The Armenian Higher Education Initiative is pleased to announce the completion of its inaugural summer humanities program. Undergraduate university students of Armenian heritage came together from Georgia, Artsakh, as well as universities in Gyumri, Kavar, and Yerevan for an intensive program in the humanities and social sciences.  

Core courses consisted of methodology seminars in political science and history, and they were complemented by lectures in a variety of other subjects given by local specialists. Classroom space was provided by Yerevan State University and Counterpart International.

AHEI staff members Asbed Kotchikian, HamazaspDanielyan, Gayane Vardanyan, and Arshak Balayan led the program, and visiting lecturers included art historian LilitSargsyan, Lara Aharonian of the Women’s Resource Center in Yerevan, ethnologist TigranMatosyan, Artak Kirakosyan of the Civil Society Institute, nationalism studies expert Mikael Zolyan, and media expert Gegham Vardanyan. Drs. Danielyan and Ara Sanjian led the methodology courses, preparing students for long-term research projects that will take place in the coming months.

The program was sponsored by the Open Society Institute. OSI alumni participated in a debate with the AHEI group, and also gave presentations on their public service activities alongside AHEI final presentations at the end of the course.

Participants had the opportunity to travel to Echmiadzin, where they met with the Cross of Armenian Unity NGO.  Towards the end of the program, students attended a seminar with Jirayr Libaridian, former Advisor to President Levon Ter-Petrossian, in which they discussed Armenia’s current and future political situation.

For further information about the Arrmenian Higher Education Initiative, please contact Sarah Ludwig, Executive Director, at info@armhei.org or visit our website at www.armhei.org