YSU launches Partners Club, emphasizing partnerships as the key to progress

YSU implements numerous projects, scientific research studies, and educational programs in collaboration with its partners. These partnerships contribute to the professional growth of students and researchers, drive the development of innovative solutions, and strengthen deeper connections across various sectors.

Recognizing the need to modernize educational content and methodology, enhance research outcomes, develop and expand human resources, and integrate effectively into the external environment, YSU considers deepening collaboration and strengthening ties with partners as essential prerequisites for its modernization and advancement.

In line with its key internationalization priorities, YSU has established cooperation agreements and memoranda with 270 universities, institutions, and international organizations across approximately 50 countries. Moreover, YSU is actively engaged in various domestic and international grant programs and is a member of several international networks, enabling continuous participation in major regional and international academic consortia. This, in turn, promotes international mobility and the implementation of experience-sharing programs. 

During the 2023-2024 academic year, 23 new agreements have been signed with foreign universities, and the university has joined 34 international organizations and consortia. As part of its international partnerships, YSU organizes exchange programs for professors and students, joint academic and research events, seminars, workshops, conferences, and other initiatives.

Recognizing the importance of strengthening the university-labor market connection and the commitment to ensuring YSU's progress through cooperation, efforts continue to enhance existing partnerships and establish new ones. The unified registry of YSU’s partner organizations and enterprises includes data from 435 organizations, with which cooperation is being carried out in various formats. In the 2023-2024 academic year, 18 memoranda have been signed, and partnership ties have been strengthened and expanded. Over the past year, more than 70 meetings have been held. Thanks to expos organized by YSU, the university’s partnership network has expanded. YSU also actively participates in expos organized by its partners, thereby increasing the visibility of YSU brand and creating new opportunities for stakeholders. 

As part of these collaborations, nearly 40 training sessions and meetings have been held with invited speakers from partner organizations, involving around 1,000 students, many of whom have secured employment in these organizations. YSU students undertake professional and academic internships at partner organizations. Approximately 750 students have applied for these opportunities. In collaboration with its partners, YSU has implemented 189 such programs, in which 220 students have participated. Of these, 35-40% have met the requirements of partner employers and have been employed within these organizations.

YSU Alumni - The Best Partners

YSU alumni play a significant role in enhancing the university’s partnership network. As the institution with the largest and most diverse alumni community in Armenia, YSU provides its graduates with opportunities for continuous engagement within the academic environment, communication with the university and fellow alumni, and numerous avenues for collaboration. Partnerships serve as a valuable platform for mutually beneficial communication within the university community, not only contributing to academic and educational progress but also enhancing the university’s social responsibility and strengthening its ties with society.

The university's alumni have consistently established themselves in various fields, including science, education, culture, and the economy, as well as in political and social activities both in Armenia and beyond. By holding high-ranking and responsible positions in public administration, local and international organizations, and by founding companies—many of which have gained international recognition—YSU alumni remain committed to supporting their beloved university in its efforts toward development and quality enhancement. 

YSU - A Platform for Cooperation

Mikayel Hovhannisyan, Vice-Rector for Development and Innovation at YSU, considers the establishment of YSU Partners Club a significant step in shaping an institutional framework. This initiative will not only make collaboration more comprehensive but also serve as a platform for communication and engagement.

This model of collaboration aims to create an institutional environment where YSU partners will have the opportunity to: 

• Participate in the development of educational and research agendas

• Engage in the creation of mutually beneficial and innovative solutions

• Initiate and implement joint projects

• Promote interfaculty collaborations

• Develop new academic and research outcomes

• Contribute to the modernization of educational programs

• Take part in the commercialization of scientific and educational results

• Discuss cross-sectoral issues

According to Karine Nazaryan, Deputy Director of the Alumni and Career Center, this initiative will contribute to the advancement of cooperation between YSU and its partner organizations. It will provide an opportunity to coordinate university-labor market connections, manage information flows, and foster scientific development. The club’s effective operation will also enhance the flexibility of educational programs, allowing the university to respond swiftly to the evolving demands of the labor market, create new professions, and address the challenges of the modern labor market.

The socialization of collaboration and the application of diverse communication formats in YSU Partners Club will serve as key tools for encouraging active engagement and creating an environment for effective cooperation. This, in turn, will strengthen existing partnerships among club members and facilitate the development of innovative ideas across various fields.

The necessity of continuously improving education quality has made it essential to establish an effective connection between universities, students, and employers. The development of the integrated model of collaborative learning at YSU is also within the scope of the university’s scientific research studies.

Recognizing the deepening of partnerships with public and private sector organizations as a key development priority, YSU Faculty of Economics and Management conducted a research project titled "Challenges and Solutions for University-Industry Cooperation in Armenia", with thematic funding from Higher Education and Science Committee of Armenia for 2021-2024. As part of this research, the reserach team initiated several multi-stakeholder focus group discussions and conducted labor market sectoral analyses to examine the characteristics of current connections between stakeholders, the motivations for fostering long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with partner organizations, and the concerns regarding the development of various forms of inter-university cooperation. Additionally, in collaboration with YSU Alumni and Career Center, roundtable discussions on "Challenges and Prospects of University-Labor Market Cooperation" were organized within the framework of the research.

YSU’s partnership network continues to expand and strengthen, encompassing both local and international collaborations. The university remains committed to deepening its partnerships while staying true to its core values and strategic goals.