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PRESS RELEASE
Friday, February 6, 2009
AGBU 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. 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
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 )
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
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
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
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
For more information about AGBU and its worldwide programs, please visit