Mikhail Piotrovsky awarded Honorary Doctor of YSU

In April of this year, YSU Faculty of Oriental Studies proposed awarding the title of Honorary Doctor of YSU to Mikhail Piotrovsky, the Dean of the Faculty of Oriental Studies at St. Petersburg State University and Director of Hermitage Museum. The proposal was approved by the Academic Council, recognizing Piotrovsky's scientific achievements and significant contribution to the development of Armenian-Russian academic relations. This historical event was marked by a wealth of interesting details.  

Mikhail Piotrovsky's father, Boris Piotrovsky, is known as one of the first to excavate Urartu, Erebuni, and Red Hill. His works have had a profound impact on the study of Armenian history and culture. Mikhail Piotrovsky has continued this mission, playing a key role in the advancement of Oriental studies and Armenian studies.  

Mikayel Hovhannisyan, Vice-Rector for Development and Innovation at YSU, and Ruben Melikonyan, the Dean of the Faculty of Oriental Studies, visited St. Petersburg, where the Awarding Ceremony of the Honorary Doctor Title for Mikhail Piotrovsky took place. During the event, they presented Piotrovsky with a special volume of scientific articles, "Issues of Oriental Studies", dedicated to his 80th birthday. This collection includes articles by orientalists, including Piotrovsky’s biography and a list of his published works. YSU representatives also gifted him an icon of the Virgin Mary, created by the employees of YSU Ijevan Branch and students of the Faculty of Applied Arts.  

During their visit, Ruben Melkonyan and Mikayel Hovhannisyan met with the leadership of St. Petersburg State University and representatives of the Faculty of Oriental Studies to discuss future cooperation initiatives. Special attention was given to the summer school planned for 2025, which will involve students and professors from Yerevan, St. Petersburg, and Moscow State Universities. The summer school will primarily focus on contemporary trends in Oriental Studies.

Another significant initiative is the congress on source studies, which is set to take place in April of next year. YSU Faculty of Oriental Studies will act as a co-organizer of the Arabic studies section of the event. Additionally, exchange programs for professors are planned, with a particular emphasis on enhancing Armenian studies. In this context, Ruben Melkonyan proposed the creation of training programs at YSU for students studying Armenian, while YSU professors would travel to St. Petersburg to teach courses in Armenian studies.

YSU representatives noted that Mikhail Piotrovsky was particularly excited about the opportunity to see the "Erebuni Museum Corner" opened at Hermitage Museum and to compare them. He also announced his plans to visit Yerevan in 2025, where he will hold lectures at YSU in his new capacity as YSU Honorary Doctor. 

This visit once again underscored Mikhail Piotrovsky's exceptional role as a scholar, leader, and cultural figure, not only in his field but also in strengthening international academic collaboration.

Additionally, it is important to mention that this year, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between YSU and St. Petersburg State University with the aim of further strengthening academic and research ties between the institutions and implementing new research projects.