AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF ARMENIA IMPLEMENTS PROGRAM OF DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL REGIONS IN ARMENIA AND NKR

ARKA News Agency
Sept 3 2007
Armenia

YEREVAN, September 3. /ARKA/. The American University of Armenia
(AUA) implements an education program totaling $5mln in Armenia and
Nagorno-Karabakh directed to the development of rural regions.

AUA President Haroutiun Armenyan told reporters on Monday that the
five-year program started in 2006 is directed to the improvement of
economic conditions of inhabitants of one NKR village and two regions
in Armenia – Shirak and Tavush.

He said that the project envisages implementation of various
subprograms, but its main direction is to draw middle-aged people
into business.

"It is a priority issue for us to grant an opportunity to middle-aged
generation to learn the rules of conducting business by means of
modern technologies and information sources, that they lacked when
getting their basic education," he said.

Armenyan noted that inhabitants of rural regions will be suggested
drawing business plans on the bases of which the AUA will select the
beneficiaries of the project.

"The short-listed participants will be held within the AUA business
courses for businessmen, and during these courses they will be provided
detailed information on the basics and mechanisms of implementing
business activities," he said.

The AUA President expressed hope that due to this program the economic
effectiveness of business activities in the rural regions of Armenia
and the NKR will significantly increase.

The idea to form an American University in Armenia occurred in 1989.

The AUA started operating in Armenia in 1991. The founders of
the University are the RA Government, Californian University and
All-Armenian charitable union.

During the 16-year operation of the university, its annual budget
makes $2.5mln.