AUA: Investing in Armenia’s Human Capital is Critical to Armenia’s Growth

YEREVAN — Giving Tuesday is a global philanthropic movement that establishes a global day of giving. This year on Giving Tuesday on November 29, as well as for its traditional end-of-year appeal, the American University of Armenia (AUA) has embraced the commitment  to increase resources and support for students enrolled in academic programs that are crucial to lead the way forward for Armenia.

Aptly titled “Invest in Education: The Way Forward for Armenia!,” this drive focuses on addressing Armenia’s specific needs and enhancing the areas requiring improvement. To do this through higher education, AUA has been making great strides in the last few years to provide more comprehensive support for programs of study deemed crucial to advancing the nation.

Firstly, through its recent Build a Better Future campaign, AUA has remained intently attuned to Armenia’s most pressing needs in the fields of science and technology. Accordingly, the University is targeting significant resources toward the construction of the new AUA Science & Engineering Building and the advancement of our Open Centers of Excellence. These spaces and platforms are intended to bridge knowledge and expertise with the power to uphold the security of the homeland, a supreme goal that AUA promotes.

Additionally, the University recognizes that the development of expertise in international relations and diplomacy is fundamental to Armenian security, peace, and prosperity. Toward that end, AUA has launched the Master of International Relations and Diplomacy (MIRD) and Master of Public Affairs (MPA) programs to begin in Fall 2023. Closely aligned with these degree programs is the prospective opening of the Center for the Study of Diplomacy and Global Affairs (CSDGA). These new initiatives will equip students with the conceptual frameworks, methodological approaches, and problem-solving skills necessary for addressing  regional and global politics.

In addition, to underscore the necessity of building the nation’s healthcare infrastructure —  which spans a wide range of healthcare services, including the development of emergency response systems and disaster preparedness and addressing chronic disease burden and determinants of health —  AUA has integrated these into the academic and research endeavors of the AUA Turpanjian College of Health Sciences (CHS). In this context, the newly launched Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, made possible by a generous contribution from the Turpanjian Educational Foundation, is the most recent addition to CHS and the first of its kind in the country and region at large. The program will help improve the overall quality of nursing in Armenia, with AUA becoming a faculty production hub for nursing colleges and filling the significant void of specializations within the field.

Finally, witnessing the recent atrocities inflicted upon the citizens of Armenia and Artsakh has intensified the call to strengthen AUA’s Human Rights and Social Justice (HRSJ) program. AUA is committed to utilizing its network of prominent experts and resources to support students in mastering the approaches and legal expertise required to protect human rights and social justice, as well as equip them with a wide range of competences and expertise that would allow them to confidently pursue careers in social service, human rights law, international law, and advocacy.

Through these efforts, the University is keen to prepare students with the understanding, discernment, and knowledge required to effectively make changes ensuring the advancement of the nation. AUA calls upon the diaspora to keep lighting the torch of education and building the human capital Armenia needs to protect its national security and achieve lasting prosperity and peace.