University Governing Board held its first session on the 3rd of February, 2012, which was chaired by Mr. Armen Ashotyan – RA Minister of Education and Science, Chairman of the Medical University Governing Board. Session agenda covered major issues going as follows: the annual report of the University Rector; estimation of the University income and expenditure for the year of 2011 and incoming expenditures for the period of 2012 – all these were summarised and discussed. An outline of the programme combating corruption in the education system was provided and the election of the University Governing Board Secretary was held.
The University Rector Prof. Derenik Dumanyan presented a thorough report to the Board Members on reforms having taken place within the university educational, structural, financial and medical sectors since 2011. A brief summary of the aforementioned vigorous reforms follows in the next lines.
Within the framework of these structural changes throughout 2011 the Faculty of Public Health and the Faculty of Postgraduate and Continuing Education have been structured within the university; meanwhile, a Dean’s Office for International Students’ Education has been formed in the result of merging the Departments of Russian Speaking and English Speaking Students’ Education.
The University academic departments have been separated both in Undergraduate Studies and Postgraduate Education.
Centre for Education Quality Assessment and Assurance has been established with respective subdivisions; the Centre action policy guidelines have been developed; central and faculty commissions have been formed.
A series of regulatory documents aiming at the improvement of the education process have been compiled by the new staff of the University Central Methodical Commission.
The Rector also highlighted that the University Scientific Council had resumed its activities in organizing the election of departmental professorial faculty after a long interval.
In accordance with the decree issued by the RA Government on 18th of August, 2011, the educational platform of the National Institute of Health after RA Academician S. Kh. Avdalbekyan was integrated into the medical university education infrastructure; 30 academic departments enrolled in undergraduate and postgraduate education located in the leading clinics of Yerevan and University hospitals have been created. In the result of these key reforms profoundly powerful medical, academic and scientific potential has been concentrated at the medical university.
Currently, over 171 people holding Dr.Sc. degree and 504 PhD degree holders constitute the university faculty; 180 researchers will be enrolled in the university teaching, scientific and clinical activities in the near future.
Putting high quality education at the forefront, the University carries out its mission in educating and training qualified physicians and healthcare specialists for foreign countries. Hence, 1135 students out of 6365 studying at the University are from different countries of the world. Meanwhile, 515 international students have been enrolled in the university studies in 2011-2012.
The University has also established close cooperation framework with medical schools and healthcare institutions on an international scope in the areas of medical education and healthcare and has a membership in a number of highly-reputed organizations across the world. The Medical University is also included in various European and international educational and scientific programs.
The University Rector drew attention to the currently ongoing reforms at the university clinics; namely those taking place at “Heratsi” and “Muratsan” hospitals resulting in the improvement and systematization of the medical service.
The University has registered successful final outcome in the financial sector as well. Thus, “Yerevan State Medical University” SNCO income in 2011 constitutes AMD 8.374.8. Billion, compared to AMD 6.775.0 Billion in 2010. Within a reporting year AMD 1.600 Billion has been registered as an income compared to that of 2010; these amounts have been directed to the settlement of the previous outstanding loans before the defined schedule so that to maintain rate savings – this is one of the best illustrations of the effective action strategies against corruption and everyday scrupulous work.
The University Rector Prof. Derenik Dumanyan presented the preliminary schedule of the incomes and expenditures of 2012.
“Let me state that the possible corruption cases in the university were obviously reduced. This is not merely my opinion; we have registered successful outcome of activities in overcoming the challenges of this issue across Armenian universities. Yet, our university has obviously succeeded in significantly reducing corruption cases. I am deeply sure we have defined long-term productive working strategies in coping with this problem and we are going to hold leading positions in providing effective solutions toward this urgent issue among other Armenian universities in the future as well.
The number of first-year university international students has significantly increased in 2011 compared to that of students in 2010. This is an outstanding indicator and best witnesses that Armenian higher education institutions have overcome specific challenges and are once again competitive and attractive to foreign countries in sense they offer a wide range of high quality education and training opportunities.
I wish to specifically emphasise that our university internationalization process tends to reflect international accreditation results which will make our university outstanding and propaganda our education on an external education market scope.
Let me also state that Medical University has been included in those four state universities undergoing pilot accreditation in 2012 by the Ministry of Education and Science of Armenia,” said Mr. Armen Ashotyan – RA Minister of Education and Science - summarising the University Governing Board Session.
Mr. Ashotyan was also confident that the successful financial outcome was the best illustration of highly effective governing policy.
