ANY ELEMENT OF SELF-GOVERNANCE IN UNIVERSITIES HAS BEEN METICULOUSLY DESTROYED. STATEMENT
The order by Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan to remove Suren Zolyan, Rector of Yerevan State Linguistic Union named after Brusov, from his position emphasizes once again the fact that the higher education system in Armenia is in intolerable condition. The order also reflects the desire of the Executive to establish direct control on academic institutions and shows the Ministry's condescending attitude towards the faculty and students of the University. The dismissal of the rector, which took place without the decision of the governing body of the University - the Board of Trustees, is suspect, to say the least, from the point of view of corresponding to the law. Moreover, the order creates the impression of disdain not only towards the governing collegial body but also towards the whole principle of self-governance of universities. Zolyan's dismissal once again puts the spotlight on the contradictory situation in which the universities find themselves and their dependence on the Executive, as was the case when the status of state non-commercial organizations was conferred upon them. It is also of concern that the reason for which Zolyan received a strict reprimand was the fulfillment of his duties as a Council of Europe (CoE) expert. Because Zolyan had left for the CoE event as an expert proposed by the Government of Armenia, to see him punished by the same Government of Armenia for fulfilling those duties is not only strictly illogical, but it is also an expression of disrespect towards the CoE and its operations. This whole story regarding the dismissal is a testimony to the fact that in parallel to all the assurances of loyalty towards the Bologna process, a precisely opposite set of developments has taken place in Armenia. Instead of reorganizing the governance of higher education institutions in Armenia to put them in harmony with European standards, any elements of self-governance in universities have been meticulously destroyed. The boards of trustees have ended up under the control of the Executive both de facto and de jure. State officials have become the chairpersons of the boards of trustees of all the leading universities. Unfortunately, this usurpation of the higher education system by the Executive under the cover of "reforms" and "Europeanization" went unnoticed both by the staff of the universities and the donors financing those reforms. It is symbolic in this sense that the dismissed rector is from the university where a certain ground for reform had actually been laid. We, the undersigned, express our profound disagreement with the way in which Suren Zolyan's dismissal was organized, we condemn the governance mechanisms currently seen in universities and we demand - - an immediate and complete rejection of all legally suspect decisions - a resolution to the current situation through an open and transparent process - urgent reform to the governance system for universities, including academic independence with real guarantees, not just formalities. Larisa Minasyan, Open Society Foundations - ArmeniaGevorg Ter-Gabrielyan, Eurasia Partnership Foundation - ArmeniaBoris Navasardian, Yerevan Press Club Stepan Danielyan, Cooperation for Democracy Centre Stepan Grigoryan, Analytical Centre for Globalization and Regional CooperationLevon Barseghyan, 'Asparez' Gyumri Journalists ClubAvetik Ishkhanyan, Helsinki Committee of ArmeniaArtak Zeinalyan, 'Rule of Law' NGOArtur Sakunts, Vanadzor Office of Helsinki Citizens AssemblySona Ayvazyan, 'Transparency International Armenia' Anticorruption Centre Elina Poghosbekyan, Media Diversity Institute Gagik Avagyan,"Partnership and Democracy" NGO Sona Hovhannisyan, "Mijnaberd" NGO Nazareth Nazaretyan, DVV-international - Armenia 27 April 2012
LAST DAY OF WITHDRAWAL
April 26 was the last day of withdrawal from the election race. A number of members of the Orinats Yerkir, including the minister of transport and communication Manuk Vardanyan, withdrew from the race. ...TARON'S PROPERTY
Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan owns five buildings and constructions with a total space of 6,251 square meters. These data are from the income and property declaration to the Central Election Commission, ...ZHOGHOVURD: PAP MEMBER KILLED IN SCUFFLE
According to the Zhoghovur Newspaper a scuffle three days ago in Arabkir Community of Yerevan resulted in the death of a young man who was a member of the Prosperous Armenia party. According to rumors, ...PETITION TO SAVE TEGHUT
Save Teghut group launched a signature collection to save Teghut. The petition to be signed is available at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/711/455/038/prevent-teghut-mining-a-major-ecological-disaster/. ...OBAMA NOMINATES MORNINGSTAR
U.S. President Barack Obama nominated Richard Morningstar as ambassador to Azerbaijan. Morningstar is the secretary of state's special envoy for Eurasian energy. He also served as U.S. ambassador to the ...TER-PETROSYAN'S 'THIRD' ATTEMPT
The leader of the Armenian National Congress Levon Ter-Petrosyan announced in one of his press conferences that if Robert Kocharyan returns to politics, in some conditions they may even be allies. At ...PAP "ZERO-RISK" GAME
The closer the voting day comes, the more frequently are the questions whether the RPA will win majority or it will have to form a coalition with the PAP asked. No doubt the main fight for parliament ...REVOLUTION IN ARFD
The ARF Dashnaktsutyun has appeared in an ambiguous situation in the result of the activities of its leaders. The point is that by establishing close ties with the second president Robert Kocharyan the ...CHILDRENS DAY IN "ZATIK" ORPHANAGE
The event will take place in "Zatik" orphanage (Yerevan, Zakaria Sargavaki 4 Street 145b) on the 28th of April. This event will host children from Zatik, Gyumri orphanages and SOS Kotayk village. During ...NEW GALLUP POLL
According to a recent Gallup poll, the votes at the upcoming parliamentary elections will be distributed this way.RPA - 39.2 %PAP - 29.9 %Armenian National Congress - 12.2 %Heritage - 6.3 %OYP - 6.0 %ARFD ...LETTER TO RUSSIAN KING
On April 24, the Armenian community of Russia appealed to the Russian authorities, the acting president Dmitri Medvedev and the president elect Vladimir Putin whose inauguration is on May 7, urging to ...JOINT MONITORING HEADQUARTERS APPLIES TO CONSTITUTIONAL COURT
The joint inter-party headquarters to monitor the elections is going to apply to the Constitutional Court since they think the voters' register is exaggerated. President of the union of political scientists ...VOTERS' REGISTER'S A FAKE
Coordinator of the Armenian National Congress Central Office Levon Zurabyan stated at the joint headquarters to monitor the elections that the voters' register is fake. "The regime is getting ready for ...THREE SOLDIERS SHOT DEAD IN TAVUSH
On April 27, at 04:15pm, a shooting incident was reported from a military unit in Tavush region. Three contract soldiers were shot dead while driving in a VAZ 2107 car. Plenty of bullet traces were found ...WHY EUROPE SUPPORTS ARMENIA
Moscow-based lawyer Dagir Hasavov who called for the introduction of the sharia court in Russia in an interview with Ren-TV, hastily left the country. "We are at home. Perhaps you are foreigners here ...SERZH SARGSYAN'S ANSWER TO SHOTS
Serzh Sargsyan campaigning in the north of Armenia dwelt on the incident in one of Tavush-based military unit, the death of three soldiers who were officially reported to have been killed from firing. ...PRIME MINISTER'S MINE
In yesterday's meeting the government approved good documents, even longed-for ones. Amendments to the tax code were approved which will relieve the life of SMEs. The amendments were hailed by all the ...ANY ELEMENT OF SELF-GOVERNANCE IN UNIVERSITIES HAS BEEN METICULOUSLY DESTROYED. STATEMENT
The order by Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan to remove Suren Zolyan, Rector of Yerevan State Linguistic Union named after Brusov, from his position emphasizes once again the fact that ...MORNINGSTAR WILL SEPARATE ENERGY AND KARABAKH
The U.S. president has nominated special envoy for Eurasian energy Richard Morningstar for ambassador to Azerbaijan.This is a very symptomatic decision which indicates that Azerbaijan interests the United ...TIGRAN BALAYAN: EU STANCE IS CONSISTENT WITH ARMENIA'S APPROACHES
Spokesman for the Foreign Ministry Tigran Balayan in answer to the Panarmenian.net agency question relating to the last week's resolutions adopted by the European Parliament on Armenia and Azerbaijan, ...ONE OF ORANGE SUBSCRIBERS TO BECOME THE VIP GUEST OF CANNES FILM FESTIVAL
Starting from today till 7 May all Orange voice and internet subscribers will be provided the chance to get a package for two to be present as a VIP guest at 65th Cannes Film Festival. Subscribers will ...
ARMENIAN AMERICANS HOLD WHITE HOUSE PROTEST URGING OBAMA TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE / VIDEO
KOCHARYAN'S PRESIDENTIAL APPLICATION
FROM OLD RITUAL TO NEW DAILY LIFE
ARMBOOKEXPO INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OPENED IN YEREVAN
IT'S GOOD THE CRISIS IS DEEPENING
WHEN WILL NORTH-SOUTH BE COMPLETED?
ELECTION INK WILL DISAPPEAR
ORANGE KINO IS AVAILABLE AGAIN
CAMPAIGN - A CHILDHOOD MEMORY
ANC STATEMENT
- 1749 Death of Mkhitar Sebastatsee. He founded the Roman Catholic Mkhitarist Congregation. He was born in 1676.
- 1827 Russian forces lay seige to Fort Yerevan (currently the Armenian Winery building).
- 1849 Students create the "Ararat Union" in Paris.
- 1868 Death of Grigor Aghatonyan in Paris. He was born in 1823.
- 1915 Birth of Hovhannes Shiraz (poet). He died in 1984.
- 1919 In Constantinople, start of the trials of the leaders of the Young Turk government and the central committee members of the "Union and Progress" party.
- 1925 The Science and Art Institute of the Armenian SSR opens in Yerevan.
- 1930 Death of Archbishop Eghisheh Doorian, historian, literary figure, author, and Patriarch of Jerusalem.
- 1931 An earthquake (Richter Scale: 6.3) occurs in Zangezoor and affects a 100 000 sq.km. area. The Monastery of Tatev and other structures on the Tatev highlands and in the valley of the Vorotan River are destroyed.
- 1994 Israel officially condemned the Armenian Genocide as Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Yossi Beilin proclaimed on the floor of the Knesset (the Israeli legislature), in answer to the claims of the Turkish Ambassador, that "It was not war. It was most certainly massacre and genocide, something the world must remember".
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