YEREVAN–The Associate Dean of AUA’s College of Health Sciences (CHS), Dr. Varduhi Petrosyan, was on Civilnet TV on January 5, discussing public health issues in a one-on-one interview on the online news channel’s Ditaket program.

Dr. Petrosyan spoke with Ditaket’s Diana Muradova about the most pressing public health issues facing Armenia, highlighting in particular the high prevalence of smoking among men and mortality from cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and diabetes.

“Armenia is similar to many high-income countries in terms of the top reasons for mortality,” according to Dr. Petrosyan, who was recently appointed to serve as an Advisor to the Prime Minister of Armenia on Health Reforms on a voluntary basis. “Over 90% of mortality in Armenia is due to non-communicable diseases including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and diabetes mellitus.”

Dr. Petrosyan, who serves as the director of AUA’s Center for Health Services Research (CHS), emphasized that preventive and primary care are important and cost-effective means to maintaining good health at a time when Armenia undergoes rapid economic and societal change.

“Economic growth population health are interrelated: economic growth leads to better health in the society and healthier people contribute more to the growing economy, explained Dr. Petrosyan. International research shows that we can reach significant decline in mortality from non-communicable diseases by promoting healthy lifestyles and preventive care methods, which are much cheaper than treating those diseases.”

During the interview, Dr. Petrosyan highlighted a number of CHS research projects focused around non-communicable and communicable diseases from tobacco control, diabetes, and preventive ophthalmology to tuberculosis control.

“We have been closely collaborating with the National Tuberculosis Control Program of the Ministry of Health, conducting research on tuberculosis (TB) and migrant workers in order to help develop evidence based policy and improve TB control measures,” explained Dr. Petrosyan. “We have also been working with TB patients and their family members, counseling them on the importance of family members’ support, the importance of completing treatments, household infection control, and other relevant issues.”

She also detailed how the university’s graduates engage in Armenia’s public health sphere, working not only in educational and research institutes, but also in governmental and non-governmental, local and international organizations.

“There are currently 19 graduate students in the Masters of Public Health program and the admission of a new cohort is planned for the fall 2013,” said Dr. Petrosyan. “AUA’s new undergraduate programs will also engage students as active citizens around not only public health issues but also how to protecting the health of Armenia’s environment.”

AUA’s Master of Public Health program engages professionals in transformational education and training in population-based approaches to health and health services research, delivery, management and evaluation. It offers an integrated approach to develop expertise in managing health programs, assessing the health needs of the people, and translating that knowledge into improved health by designing, implementing, and evaluating programs to meet those needs.

The American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia. Founded in 1991, AUA is affiliated with the University of California. Through teaching, research, and public service, AUA serves Armenia and the region by supplying high-quality, graduate and undergraduate education, encouraging civic engagement, and promoting democratic values.

The AUA is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, 985 Atlantic Avenue, #100, Alameda, CA 94501, 510-748-9001.

YEREVAN–The Center for Research in Applied Linguistics at the American University of Armenia is launching an English language childcare program for preschoolers, designed to provide children with an immersive English learning environment.

This program was piloted in the summer of 2012, when interested families could hold play sessions in their homes with the help of an English-speaking child-care specialists from AUA.

Now, the program has a home of its own at the AUA’s campus, located in Room 49A of the Main Building. The dedicated classroom is equipped and decorated to provide preschool children, with fun and meaningful play experiences.

Activities for the children are designed to enhance creative, intellectual and social skills and include: playing with toys, physical games, singing, craft projects, drawing, painting, clay modeling, reading picture books, game-like learning activities for basic concepts, such as shapes, colors, and numbers.

Trained specialists will communicate with children during play sessions only in English, providing them with a unique opportunity to pick up the language, naturally. Over time, through contextualized interaction, your children gradually improve comprehension of English and over time start producing English with 1-2 words and then in complete sentences.

More information about the program is available at: http://tefl.aua.am/preschool.

The American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia. Founded in 1991, AUA is affiliated with the University of California. Through teaching, research, and public service, AUA serves Armenia and the region by supplying high-quality, graduate and undergraduate education, encouraging civic engagement, and promoting democratic values.

The AUA is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, 985 Atlantic Avenue, #100, Alameda, CA 94501, 510-748-9001.

Dates: 14-15 January 2013

Registration: From 10:00.

Venue: Manoogian Hall, Paramaz Avedisian Building, American University of Armenia

Organized by: College of Humanities and Social Sciences of the American University of Armenia, Next Page Foundation, and National Publishers Association of Armenia in the framework of the Book Platform Project, and supported by the Eastern Partnership Culture Program of the European Union

Aims of the workshop:

• to provide practical knowledge on the various aspects of the rights of writers and translators, ranging from ones related to legal and contractual issues (copyrights, remuneration) to social ones (freedom of speech, working conditions, visibility)
• to provide a platform for discussion and exchange within Armenian literary and translators’ community, and with colleagues from the European Union as well as to give examples of international practices Ultimately, the workshop aims at empowering and motivating writers and translators for collective actions for improved relations with publishers, state and the wider audiences.

Participants: Armenian writers and translators, organizers of literary events and festivals

Keynote speakers:

• Daniel Hahn (UK) − program director of the British Centre for Literary Translation, an award-winning writer and translator
• Sonya Vardanyan (Armenia) – Head of Copyright and Related Rights Department of the Intellectual Property Agency of the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Armenia
• Shushan Mkhitaryan (Armenia) – Chief Specialist of Copyright and Related Rights Department of the Intellectual Property Agency of the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Armenia

Speakers and facilitators:

Tom Samuelian (Armenia) – Dean of the College of Humanities & Social Sciences, AUA; Vahan Khachatryan (Armenia) – director of National Publishers Association; Armine Anda (Armenia) – scriptwriter, novelist; Viken Berberian (US) – novelist; Samvel Mkrtchyan (Armenia) – editor of ArtGrakanutyun, writer, literary translator; Siranush Dvoyan (Armenia), editor of Yev, literary critic; Mkrtich Matevosyan (Armenia), Aktual Arvest Cultural Union; Ruzanna Vardanyan (Armenia), literary translator; Nairi Hakhverdi (Armenia), literary translator; Arevik Ashkharoyan (Armenia), First Armenian Literary Agency ; Shushan Avagyan (Armenia) – lecturer at AUA and literary translator; Yana Genova (Bulgaria) – director of Next Page Foundation and general manager of Book Platform project

The workshop was organized as part of the Translation Certificate Program at the American University of Armenia.

For more information about the workshop program and speakers, refer to the Next Page Foundation website.

YEREVAN–On January 22, the American University of Armenia (AUA) hosted a lecture by the Armenian Defense Ministry marking the 21st anniversary of the founding of Armenia’s Armed Forces.

The event, titled “Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia – 21 Years Old in the 21st Century,” featured a detailed presentation on Armenia’s Armed Forces, exploring its two-decade-long history, the current security challenges it faces, and its future agenda.

AUA President Dr. Bruce Boghosian opened the event by welcoming First Deputy Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan and his Senior Administrative Staff Specialist Margarita Hakobyan.

Tonoyan has served in the Armed Forces since 1992, and is the recipient of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Degree Medals “For Fair Service,” the Vazgen Sargsyan Medal, the Andranik Ozanyan Medal, and the 2nd Degree Medal “For Services Contributed to the Motherland.” This is the second time that Tonoyan has given a lecture to AUA students, faculty, and staff.

At the event’s conclusion, Tonoyan fielded questions from the audience around topics ranging from human rights in the army, to which educational subjects are most beneficial to the Republic of Armenia’s strategic defence.

The American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia. Founded in 1991, AUA is affiliated with the University of California. Through teaching, research, and public service, AUA serves Armenia and the region by supplying high-quality, graduate and undergraduate education, encouraging civic engagement, and promoting democratic values.

The AUA is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, 985 Atlantic Avenue, #100, Alameda, CA 94501, 510-748-9001.

YEREVAN–David H. Blake, professor emeritus and former dean of  The Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California, Irvine, this month steps into the role of Interim Dean of the American University of Armenia’s (AUA) College of Business and Economics (CBE).

“Professor Blake is an accomplished academic who has served as the dean of four major US business schools and I am delighted to have him join our team,” said AUA President Dr. Bruce Boghosian.

“I’m honored to have been chosen for this position,” said Professor Blake. “The College of Business and Economics at AUA is the leading business school in the region and I have been and continue to be very impressed with the commitment of students, faculty, staff, and university leadership to CBE and AUA, as well as the broader alumni and business communities.”

The CBE offers a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, taught in English, and a number of executive and professional certificates. Its flagship programs, the two-year MBA degree and a two-and-a-half-year Professional MBA degree for working professionals, are rigorous and well-rounded programs that offers a balance between theory and practice, the quantitative and qualitative perspectives, and the economic and social responsibilities of business leadership. The AUA MBA enjoys a strong reputation in Armenia and in the region.

Professor Blake takes the helm at CBE with extensive experience in management as a scholar and business school dean for 22 years. He has over two-decades of experience as a former dean at Northeastern, Rutgers, Southern Methodist University, and most recently the University of California, Irvine. He has also served both as a consultant, and board member for more than 16 public and private companies and a number of non-profit organizations.

As a board member and business advisor, Professor Blake has shepherded many companies through startup and funding issues, mergers, acquisitions, spin offs, SEC investigations, corporate raider attacks, and strategic repositioning challenges.

An author of seven books, he has written and spoken extensively on topics such as strategic leadership, corporate strategy, global business, and ethical business leadership. He is currently writing two books, “Making Ethics Work” and “’Doing‘ Leadership.”

“Dr. Blake has had a distinguished career as both an academic scholar and a corporate board member for several technology and financial service companies,” said AUA Provost Dennis Leavens. “I am grateful for his willingness to serve as dean during this transitional period and look forward to working with him until a permanent dean is in place.”

Professor Blake currently serves as Director of the Center for Ethical Business Leadership of Beta Gamma Sigma, the international business school honor society. He also is a State of California certified mediator specializing in business, workplace, and family mediations.

The American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia. Founded in 1991, AUA is affiliated with the University of California. Through teaching, research, and public service, AUA serves Armenia and the region by supplying high-quality, graduate and undergraduate education, encouraging civic engagement, and promoting democratic values.

The AUA is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, 985 Atlantic Avenue, #100, Alameda, CA 94501, 510-748-9001.