Канады, получил степень магистра права в 1999 году.
Анаит Аванесян, министр здравоохранения Армении.
Анна Симонян, кандидат в федеральные депутаты от Блока Квебека, член комиссии и основатель Clove, стартапа с офисами в Ереване, Монреале и Сан-Франциско, получила степень MBA в 2001 году.
Далита Аванесян, армянская певица и актриса.
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
Колледжи и школы
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
Колледж науки и техники имени Завена и Сони Акиан
Колледж бизнеса и экономики имени Манукяна Симоне
Колледж гуманитарных и социальных наук
Школа общественного здравоохранения имени Джеральда и Патриции Турпанджян
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
Программы бакалавриата
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
Бакалавр искусств в области бизнеса
Бакалавр искусств в области английского языка и коммуникаций
Бакалавр искусств в области политики и управления
Бакалавр наук в области компьютерных наук
Бакалавр наук в области инженерных наук
Бакалавр наук в области анализа данных
Бакалавр наук в области сестринского дела
Бакалавр наук в области охраны окружающей среды и устойчивого развития
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
Программы магистратуры
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
Магистр делового администрирования
Магистр экономики
Магистр менеджмента
Магистр промышленной инженерии и управления системами
Магистр компьютерных и информационных наук
Магистр политических наук и международных отношений
Магистр преподавания английского языка как иностранного
Магистр права
Магистр общественного здравоохранения
Магистр прав человека и социальной справедливости
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
Сертификационные программы
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
Сертификат магистра преподавания английского языка как иностранного
Сертификат магистра в области перевода
Сертификат магистра в области финансов
Сертификат магистра в области анализа данных
Сертификат в области гостиничного и гостеприимного бизнеса
Исполнительный сертификат в области управления
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
Президенты
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
Мигран Агбабиан (1991–1997)
Арутун Армянский (1997–2009)
Брюс Бохосян (2009–2014)
Армен Дер Кирегхиан (2015–2019)
Карин Маркидес (2019–2022)
Армен Дер Кирегхиан (и.о., 2022–2023)
Брюс М. Бохосян (2023–настоящее время)
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
Рейтинги и репутация
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
Американский университет Армении широко считается одним из лучших университетов Армении. Так его описывали бывший министр образования Армен Ашотян (2009–2016), посольство США в Армении, Armenian Weekly, армянская служба Радио Свобода/Радио Свобода, независимое информационное агентство CivilNet и другие СМИ. АУА занял второе место в…
University in Yerevan, Armenia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
The American University of Armenia (AUA) (, ՀԱՀ; Hayastani amerikyan hamalsaran, HAH) is a private, independent university in Yerevan, Armenia that is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. It is the first U. S. accredited institution in the former Soviet Union that provides undergraduate and graduate education. It was founded in 1991, Armenia's first year of independence, by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the University of California (UC), and the Armenian government. The university is the country's first institution modeled on Western style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service; it offers 11 master's and 8 bachelor's degrees. History
Origins
The idea of opening an American style institution of higher education in Armenia originated in the late 1980s. When Armenia was struck by a devastating earthquake in 1988 the country, then still part of the Soviet Union, was opened to unprecedented international humanitarian and technical assistance. A number of earthquake engineers from the West helped in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia. The proposition was narrowed to the creation a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside, presented their proposal to the Armenian government. Agbabian became the founding president in 1991 and served until 1997. Campus and estate
The university's two central buildings, the Main Building and the Paramaz Avedisian Building, are located at 40 Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in central Yerevan. Main building
The university's main building, informally known as the "old building" (հին մասնաշենք), housed the Political Enlightenment House of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party during the Soviet period. It was granted to the AUA on September 21, 1991, by the government. It has six floors and originally had lecture halls, auditoriums, laboratories, library facilities, and offices. After the construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building in 2008, it has been used for administrative and non academic purposes. Paramaz Avedisian Building
Construction of the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) began in 2005. and was dedicated on November 1, 2008. Located next to the main building, it has of space, which accommodates classrooms and seminar rooms, laboratories and research centers, and faculty offices. The AUA Student Union adjacent to the Paramaz Avedisian Building (PAB) was constructed in 2018. AUA Center
The AUA Center is located at 9 Alex Manoogian Street in central Yerevan. The center was established in 1999 through financial support of the U. S. government. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invested US$300,000 to renovate and upgrade the building. Dzoragyugh Buildings
Two buildings were donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid April 2021 and is set to open its doors in Summer of 2023. AGBU Papazian Library
The AGBU Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, who were generous benefactors of the AUA. as of 2015 the library contained 31,426 printed books and 482,350 digital books, journals, and CDs, DVDs, and audio and video cassettes. Accreditation
The AUA was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission in 2006. The university had received the candidacy status for accreditation in 2002, becoming the first university in the former Soviet Union to be accredited by a U. S. educational institution. Accreditation means degrees issued by the AUA have a status equal to those issued in the U. S. By 2013, the university had received accreditation from WASC and a license from the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science to offer four year education. Notable alumni
David Akopyan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative a. i. in Syria, graduated from Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in 1993
Emil Babayan, Deputy Prosecutor General (since 2013) who holds a degree of Master of Laws from 2001
Sedrak Barseghyan, Adviser to Minister Chief of Government Staff of Armenia (since 2013). Class of 2009. Lilit Galstian, a member of parliament from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (2007–2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Tevan Poghosyan, a member of parliament from Heritage party (since 2012) who graduated from the faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1996
Hovhannes Avoyan, chief executive officer and Founder of Picsart, who graduated as a Master of Political Sciences and International Relations in 1995. Artashes Emin, translator, former Honorary Consul of Canada. Graduated as a Master of Law in 1999. Anahit Avanesian, Armenian Minister of Health
Anna Simonyan, Federal MP Candidate for Bloc Quebecois & Commission Members and founder of Clove a start up with offices in Yerevan, Montreal and San Francisco. Graduated with an MBA in 2001. Dalita Avanesian, Armenian singer and actor. Colleges and schools
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science & Engineering
Manoogian Simone College of Business & Economics
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health
Undergraduate programs
Bachelor of Arts in Business
Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Data Science
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science
Graduate programs
Master of Business Administration
Master of Science in Economics
Master of Science in Management
Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Master of Science in Computer and Information Science
Master of Political Science and International Affairs
Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Master of Laws
Master of Public Health
Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice
Certificate Programs
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Graduate Certificate in Translation
Graduate Certificate in Finance
Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
Certificate in Hotel and Hospitality Management
Executive Certificate in Management
Presidents
Mihran Agbabian (1991–1997)
Haroutune Armenian (1997–2009)
Bruce Boghosian (2009–2014)
Armen Der Kiureghian (2015–2019)
Karin Markides (2019–2022)
Armen Der Kiureghian (interim, 2022–2023)
Bruce M. Boghosian (2023–present)
Rankings and reputation
The American University of Armenia is widely considered one of the top universities in Armenia. It has been described as such by former Education Minister Armen Ashotyan (2009–2016), the U. S. Embassy in Armenia, Armenian Weekly'', the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent news agency CivilNet, and other media outlets. AUA has been ranked second in the country behind Yerevan State University in at least two rankings:
Year Source Rank nationally Rank globally 2014 Armenian government 2 — 2015 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2 3887
According to a 2009 business report by the Michigan State University, "according to those interviewed, the only reputable MBA program in Armenia is offered in Yerevan at the American University of Armenia". At his 2015 AUA Commencement Speech, U. S. Ambassador Richard Mills stated; "AUA is like no other university in Armenia. At no other school are you challenged to think critically like you are here. As an extension of our well regarded University of California system, AUA has planted and nurtured informed, critical thinking skills that will stand you in good stead throughout the rest of your lives." At a June 1994 fundraising banquet for the AUA, U. S. Ambassador to Armenia Harry Gilmore stated that the university was one of the "islands of light" in an Armenia caught in war and economic hardship, where people had been living without heat and light for several years. Gilmore praised the university as follows:
To me, the American University of Armenia exemplifies what is best about Armenian education. When you walk in the doors of the American University, you feel a sense of energy, of purpose. When you look in the computer lab, and see the students at work stations, you could be in any American University. But I think there are very few universities in the United States where the students work with such dedication and enthusiasm. There is another difference when you talk to the students, you learn they are not there just for themselves, they are there because they want to make Armenia a better place to live for future generations.
Политика
Несколько месяцев спустя после жестокого подавления оппозиционных протестов 1 марта 2008 года, АУА, наряду с другими видными организациями, отказалась сдавать в аренду помещения для проведения собраний оппозиционным группам и сторонникам демократии под давлением правительства, как сообщил Джозеф Пеннингтон, заместитель руководителя миссии посольства США в Ереване. 2 мая 2018 года, во время Бархатной революции, обширный список преподавателей АУА подписал открытое письмо, в котором "недвусмысленно выражалась поддержка мирному движению армянского народа за восстановление социал-демократических ценностей и справедливых, прозрачных выборов". В письме также отмечалось: "Мы поддерживаем студентов, рабочих и других граждан Армении, которые коллективно выступают против олигархического правления, коррупции, необъективной судебной системы и других социально-экономических несправедливостей".
Several months after the violent crackdown of opposition protests on March 1, 2008, AUA, among other prominent institutions, refused to rent meeting space to opposition groups and democracy advocates under government pressure, according to Joseph Pennington, Deputy Chief of Mission at the U. S. Embassy in Yerevan. On May 2, 2018, during the Velvet Revolution, a long list of AUA faculty members signed an open letter "unequivocally support[ing] the Armenian people's peaceful movement to restore social democratic values and fair, transparent elections." The letter added: "We support the students, workers, and other citizens of Armenia who are collectively saying no to oligarchic rule, corruption, a biased judiciary, and other socio economic injustices."