COOPERATION BETWEEN YSU AND AIX-MARSEILLE UNIVERSITY TO INCLUDE NEW SPHERES DUE TO “ERASMUS+” PROGRAMME

The opening speech was performed by the Advisor for Culture and Cooperation Affairs of the French Embassy in Armenia Alex Bortola. In his speech he referred to the Francophonie Summit held in Armenia recently stressing that it was a very important event for Armenia.

“We obviously see the positive changes related to teaching and studying French in Armenia and it means that our cooperation is effective”, mentioned Alex Bortola.

The Armenoloogy lecturer of Aix-Marseille University, the coordinator of “Erasmus +” programme Patric Tonapetyan presented the goals of his and his friends’ arrival in Yerevan and their further steps.

“Our cooperation has many-year history, first it included only exact sciences and later covered humanitarian sciences as well. Due the cooperation with “Erasmus+” programme our activity will get a new stimulus including other spheres too”, Said Patric Tonapetyan.

Mr Tonapetyan stressed that the center of Armenian Studies of Aix-Marseille University is the only one in the university system of France and the French students who want to come to Armenia can study the Armenian Language and Armenian Culture in this center.

The person in charge for the program of cooperation with Europe, the representative of Aix-Marseille Foreign Relations Christelle Dupont Ferrier in her report stressed that France is the second country where Armenian students go to continue their education most of all.

“Unfortunately, France is not among those ten countries from where students come to Armenia to study. However, due to the new initiative od “Erasmus+” the situation will be improved and French students will get the opportunity to get internship in Armenia”, Christelle Dupont Ferrier expressed hope.

She also mentioned that the bilateral cooperation is getting more developed and the best proof for this is that within the frames of lecturers’ mobility it is planned to send specialists of Geology, Environment, Iranian, Turkish and Arabic Studies to YSU.

The efforts put by YSU into this sphere were highly appreciated during the event. YSU lecturers and students shared their experience and stories related to “Erasmus+”.

The lecturer of the Chair of French language of YSU, the coordinator of ties with Aix-Marseille and Montpellier Universities, the persons in charge of the YSU Center for Academic Achievements Taguhi Blbulyan referred to the experience gained within the scope of lecturers’ mobility.

“Previously, there were various programs of students’ exchange and quality increase and re-training programs for lecturers but “Erasmus+” gives the exceptional possibility for lecturers to improve not only their theoretical but also practical skills via teaching implementing several functions”, said Taguhi Blbulyan.

The employee of YSU Department of International Cooperation, the lecturer of the faculty of International Relations Haykuhi Mkrtchyan expressed gratitude to the employees of the French Embassy in Armenia for rapid and efficient organization of the process of getting entrance visa by students and lecturers.