Yerevan State University
Yerevan State University, also simply University of Yerevan, is the oldest continuously operating public university in Armenia. Founded in 1919, it is the largest university in the country. It is thus informally known as Armenia's "mother university". Of its 3,150 employees, 1,190 comprise the teaching staff, which includes 25 academicians, 130 professors, 700 docents, and 360 assistant lecturers. The university has 400 researchers, 1,350 post-graduate students, and 8,500 undergraduates, including 300 students from abroad.
Instruction is in Armenian, but instruction in Russian or English for foreign students is available as needed. The academic year is from September 1 through June 30.
According to University Ranking by Academic Performance, it was the top-ranked university in Armenia and the 954th in the world in 2010, of 20,000 institutions included in the list. Yerevan State University was listed among the 1,000 best universities of the world according to the QS World University Ranking 2022.
YSU is a full member of the International Association of Universities, European University Association, the Association of Eurasian Universities, the Russian Union of Rectors, the Association of Universities of the Countries of the Black Sea Region, and the International Association of Presidents of Universities.
History
Foundation
Yerevan State University was established on May 16, 1919, by decision of the government of the Republic of Armenia and the efforts of politician Sirakan Tigranyan. Professor Yuri Ghambaryan was appointed as its first rector.The university was officially inaugurated on January 31, 1920, in a grand ceremony held in Alexandropol, with the participation of Prime Minister Alexander Khatisian and many other government officials, as well as the ambassadors of Great Britain, France, and Iran to Armenia. At first, the university was temporarily housed within the school of commerce building in Alexandropol. The first lecture took place on February 1, 1920, conducted by academician Stepan Malkhasyants.
During its first academic year, the university had a single faculty of history and linguistics, with 32 academic staff and 262 students. Historian Hakob Manandyan, linguist Manuk Abeghian, historian Ashkharbek Kalantar, and Stepan Malkhasyants were among the first lecturers of the university. Later during the same year, the university was relocated to Yerevan and housed within the former Yerevan teachers' seminary building built between in the early 1900s on Astafyan Street.
During the Soviet period
After the Sovietization of Armenia in December 1920, the university was renamed the "People's University of Yerevan." Hakob Manandyan was appointed new rector of the university.In 1921, the university became home to two faculties: the faculty of physical sciences and the faculty of social sciences. In October 1921, three more faculties were opened: the faculty of oriental studies, the faculty of agriculture, and the faculty of technical studies. In March 1922, the faculties of medicine and pedagogy were opened, followed by the faculty of labor in 1923.
On October 20, 1923, the university was renamed the "State University of Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic", becoming the "mother university" of Soviet Armenia within the Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic.
In 1930, the university was restructured and many faculties were separated from the university to form an independent entity, including:
- Armenian Construction Institute from the faculty of technical studies,
- Yerevan State Medical University from the faculty of medicine,
- Armenian State Pedagogical University from the faculty of pedagogy, Cooperative Institutes were established in Yerevan on the base of the faculties of YSU.
By 1935–36, the university was home to eight faculties: history, linguistics, law, geology, geography, chemistry, biology, and physics-mathematics. In 1959, physics and mathematics were separated into two faculties.
During the Stalinization period, the university was named after Vyacheslav Molotov. However, during the de-Stalinization period, the university was renamed once again to "Yerevan State University".
The construction of the new headquarters of the university was completed during the 1950s, between Mravyan and Charents streets, to the northeast of the Circular Park. The building was designed by architect Edmond Tigranyan.
Between 1960 and 1990, many new faculties were founded, modern laboratories were opened, and the center of Armenology was established. In 1991, there were 17 faculties in the university.
Yerevan State University has been awarded with the Order of the Red Banner of Labour.
Post-independence
After Armenia gained its independence, the Ijevan campus of Yerevan State University was opened in 1994.The period of 1995–96 was crucial for the university with the beginning of a new educational process in order to meet the highest international standards. Thus, the faculties adopted a two-grade system of education, providing Bachelor's and master's degrees. Doctoral degrees are also issued by the faculties.
As of 2016–17, around 20,000 students study at 19 faculties of the university. The academic staff of the university consists of more than 1600 qualified specialists and experts, including 207 professors, 581 associate professors, 375 assistants, and 453 lecturers.
Doctor of Historical Sciences Hovhannes Hovhannisyan has been the rector of university since 2021.
On November 27, 2014, the Yerevan State University was restructured as a foundation by government decision. The first meeting of the new governing body of the university, the 32-member Board of Trustees, was held on April 19, 2015. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan was elected as chairman of the board. The current chairman of the board of trustees is Minister of Defense Suren Papikyan.
Governance
Board of trustees
The Yerevan State University Board of Trustees is the collegial governing body composed of 32 members, summoned for five years.In general, the board is in charge of approving the working procedures and the regulations of the rector elections, making decisions on early termination of powers, evaluating the rector's annual report, approval of the annual and strategic plans, approval of and amendments to the YSU charter, structure, budget, staff list, etc.
The board members are representatives of the following bodies:
- professorial staff,
- students and PhD students,
- representatives of scientific, educational, cultural, and economic fields,
- employees who cooperate with the university.
Rector
Managing and controlling the university's academic, scientific, economic, financial, national, and international activities are within the range of the rector's responsibilities. The rector is also the chairperson of the YSU Academic Council.
Academic Council
The Academic Council of Yerevan State University is responsible for planning and managing the educational, methodological, and scientific issues of the university for a 5-year cycle. The activities of the council are fulfilled through both regular and extraordinary sessions. Regular sessions are held at least eight times a year. In contrast, extraordinary sessions are called for upon necessity, at the written request of the chairman of the Academic Council, or at least 1/3rd of the council members.The Academic Council verifies the regulations regarding graduation qualification conditions, postgraduate admission terms, making decisions on reorganizing and annulling faculties, scientific and research institutions, centers, colleges, high schools, as well as departments and other structural subdivisions. The council is also in charge of awarding honorary titles, medals, rewards, individual scholarships, as well as nominating candidacies for state and international awards and titles.
The Academic Council consists of 88 members, of which 50% are elected. The YSU Rector is the chairperson of the Academic Council, while the vice-rectors are the heads of corresponding subdivisions. It is noteworthy that 25% of the members of the council are students.
Rectorate
The YSU Rectorate is the advisory body to the university rector. It is composed of the rector, vice-rectors, scientific secretary, head of the educational administration, chief accountant, president of trade union, heads of YSU branches, scientific institutes, directors of centres, and deans of the YSU faculties.Faculties
As of 2016, the university has 19 faculties in Yerevan, as well as a "Preparatory department for foreign citizens":Faculty of Physics
- Physics
- Nuclear Physics
- Applied Mathematics and Physics
To strengthen the development of physics, and in order to generate more specialists in the country, the Faculty of Physics was separated from the Mathematics-Physics Faculty in 1959. The first dean of the Faculty was NAS RA Academician Norayr Kocharyan.
The Faculty staff is composed of highly qualified specialists. Currently, NAS RA has three Academicians, five Associate members, 36 Doctors of Sciences, and more than 80 Candidates of Sciences, all involved in the tutoring process of this Faculty.
Since the 2006–2007 academic year, the Faculty has been offering the specialization of Pedagogue of Physics.
Scientific research activities, which are conducted at the laboratories of the Faculty, correspond to the present demands of the field both scientifically and technically.
There is also a computer room with modern technology, which enables students to get acquainted with modern scientific experiments and automated systems of technology management.
The Faculty is active in scientific development, as evidenced by the receipt of various international grants and the many ongoing projects financed by the state budget. Currently, scientific research activities are undertaken within the framework of 13 international grants and 15 projects on budgetary financing.