Yerevan State Medical University has been celebrating its 90th anniversary of foundation within 2009-2010 academic year. Numerous events devoted to various fields of medicine and discussions of contemporary issues in relation with the healthcare sphere were the constituent components of the jubilee celebrations. Various events the beginning of which was the year of 2009 had the logical continuation in 2010 and were concluded within the period of October 6-10.
Research symposiums, thematic conferences, workshops, social program and a singular art exhibition entitled “Optimizm” representing Armenian New Art, as well as the presentation of certificates of acknowledgement, golden and silver medals, university orders were held. The participation in the conferences and the involvement in the social program were free of charge, meanwhile the guests and the participants left taking with them the best impressions and having obtained up-to-date information and new opportunities of long-lasting professional cooperation.
The Conferences
Conferences were launched on October 6 and lasted till October 8, encompassing the following spheres of medicine: cerebrovascular pathology (neurology, neurosurgery), osteoporosis, internal diseases, rare diseases, mental health, urogynecology and female urology symposium, stomatology and maxillofacial surgery, sexology, radiology, surgery, pharmacology, pharmacy, pediatrics, public health, oncology. Thematic sections of the conferences comprised discussions and state of the art reports concerning disease treatment and management, modern approaches and options. On October 6-8 an expo on medicaments, medical instruments, cutting-edge technologies and devices was held in the lobby of University Administrative Building.
About 1500 people were participants in the conferences and the keynote speakers can be safely characterized as comprising both local physicians, professional clinicians and experts having international acknowledgement. The guests arrived from leading institutions going as follows: Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Heidelberg Clinic, Columbia University, Jefferson University Clinic, Boston University School of Medicine, Poland Pharmacology Institute, Iran University of Medicine, St. Rafayel Clinic in Italy, Antoine Beckler Clinic in France, Moscow State Medical University after Sechenov, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS of Britain, University of Birmingham, etc. Certificates with CME credits from European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education were given to the participants at the end of the conferences.
The Exhibition
Within the framework of the Anniversary Congress, the opening of art exhibition entitled “Optimizm”, depicting Armenian New Art, was held in the Artists’ Union of Armenia. The exhibition presented consistently experimental artists, whose works have leaned toward international aesthetics. To celebrate the Medical University’s 90th anniversary in conjunction with a contemporary art exhibition – this was a vision by the rector of the University, Professor Gohar Kyalyan. The curator of the exhibition was Vicki Shoghakn Hovanessian; famous art connoisseur and benefactor. The visitors received the works in relation to their own perspective formulating their viewpoints the following way: new art preserves its incredibility even today - in the era of globalization. For this exhibition the concept of “optimism” was not an occasional choice: rather, it was intended to convey the positive directions and optimistic tendencies we face nowadays. Being dedicated to the 90th anniversary of foundation of the University, the exhibition also symbolized the ongoing vigorous reforms in YSMU. The exhibition catalogue in three languages provides thorough and quite interesting information concerning both the creation of canvases and the artists as well.
Further information about the exhibition is available at www.armenianow.com, www.ankakh.com
The Anniversary Scientific Meeting
Yerevan State Medical University highly appreciates the inestimable contribution of its staff in the field of medicine, science and education, permanently esteeming the merits the personnel has in the mentioned spheres and university life. To pay its obeisance to the distinguished university workers, a solemn anniversary meeting dedicated to the academic personnel exaltation and the celebration of the 90th Anniversary of the University foundation was held at the Opera House in Yerevan, on 10th of October 2010. His Holiness, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of all Armenians, Garegin II, RA Prime-Minister Tigran Sargsyan, RA vice Prime-Minister Armen Gevorgyan, RA Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan, RA Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan, deputies of RA National Assembly, YSMU Rector Gohar Kyalyan, YSMU faculty and administrative staff, university honorary guests and former graduates honored the meeting with their presence. Certificates of acknowledgement and distinguished service awards on behalf of RA Prime-Minister, were given to the university workers, who had been continuously accomplishing irreproachable work in the field of education, science and medicine. The Catholicos blessed the hard path the University had passed during 90 years of existence; all those, who have brought fame and significant reputation to Armenian nation and the forthcoming endeavors the medical university is going to undertake. During the meeting a documentary dedicated to the foundation and illustrating the chronicles of the institution history was shown. The mentioned documentary provided precise data on the university foundation, the training of the first medical specialists in the country, the gradual chartering of the university and functioning as a separate medical institution. Memoirs written by Armenian respectable deputies and the first founders of the medical faculty were also represented, as well as information concerning the first projects ever to design the university chambers, funds rendered by renowned Armenian benefactors for the sake of the institutional prosperity, clinics and hospitals establishment. The film was an undeniable and massive fact to clear all the stereotypes connected with the exact data of the university foundation, as the shown sequences and shots were accompanied with numerous archive documents being valid and legally accepted, references to the articles, features from newspapers apropos the medical faculty foundation decree.
More about the university foundation history here.
The Social Program
No visit to Armenia is ever complete if you haven’t gone for a sightseeing tour in its picturesque places. The Congress Organizing Committee had beforehand thought over the issue of making the social program more exciting and memorable. Trips to Lake Sevan, Dilijan, Armenian pilgrimage destination Khor Virab monastery and Noravank were spiced with the provision of information on Armenian history, heritage and cultural values. Also tours within University clinics and hospitals were organized, due to which the guests had an excellent opportunity to get familiar with the reforms and current renovations in various spheres of the University, observe the teaching and learning processes in the auditoriums, communicate with the students and the faculty, share professional knowledge and lifelong experience.
As a concluding mark we proudly utter: HAPPY 90th ANNIVERSARY, OUR POWERFUL AND GLORIOUS, YEREVAN STATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY!
Also see: Photo Gallery