ArmenPress
Nov 16 2004

32 PERCENT OF STUDENTS SAYS FIGHTING AGAINST UNIVERSITY CORRUPTION
DOOMED TO FAILURE

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS: Nikol Aghbalian student
organization and the Armenian Youth Forum unveiled today the findings
of a survey they conducted between January and September this year
among students of 11 state-run universities to disclose the students’
perception of university corruption. Another goal pursued by the
survey organizers was to learn one of the main reasons behind
university corruption and what the students thought about fighting
against it.
Some 18 percent of respondents said the corruption resulted from
very low salaries of their professors, 17 percent said bribes are
paid by male students who want to dodge their compulsory military
service and 16 percent said corruption flourishes because corrupted
professors enjoy university managers protection.
Twenty-two percent of students believe the majority of bribes is
paid during entrance and post-graduate examinations. Yet another 20
percent believe that university corruption can be fought against
given the support of university managers, state officials and
students themselves.
Forty-three percent said they were ready to join any
anti-corruption initiative, while 32 percent believe that any such
initiative is doomed to failure.
Between 2000-2004 only five professors were dismissed on charges
of corruption.