Towards Political Patronage of HEIs?

A 'gentle breeze' recently blew over the Armenian State University of Economics (ASUE). On 5 February 2009, the Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Mr. Hovik Abrahamian was unanimously elected President of the University’s Board (in Armenian hovik means gentle breeze).

According to A1+ news agency, Abrahamian’s nomination was put forward by the University’s ex-president/rector Mr. Grigor Kirakosian. In a secret ballot, all the 27 members of the Board voted for Abrahamian.

Mr. Abrahamian (in picture, Photolur via panorama.am) becomes the 3rd high ranking state official to elect himself to such a position. President Serge Sargsian heads Yerevan State University’s Board since he was PM and Mr. Artur Baghdasarian, Head of Armenia’s Security Council, chairs the Boards of the French University in Armenia and the European Regional Academy since their foundation.

Oppositionist newspaper Hraparak dated 6 February 2009 interpreted Mr. Abrahamian’s initiative as an act of rivalry with the President, which I seriously doubt. The paper also questioned the Speaker’s academic credentials and interests for chairing such an institution despite the fact that he is an ASUE alumnus.

The University’s website has not reported the news yet. Unfortunately, the website has not been updated since 9 September 2008. The website of the National Assembly, however, carries an in-detail account of Mr. Abrahamian’s election and his speech (to read, please click here).
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UNESCO 2009 Conference on Higher Ed

A major international conference on “The New Dynamics of Higher Education” will be held 5-8 July 2009 at UNESCO headquarters in Paris.

> To what extent is higher education today a driver for sustainable development in the national and international context?

> Does higher education live up to the expectations placed in it to induce change and progress in society and to act as one of the key factors for building knowledge-based societies?

> How does higher education contribute to the development of the education system as a whole?

> What are the most significant trends that will shape the new higher education and research spaces? How are learners and learning changing?

> What are the new challenges for “quality” and “equity”?

These and other issues will be on the agenda of the 2009 World Conference that will take stock of changes in higher education since the World Conference on Higher Education of 1998 and will deal with the new dynamics that are likely to shape the strategic agenda for the development of higher education policies and institutions in the foreseeable future.

The 1998 World Conference

The 1998 World Conference on Higher Education constituted a key moment for the higher education community. When convening it, UNESCO sought the commitment of member states and all other stakeholders to ensure that the future orientations of this sector would be based on equity of advanced educational opportunity for all citizens, modernized systems and institutions, and enhanced social relevance and links to the world of work.

The 1998 Conference demonstrated the importance of higher education as a key factor for the cultural, social and economic development of nations and people, as an endogenous capacity-builder, as a promoter of human rights, sustainable development, international intellectual solidarity, democracy, peace and justice.

New Priorities

The higher education policy agenda had considerably evolved since 1998 and the sector is more than ever a priority for tomorrow. Higher education faces many challenges – recurrent and more recent ones – whose in-depth understanding will help to shape action at the global, regional, national and institutional level.

The 2009 World Conference will provide a global platform for proactive thinking and debate on the rapidly changing higher education and research spaces and will identify concrete actions aimed at ensuring that the sector meets both national development objectives and individual aspirations. The conference – designed and conducted in synergy with the world higher education community and the fourth World Science Forum (Budapest, November 2009) – will bring together key stakeholders for a new commitment to the development of higher education.

In preparation for this event, a series of regional conferences will be organized to bring specific regional concerns, expectations and proposals to the 2009 World Conference.

Please click here for updates on the 2009 World Conference.
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Nevshehir's Armenian Adventures

In what can be considered lack of elementary planning and organization, Nevşehir (Nevshehir) University of Turkey has admitted that it is unable to open the new Armenian Language and Culture program due to its failure to hire the needed faculty.

Usually, the availability of faculty is one of the main factors taken into consideration when assessing the feasibility of a new academic program. Nevşehir University clearly has not prepared the new program in a systematic way.

However, it is not only the University that is to be blamed. Turkey’s Higher Education Board (YÖK) that evaluated and then approved Nevşehir University’s proposal has also apparently ignored or underestimated the potential staffing problems.

According to Anatolia news agency, via Hurriyet Turkish daily, via Armenian Public Radio, the University President Ms. Filiz Kılıç said; "we have searched for academics that would be able to lecture at the Faculty of Armenian Culture and Literature but could not find any in Turkey…. Now we are searching in Azerbaijan. We have Armenian texts but we do not have anyone to translate them". She added that they need at least 3 academics to open the new program.
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