Yerevan State University
Introduction
About YSU
Yerevan State University provides high-quality education to ensure the competitiveness of its graduates in the local, as well as the global labour market.
To deal with contemporary challenges and to effectively accomplish its educational mission, YSU continuously upgrades the profile and content of its educational programmes, applies modern teaching and learning methods, and provides students with effective support services.
Major structural changes in YSU’s academic activities started in the mid-1990s. In 1995 YSU changed the structure of its academic qualifications by establishing a two-level qualification system with Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. In 2007 the ECTS credit system was introduced in all Master’s programmes, then a year later in Bachelor’s programmes.
Currently, YSU runs 60 Bachelor’s, 130 Masters and 70 Doctoral programmes that involve nearly 18000 students (according to the data of January 1, 2013, there are 13500 BA students, 4000 MA students and 400 postgraduate students), 5000 of which are part-time students.
The university has 19 faculties with more than 100 general and professional departments and one regional branch (campus) with 4 faculties in the town of Ijevan. YSU employs about 3000 staff out of which 1300 are the permanent academic staff (166 professors, 461 associate professors, 639 assistant professors and lecturers).
23 academicians and 26 correspondence members of the National Academy of Sciences are involved in teaching and research activities of the university. The student/teacher ratio is 12.5. The University has its publishing house and library.
YSU utilizes a multi-factor student assessment system that enables to continuously evaluate the level of students’ knowledge during the whole semester. It has elements of formative assessment and fosters students’ individual work and class participation.
Now YSU is creating its internal quality assurance system in line with the requirements of European Standards and Guidelines to enhance the quality of its educational provisions. Effective feedback from students and graduates has been introduced to bring study programmes in compliance with the needs and requirements of the labour market and society.
Continuous development of its teaching staff is among YSU priorities, which is a crucial factor for providing high-quality education. Recently YSU introduced a new credit-based programme for teaching staff development. It provides special training courses aimed at developing teachers’ skills in applying new teaching, learning and assessment methods.
YSU also provides professional training, continuous education courses and life-long learning possibilities to various groups of the society through its extension programmes and courses.
International cooperation
The international cooperation of Yerevan State University has existed since the first years of foundation of YSU.
Now the university has agreements with 120 universities and Scientific Centers of 37 countries. Cooperation with OSCE, “Synopsis Armenia ", Agency of International Development of the USA, cooperation within the framework of programs "NFSAT", "CRDF", "TEMPUS" is especially active. The example of cooperation are tight scientific-educational relations of YSU, formed in last years, with the United Institute of Nuclear Researches ( Russian Federation, Dubna), State University of Arizona (USA), University of Rostock (Germany), University of Trier (Germany), University of Florence (Italy), Warsaw University (Poland), Moscow State University after М.В. Lomonosov.
Today YSU is widely involved in various international programs: YSU is the full member of the International Association of Universities, Association of European Universities, Association of Eurasian Universities, Russian Union of Rectors, Association of Universities of the Countries of the Black Sea Region and the International Association of Presidents of Universities.