APPROVAL OF NEW PROJECTS AND COMPLETION OF EXISTING REGULATIONS: THE SESSION OF THE YSU ACADEMIC COUNCIL TOOK PLACE

During the first session of the newly formed YSU Academic Council, Rector Hovhannes Hovhannisyan awarded Head of the Optics Chair, Professor Rafik Hakobyan with the YSU Gold Medal for his activities at the university, his great merit and his significant contribution to the training of young professionals.

The Rector of YSU also congratulated Khachik Zakaryan, a student of the Faculty of Law, who was awarded the "Combat Service" medal by the President of the Republic of Artsakh for his courage and high military readiness while defending the borders of the state.

Then H. Hovhannisyan referred to the current works of the university, talked about the existing issues, and planned changes. The rector of YSU presented the requirements for filling the positions of Professor and Associate Professor as an offer to the members of the Academic Council, stating that they will still be discussed and revised.

Next, after the approval of the agenda of the session, the YSU rector presented the composition of the commissions of Legal Acts Drafting and Examination, Competition, Quality Assurance, and Ethics for the confirmation of the Academic Council, which were accepted.

Moving on to the next item on the agenda, the Academic Council discussed the "Procedure for the selection of the head of the structural unit of the Yerevan State University" foundation and the issue of revoking the "Procedure for the Selection of the Dean of the Faculty of Yerevan State University" approved on May 26, 2016.

According to the procedure, a person who has a scientific degree and rank corresponding to the direction of the unit can be elected the head of it. In addition, the Academic Council of YSU elects the head of the structural unit by a closed, secret vote for a period of 5 years. The YSU Legal Service Head A. Tadevosyan stated that these provisions derive from YSU's newly edited charter.

Many opinions and suggestions on this issue were presented, and the Academic Council decided to approve the procedure by editing it and incorporating some of the suggestions.

In the framework of the next item on the agenda, A. Tadevosyan reported on the issue of making changes to the "Regulations on the allocation of student allowances, state and intra-university scholarships". He presented the proposed changes, on which opinions and suggestions were voiced. As a result of the discussion, it was decided to include some of them in the regulation and approve it.

Next, Elina Asriyan, the YSU vice-rector for academic affairs, presented the questions regarding the structure and content of YSU Bachelor and Master's educational programs for the approval of the Academic Council. According to her, the results of surveys of graduates and students, the study of international experience, benchmarking, and many Bologna documents were the basis for the development of projects.

According to E. Asriyan, the approval of the projects will provide an opportunity to have comparability with educational programs operating in the European higher education area and the possibility of applying student-centered education based on the principle of choice. The projects offer courses with a unified credit volume and modeling for them. According to the vice-rector, the number of project-based elective courses has almost doubled, which will make it possible to organize individualized training. The Academic Council approved the proposed projects.

Then, the Director of YSU Publishing House, Karen Grigoryan, presented "State and Law" and "Banber Yerevan University. Law" journals fully complying with the standards and proposed the approval of the Academic Council for guaranteeing them for printing.

According to him, certain standards have been defined for the published journals, according to which they are considered and presented for guarantee. In addition, he presented the issue of guaranteeing the publication of the works discussed in the YSU Publishing Council. The Academic Council approved the submitted questions.

Within the framework of the next item on the agenda, YSU Quality Assurance Center Director Armen Budaghyan presented the question of approving the "revised procedure for monitoring and reviewing YSU educational programs", presenting the implemented changes. YSU Academic Council approved the presented procedure.

Moving on to the last question on the agenda, Associate Professor of the Chair of Social Work and Social Technologies of YSU Sociology Faculty Nvard Melkonyan gave a presentation on "Innovations in YSU Sociology Faculty".