Haroutune K. Armenian President Emeritus

1. THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF ARMENIA:A University that is as American as any in the U.S. and as Armenian as any in Armenia Haroutune K. Armenian President Emeritus

2. OBJECTIVES OF THE TALK • Historical perspective • Some Guiding Principles • An American University • An Armenian Institution • Future perspectives

3. Higher Education in Armenia - 1 • Visiting student model – Syriac, Greek – • Students seeking the sources of knowledge • Professor is the source • Monastic model – Datev, Narek, Gladzor, Kosh, but also Venice and Vienna • Professor is the source but large repository of manuscripts and books

4. Higher Education in Armenia – 2 American Missionary Colleges - Central Turkey College – Aintab – 1874 - Euphrates College - Kharpert – 1878 - Anatolia College – Marsovan – 1886 - etc. Liberal Arts Colleges Mostly Armenian students

6. Higher Education in Armenia – 3 European – German – Russian model universities: Nikol Aghbalian and Yerevan State University in 1920 Professor centered system Emphasis on teaching Research is primarily the role of the institutes of the Academy of Sciences

7. AUA is the return of the American Liberal Arts higher educational tradition to Armenia after a severance of 70 years.

8. Lessons from American Universities of the past • Universities and Colleges that operated within the boundaries of their campuses • For the Locals: Colleges that were the institutions of the American missionaries • For the US Public: Charitable institutions with a missionary (religious?) objective targeting Middle Eastern youth

9. INTRODUCE THE UNIVERSITY • PARTNERSHIP • -American University of Armenia Corporation • -Government of the Republic of Armenia • Armenian General Benevolent Union • University of California • US Government Support

10. Adversity is an opportunity for positive achievement.

11. UNIQUENESS OF AUA • Historical circumstances • Synergy of institutions • American model in the Soviet and Russian cultural environment • Graduate university geared to development • Most efficient operation • Vision for the future

12. EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY • LIBERAL ARTS EDUCATION: • -Virtuous Person = Broad skills and knowledge • - Research and Problem Solving competencies • - Democracy at the root of liberalism

13. LibraryLabsComputersDataExperts FACULTY Student Student Student Student Student Student Student Student Student Student Traditional University

14. Experts Data Library Student Data Faculty Computers Data Library Labs Computers STUDENT Experts Labs Student Experts Labs Library Data Computers Labs Student Competitor Graduate American University

15. An Ideal University: U VA An ideal community … a small republic, finding in itself all that is necessary in the way of government and the pursuit of happiness. It is democratic as far as its government is concerned…. The atmosphere of this college world is ideal. Here a man’s consequence is not determined by his wealth nor by his antecedents, but by his character… There is absolute equality of opportunity, a thing necessary in an ideal republic, and the thing which was really demanded by the Declaration of Independence. Patton JS, Doswell SJ. The University of Virginia. Glimpses of its past and present. Lynchburg, VA: J.P.Bell Company; 1900

16. THE ROLE OF AUA • AMERICAN • - Liberal Arts Education • TRANSFORMATIONAL • - Choice • - Quality • - Entrepreneurship • - Technology

17. UNIVERSALITY Universities: universal heritage and values AUA: global roots Students: operate within global society and economy Not an alienation from the local culture but enriching its potential and global reach and exposure. e.g. Armenian Digital Library

18. EXCELLENCE - Aiming beyond the standard and the average • We may start at different levels but aim for the largest numbers achieving the best possible results • From a bell shaped distribution to a distribution skewed to the left

21. Knowledge Society • Is a society where the intellectual product is pre-eminent over the material • Is a society where creativity and innovation is encouraged over sensory pleasure • Is where spirituality is enhanced because of the intellectual and creative experiences of the individual

22. What is an American Higher Institution? a AAICU Meeting May 25-26, 2007 • Curricula, calendar, credits • Faculty • Teaching and Learning

23. What is an American Higher Institution? b • Incorporation and Accreditation in the US • Academic Freedom and Diversity • Student Services and Extracurricular Activities • Governance, Administration, Facilities

24. A Institution that is Armenian 1 • Partnership with Armenian Government • Armenian diasporan engagement and leadership – AGBU • Broader objective of impacting higher education in Armenia • Majority of students and faculty Armenian

25. A Institution that is Armenian b • Development and research projects targeting development in Armenia • Change agents of Armenian models • A model. Ex. Transparency - Avedisian building • Examples: ACE, CHSR, TCPA, Digital Library, TRDP

26. An Equilibrium • Guilt vs. Shame based cultures or internal and external locus of control • It is important that the AUA maintains an equilibrium between its American existence and its Armenian mission • It is important for it to be accepted as American as any in the US and adopted as being as Armenian as any institution in Armenia and the diaspora

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28. Krikor Zohrab Education is learning for moral and intellectual development and not for monetary gain. One should not confound education and culture with craft or trade. One can serve the other, but their objectives are different and will stay entirely different. End of Century Education, 1890