ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
July 14, 2004 Wednesday

Russia, Armenia to expand student exchanges

Darya Tokareva

MOSCOW

Russia and Armenia have agreed to expand student exchanges.

Russia Minister of Education and Science Andrei Fursenko told
Itar-Tass on Wednesday that the sides had signed a bilateral
agreement on cooperation in the field of education.

“Now about 125 Russians will travel to Armenia to study every year,
and as many Armenian students will study in Russia,” he said on
Wednesday.

In addition, the agreement introduces new, more thorough, criteria
for selecting students for the exchange programmes. “Now both sides
will take part in this process,” the minister added.

In his words, “We have slightly increased the number of students to
study under the exchange programme, but this will allow to speak
about closer cooperation.”

Armenia will also continue to train Russian language teachers for
schools under the agreement.

The sides also agreed to develop the Russian-Armenian State
University, which will soon start admitting more students. “This
year, 44 University graduates received two state higher education
diplomas at the same time: Russian and Armenian,” Fursenko said.

Since the beginning of this year, the University has been inviting
lecturers from Moscow higher educational institutions. The University
had agreements with 18 leading Russian higher educational
institutions. There are 1,500 students at the University.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress