The%20process%20of%20internationalization%20at%20YSU

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The process of internationalization at YSU

• Brief introduction to intenationalization policy
  and process at Armenias leading institution of
  higher education
• Dr. Alexander Markarov
• Deputy Vice Rector, Head of International
  Cooperation Office, Yerevan State University
• www.ysu.am

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The content of the internationalization.

• Academic mobility, (students, staff, and
  researchers
• Development and implementation of joint
  educational programs
• Education integration, unifying programs,
  courses, and educational standards
• Joint research projects,
• Unification of skills, abilities, competence
• More intensive international cooperation
• Participation in associations, networks.
• Creating other branches and campuses
• General intercultural understanding
• Etc

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Key directions and priorities in the process of
internationalization at YSU

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• Positive impact on improving the quality of the
  educational process, professional training and
  quality assurance of education in general.
• Bringing educational standards into conformity
  with existing international standards (in
  particular with the requirements of ENQA) today
  is a priority at YSU and in Armenia, in general.

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Key directions and priorities in the process of
internationalization at YSU
2 Multi-faceted and multi-directional
international scientific cooperation, bilateral
contacts with partners, and participation in
multinational consortia and projects. Collaborati
ve research programs enabling the development of
fundamental science and potentially -
commercialization of research results. 3.
Professional and student mobility.
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Table 1. Staff mobility at YSU 2003/04 2009/10
ac.years
Outgoing YSUs staff mobility 2003- 2004 2004-2005 20052006 20062007 20072008 20082009 20092010
Europe 116 112 134 98 135 174 220
Africa 1 2 2 - - 1 1
North America 28 32 19 13 9 18 27
South America 2 - - 1 - 2 2
Asia 9 7 10 10 8 25 14
Total 156 153 165 122 152 220 264
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Table 2. Student mobility at YSU 2004/05
2009/10 ac.years
Outgoing YSUs student mobility 2004- 2005 20052006 2006-2007 2007-2008 20082009 20092010
Europe 29 35 38 22 53 110
Africa 22 19 5 5 7
North America 5 4 5 8 2 13
Asia 12 15 4 3 14 39
Total 68 73 52 38 76 162
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Key directions and priorities in the process of
internationalization at YSU

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• Increased number of signed agreements on
  cooperation, and, more important - increasing
  numbers in mobility are within the signed
  international agreements on scientific and
  educational cooperation.
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• Development of intercultural communication and
  intercultural understanding.

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Table 3. YSU international partners 2004/05
2009/10 ac.years (according to signed agreements
and MOUs)
YSUs international university partnerships 2004 2005 20052006 20062007 2007-2008 2008-2009 20092010
Europe 75 76 72 93 101 123
Africa 1 2 2 2 2 2
North America 21 22 22 23 25 26
South America 3 3 3 3 3 3
Asia 6 7 7 11 11 18
Total 106 110 106 132 142 172
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Internationalization includes

• YSU is actively involved in many grant programs
  and also in several international projects such
  as Tempus, OSI, DAAD, USAID, ISTC, CRDF, FP7,
  etc., and numerous research projects. It also
  must be emphasized that YSU is involved in
  several international networks, such as Erasmus
  Mundus, CIS Network University.

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Examples of internationalization

• Graduate Program in Visual Computing, with the
  financial support of the German Academic Exchange
  Service DAAD and jointly with the University of
  Rostock (Germany) started to operate. Second
  joint program with the German partners in the
  specialty Computational Sciences and Engineering.

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Examples of internationalization

• In 2008, the first in the post-Soviet area branch
  of the Russian Fund "Russian World" was opened at
  YSU - the "Russian Center", designed to help
  anyone interested in Russian language, history,
  culture, and today the Russian Federation. The
  Center for Distance Learning of Russian Language
  was inaugurated. On April 5th, 2010 the Center
  hosted the first lesson of the Russian language,
  which combines real-time about two hundred
  participants from Armenia and abroad

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Examples of internationalization

• Armenian Virtual College (AVC) which is supported
  by YSU. The College is the newest school of the
  Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), which
  due to its advanced techniques, makes new
  contributions to the education. AVC has three
  directions - the Armenian language, history, and
  culture, each of which offers a range of courses
  that correspond to different levels of knowledge.
  The program is presented in 6 languages English,
  Armenian (Eastern Armenian and Western), French,
  Russian and Spanish.

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Examples of internationalization

• Strong relationship between Yerevan State
  University and the Joint Institute for Nuclear
  Research (Russia, Dubna) have been developed.
  Professionals and students of YSU are involved in
  major projects carried out at JINR CMS, COMPASS,
  ATLAS, Irene, and others.

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Positive experience

• Positive experience at YSU includes development
  of the educational process, ensuring
  international standards of education and
  learning, sharing experiences, improving quality
  of human resources, joint research projects, the
  cultural component, the creation of and
  participation networks or professional
  associations, and professional activities related
  to their operation, work towards the
  establishment of research universities as centers
  able to perform the synthesis of science and
  education.

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Problems and risks

• Brain drain
• Potential loss of national cultural identity,
  their own national "I" in education
• Modest financial resources, information
  limitations,
• Inadequate human resources in terms of their
  readiness and availability of the necessary
  skills, abilities and understanding of the
  process and its features.
• Lack of awareness and grassroots structures and
  lack of interest in participating can delay the
  process

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Steps ahead

• University must move towards a more proactive
  involvement on the international front if it is
  to take full advantage of existing opportunities
  for rewarding academic partnerships and thus
  remain at the forefront of European research
  institutions.
• YSU best practices in this context cold include
  extensive links and support of international
  activities by administration, dedicated staff of
  International Office, as well as participation in
  many high profile international projects.

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Steps ahead

• International research became an institutional
  politics priority,
• Faculty collaboration should be encouraged in key
  areas
• Selective partnerships with universities shall be
  pursued, based upon the potential for
  collaboration in research, as well as student,
  staff, and faculty exchange.
• More joined master programs.

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Internationalization infrastructure

• YSU division responsible for the implementation
  of internationalization is the International
  Cooperation Office
• The main tasks of the Office include integration
  of the University into the world's scientific and
  educational processes, expanding the existing
  cooperation, organization of exchange programs,
  promotion of joint research and training
  activities, workshops, conferences and
  educational exhibitions.
• Developing the capacity to establish strong
  collaborative research initiatives and to
  stimulate innovative research

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Outcomes of internationalization policy

• The results of the internationalization process
  at YSU can be noted in various areas related to,
  teaching and quality education, research and
  development of scientific and cultural contacts
  with international partners and, of course,
  promote international cooperation as such.
• The essence of internationalization is that it
  covers all the higher educational structure,
  combining interdisciplinary, multilevel and
  cross-cultural values.
• Implementation strategy for the integration of
  YSU is aimed at becoming an equal partner in
  European research and education space

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International Cooperation and Internationalization
Policy

• Currently YSU has 187 cooperation agreements with
  foreign partners universities, institutes and
  research centers in 50 countries.
• Last year outgoing mobility about 500, including
  about 160 student mobilities
• More than 7000 foreign students from 82 countries
  studied at YSU
•  Yerevan State University is a member of
  International Association of Universities,
  European Universities Association,
  Eurasian Universities Association,
  Black Sea Universities Network, AUF.

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International Cooperation and Internationalization
Policy

• Among our partners are Arizona State University,
  University of California at Berkeley, University
  of Michigan - Ann Arbor, George Mason University,
  University of Connecticut (USA) University of
  Rostock, University of Trier, Halle University
  (Germany) University of Bologna, University of
  Florence, University of Venice, Ca Foscari,
  (Italy) University of Warsaw (Poland) Aristotle
  University of Thessaloniki (Greece) Moscow
  State University, Saint-Petersburg State
  University (RF) Donetsk National University
  (Ukraine) Montpellier I, Paul Valery
  (Montpellier III), Aix-Marseilles I, National
  Institute of Eastern Languages and Civilization
  Paris (France) and others.

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Dr. Alexander MarkarovDeputy Vice rector and
Head International Cooperation OfficeEmail
amarkarov_at_ysu.am

• Thank you!