Study Abroad Program in Armenia: Summer 2009 Applications Available Now

The Study Abroad Program (SAP) in Armenia has been developed as one of AGBU's newest initiatives to address the broader educational needs of Armenian youth in the Diaspora. Blending accredited academic coursework with the benefit of cultural immersion in Armenia, the program aims at providing in-depth knowledge of topics in a variety of academic disciplines placed in a regional context, helping participants gain a new perspective on the Caucasus.

A collaborative effort with the American University of Armenia (AUA), an affiliate of the University of California, the AGBU Study Abroad Program in Armenia is a unique four-week summer study program which allows students to take up to two 4-credit courses offered by top universities in Armenia. These English-instructed courses are designed to offer undergraduate juniors and seniors in good academic standing academic enhancement in a broad spectrum of subject areas, specifically human rights and civic development in the Caucasus, health-care systems in transforming economies, current issues in global security, women and human rights, and information technology.

Academic credit is granted through AUA, which is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Accrediting Commission for Schools, one of seven regional bodies recognized by the United States Department of Education. Collaborating universities for the 2009 session include Yerevan State University, the State Engineering University of Armenia, and the Yerevan State Medical University.š The faculty is comprised of top experts in their fields from both the Diaspora and Armenia.

Academic studies are supplemented with a cultural enrichment program. While in Armenia, students live in an AGBU residence along with participants of the AGBU Yerevan Summer Intern Program (YSIP). Together, they partake in a variety of social, cultural, educational, and recreational activities that allow participants to explore the land, heritage, history, and people of Armenia and Karabakh. Participants have the opportunity to tour AGBU projects in Armenia and meet with government officials. In addition to sightseeing tours and excursions, evening and weekend activities in Yerevan include Armenian dance lessons, Armenian language courses, cooking classes and Armenian history lectures presented by a wide range of professionals.

While similar to its cohort AGBU intern programs in New York, Paris, and Yerevan, which offer college-age students a complete mix of professional and cultural, as well as personal, experiences, leading to lifelong friendships, the Study Abroad Program is unique in that it gives young Armenians studying in different educational institutions all over the world a chance to enhance their academic experience while directly reconnecting them to their heritage.

The 2009 summer session will take place from June 29 to July 24. To help defray the cost of this valuable experience, AGBU is awarding scholarships to 15 eligible applicants of Armenian descent.

For further information and to obtain an application for the 2009 Study Abroad Program in Armenia, please email sap@agbu.org or visit www.agbu.org/summer2009. Please note, while course enrollment is administered through AUA, the reciprocity of credits is to be cleared by participants with their home institution. The submission of a separate Study Abroad Application (available at www.aua.am/students/application) to AUA is required. The deadline for both applications is April 1, 2009.

The American University of Armenia (AUA) was established in 1991 as an independent graduate university based on American educational models. AUA offers master's level programs in business, engineering, computer science, political science and international affairs, law, public health, and teaching of English as a foreign language. To learn more, visit www.aua.am.

Yerevan State University (YSU) was established in 1920 as Armenia's first public institution of higher learning. YSU has over 90,000 alumni. Currently, 13,000 students are enrolled in 22 departments covering a wide range of disciplines in letters, arts, and sciences. To learn more, visit www.ysu.am.

The State Engineering University of Armenia (SEUA) is the leader in national technological education. Since its foundation in 1933, SEUA has graduated over 100,000 students. Today, the University has over 11,000 students and 1,000 full-time faculty members. SEUA offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in over 100 engineering specialties. To learn more, visit www.seua.am.

The Yerevan State Medical University (YSMU) trains medical staff not only for Armenia and the neighboring countries of Iran, Syria, Lebanon, and Georgia, but also for many other countries throughout the world. A large number of foreign students from India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, the USA, and the Russian Federation study together with Armenian students. To learn more, visit www.ysmu.am.