ASUE RECTOR KORYUN ATOYAN’S ANSWERS TO THE WRITEN QUESTIONS, SUBMITTED AT THE END OF MEETING WITH THE STUDENTS

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As we  have   already  said ASUE Rector Koryun Atoyan had a  meeting  with  the students  on  October  11, at  ASUE  Big Hall,  during which  the  students  raised various issues.  After  the  meeting  the  students’ questions  were  presented  to  the  Rector  Koryun Atoyan in written form,  which  have been discussed, reviewed and approved by appropriate written responses.   We  present  the  questions  and  answers  to  them  below.

-Less hours are allocated for  foreign language teaching,   is it possible  to  allocate  more  hours  for  foreign language teaching?

-Bachelor’s  program students at  ASUE  in the 1st and  2nd  courses  study  foreign  languages  two hours per week  (68 hours x 2hours=136  hours)  and  in Master’s  program a  year (34hours x 2 hours=68hours)  altogether  204  hours. We  think  that  204  hours  are  enough to  strengthen  your  knowledge  of  foreign  language  and  to  use  it  in practice. Besides,  the  educational plan of Bachelor’s  and  Master’s  program  is  quite overwhelmed  with  non-professional  subjects,  so  it  isn’t  possible  to  allocate  more  hours  for foreign  languages  teaching.

-The  lecturers   use  different  methods  during  the  study:  often not actual,  outdated and ineffective.

-It is  desirable  this  question to  be  specific and targeted,  which  will  better  help  to  solve  the  raised  problem.  Nevertheless,  it’s  acceptable, that there are lecturers who teach with outdated materials and methods.  The Rectorate  Board  and  Scientific  Council  will  give  recommendations  to  the  Heads  of  all  Chairs  to  discuss  the  problem  during  the Chair’s  sessions  and   to  give the  lecturers  a  task to  comply  the  provided material  to the  requirements of modern economics  during the  lecture,  not to  make  it a  dictation,  to  enrich  it  with  statistical appropriate  material  and  raise the effectiveness of lecturers. Besides,  it  will  be  assigned to  check  the  course of lectures  regularly.

-How does  ASUE  treat  to  Bologna Education system?

-The  short answer is  positeve.  It  is  known that  the  Government of  the  RA  on behalf of the Ministry of Education and  Science,  has  signed  an agreement  to  pass the  Bologna Education system. It is  already  6  years  that  the  system  has  been  invested in our University,  there  are  success,  why  not, there  are  also  defects  to the solvation of which  ASUE  Rectorate  Board  and  Scientific  Council  periodically reflect.  That education  system is  used  in  great part  of  European  countries  and  our  University  also  follows  it. Of course,  the success of  Bologna Education system  in our  University  depands  on active and diligent students.

-Is it  possible  to  review the educational programs?

-Yes, it is possible  to  review  the  educational  programs, they should be  periodically update, enriched  and  fit  to  the  use  of  science, new  technologies  and    the  modern  demands  of  intellectual potential, otherwise, we will lose global developments.

ASUE  Scientific  Council  and  Rectorate Board  periodically give   recommendations  to  the  Chairs  and  lecturers  and  control  the  implementation process.

-Is  it  possible  to  change  the  new  order  of  absences  or  use  it  since  next  semester?

- According to the decision formerly  accepted by Scientific Council the student dismisses from the University in the case of 200 unjustified absences.   Scientific  Council  has discussed that  problem  recently  and  accepted a decision,  according to  which  the  student  dismisses from the University in the case of 100 unjustified absences.  It was  defined  that  the decision would  be  used  since  October  8, 2012.  This decision is  right and  should  be  used  since the  mentioned  date.  Note,  the  new order  of  absences  is  posted in  the  official  website  of  our  University  (asue.am).

-When  will  the repair works  of the  University’s  yard  be  completed?

-The  University’s  yard is  being  repaired  by  means  of  “United Nations Development Program”. The  works  are nearly  to be  completed and by November 15 will be over.

-Is  it  possible  to  add  seminar  training  instead of  3  hours  lectures?

- First, it is not clear to which 3  hours  the  question referes. Second, the  general  hours  for  lecture  and  seminar  trainings  are  divided  with 50-50% ratio.  That division is  enough  for  the  lecturer to  provide students with the material,  and  the student  to  adopt it  fully during the  seminar.

-Will we  have course directors? If yes  what  functions  does  the  course  director have?

-It is  abviouse  from the  question that the  Chairs aren’t  engaged in this issue.  Each  course  should  have  course  director. The Rectorate  Board will  discuss  the  problem, will  give  recommendation  to the  Deans  and  the  Heads  of  the  Chairs  to  sign  course  directors  in all  groups (if  they aren’t  signed)  and  they  will  present  their functions (to  wonder  about the  students’  attendance,  to  organize  matinees,  excursions,  to  find  out internal  relations of  groups,  to help  their  improvement  and  etc).

-How can the students choose the  lecturers?

-Yes, that  practice is  used  in  many  universities  in abroad, but  in Armenian universities  no.  There  are  some  defacts  in our education system, including  this one. It is  possible to  use  it  concerning  some  subjects.  Besides,  there are  special  courses,  which are  developed  and  taught  by  one  lecturer,  there  are  subjects  which   are  taught   by  two-three  lecturers.  Thers  is  also  the  following  problem,  our  auditoriums  are   not generally equipped  with  technical  devices.  Nevertheless, the  raised question  needs an  attention  and  should  be  solved.

-The  quality  of  Master  education is  low, there  are  subjects, which  are repeated  in Bachelor’s  and  Master’s  programs  and  the  absences  are  many.  What  is  being  done  in this  direction?

-We  know  that  defects,  the  Scientific Council  and  the  Rectorate  Board  of the  University  have  refered  to  them,  decisions  have  been  made  and  appropriate recommendations  are  given  to the  Chairs  and  lecturers.  We  think that  the  raised  problems  should  be  solved  gradually.

-The  quality of  service  in the  library  is low,  there isn’t  silence,  professional  literature   in Armenian is  less.

-The  Rectorate  Board,  taking  account  the mentioned  defacts,  will  discuss  it  during  Rectorate  or  Scientific  Council’s  sessions  and  recommendations  will  be  given  to  improve  the service  in library.

-Is it  possible  to  implement a  joint research  program  with  relevant institutions  of  the  RA  National Academy of Sciences, or  not?

-If it is  about  the  lecturers’  staff,  there  is  already  such  cooperation with  Institute of Economics  after  M. Qotanyan  of  National Academy of Sciences. What  about  the  students’  participation  in  implementation of joint  programs, it  is  limited. The students  can  take  part  in  such  programs  only  during  practical experience  getting  materials  for  graduate  works.

-Is it  possible  to  review  the  duration of  intermissions  (naturally  to  add  time)?

- I want to answer immediately: no.  According to  the  decision of  Yerevan Municipality  the  lessons  of the universities  start  at  9:30a.m.,  our  lessons  are  organized  with  two  queues, the  lessons  of the 2nd  queue  finish  at 18:30p.m., as  it is  already dark at  17:00p.m., and  imagine  how it will  be  in  winter concerning the  hours.  We think  that  Student  Councils  of the  Universities  can  undertake   and  raise  the  question  in Yerevan  Municipality  to  start lessons  at  8:30a.m..

-The  directors  of  the  scientific-research  graduate  theses  are  chosen  randomly,  who sometimes are not specialists  and  don’t  know  the  topic.

– Of course, the question is a bit incorrect and exaggerated.  Nevertheless,  the  raised question  will be  discussed    with  the  Heads  of  the  Chairs and  relevant recommendations  will  be  given.  The  questionnaires (projects)  of  practical experience  don’t  coincidence  with  the  place of  practice.   What’s  mean  the  questionnaires  don’t  match  with  the  place  of practice.   On the  other   hand, students are  sent  to  manufacturing,  service organizations, Ministries,  Commercial organizations, Banks  and other economic formations  and  the    questionnaires of  the  practical experience  project  is  formed taking account  the  activities  of  the  place  of  practice  and  advantages.

-The   condition  in technical  laboratories  are  bad  and  why?

-The  Management  of the  University  knows  the  condition  in  technical laboratories and  the  problem will  be  solved  soon.

- Which is the optimal form of examinations, oral and written test?

-Profession  Chairs  decide  the  form of  exams.  We  think  that  the  students  shouldn’t  wonder  about  the  form  of  the  exams.  And if the question has other consideration,  then  the  Mnagement of  our  University    knows  all  control  forms  of  the  exams  and  do  a  great  work  concerning  this.

-Is it  possible  to  create  an ethics committee  to assess  the lecturers’  dress code, behavior  and  methods  of  teaching?

-And  why  isn’t  it  suggested  to  create  such  committee  to  assess  the  students  dress  code,  behavior.  We’ll  think  about it...