April 17, 2012
ASAU Lyseum students visiting ATC
Orientation visits to the ATC by the ASAU High School (Lyceum) students is becoming a tradition. This time Lyceum was represented by a large number of students who were excited about what they saw. Like last year, Director of the Lyceum Robert Sargsyan and a few Liceum instructors were with the children.
The group was met by the ICARE/ATC Director Vardan Urutyan and the Director of the Career Development and Counseling Center Lusine Mnatsakanayan. They led the tour and provided explanations to the youngsters, among them – to potential ATC students (as the statistics shows).
Founded in 1997, the ASAU Lyceum provides general secondary education and is heavily involved in professional orientation of its students towards their further education at ASAU. Dr. Sargsyan and the crew are dedicated to ensuring good knowledge and the right orientation for their students. The Lyceum has four fields of study: Agri-biology, Engineering, Technology, and Economics.
February 20, 2012
Portuguese student conducts Focus Groups on Armenian wine market
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Rita Guerreiro, Purtugal, one of the foreign students studying at the ATC this academic year through Erasmus Mundus exchange program, conducted a series of Focus Group discussions for her upcoming thesis entitled “Strategies for Eco-marketing – Study of Armenian Wine Sector”. In addition to the ATC faculty and staff, the other focus groups included Rita’s senior classmates, 2nd year MAB classmates, as well as the Armenian State Agrarian University students and faculty. She demonstrated not only a good knowledge of the Armenian wine market that she had studied during her stay in Armenia but also excellent skills of a moderator working with different focus groups. The issues discussed included practices, standards, consumer preferences, ecological aspects of social responsibility, understanding of eco-marketing, possibilities to compete in the export market and many others. Rita’s conclusions were accurate and did not miss anything significant expressed during the FG discussions. She is the second foreign student who comes to ATC and chooses to write a thesis about the Armenian wine market.
January 26, 2012
Global internship opportunities by AEISEC
AIESEC Yerevan is going present its ongoing Global Internship Programs at the ATC on February 3 at 14:00. ATC seniors and juniors are welcome to find details about the available programs if they are interested in multicultural and international experience.
AIESEC Yerevan has signed a cooperation agreement with ICARE last November that provides, among others, an opportunity for our students to use AIESEC’s resources directly here at the ATC. They will use the Career Development and Counselling Center’s office as a meeting room for individual consultancy. In addition, ATC makes its classrooms available for AIESEC club member group meetings and seminars.
A number of ATC graduates and students are AIESEC members and are very pleased with the AIESEC programs they have participated in different countries.
Present in over 111 countries and territories and with over 65.000 members, AIESEC is the world's largest youth-run organization. AIESEC is an international platform where young people experience leadership, participate in international internships and in a global learning environment. What makes AIESEC unique is the international experience that it offers to its members, by which they make a positive change and impact in society.
December 20, 2011
Quality assurance and accreditation perspectives
The ATC/ICARE Deputy Director Susanna Mezhlumyabn participated in a recent “Quality assurance and accreditation” seminar held by the RA Ministry of Education and Science and the Council of Rectors and participated by the Armenian Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan. The experience of the ATC as a western-style business education institution was recognized as very useful for the colleagues in terms of the upcoming challenges in quality assurance and national and international accreditation. Ms. Mezhlumyan shared the ATC’s recent experience of self-study and academic program review process, preceded by a video film on the ATC that was recently shot by the RA Government (http://gov.am/am/hraparakum/item/244) and briefly addressed some details on the undergraduate and MAB programs, research, and career development. Then she spoke about the self-study process followed by external academic review by a group of selected U.S. professors in May, 2011. She addressed the importance of the right selection of the review team, successful self-study process, on-site visit by the team leader.
The report of the review team evaluates the ATC as a unique educational institution guided by Western standards and successfully serving the needs of all stakeholders. Among other details presented by the ATC Deputy Director, Minister Ashotyan and the rectors of universities were impressed and interested in learning some of the benchmarks of success, such as: nearly 100% employment; more than 20% of graduates continuing their education mainly in U.S. universities; unilateral positive opinion of employers about the professional qualities of graduates; unilateral positive opinion of the students about the high quality of education they have received; efficient business links with the industry; regional and international recognition of the ATC, its brand and culture as a modern agribusiness school model.
December 5, 2011
ATC students served wine and cheese at the U.S. Embassy
A dozen of ATC senior and junior students assisted the marketing team of the Center for Agribusiness and Rural Development to demonstrate and treat 14 varieties of cheeses and 25 types of wines at a traditional annual Wine & Cheese Tasting event organized by the U.S. Embassy in Armenia and CARD on December 2. The embassy facility drew many retailers, restaurant and supermarket owners and representatives of foreign missions were able to enjoy and evaluate the products of 10 cheese producers and 8 winemakers. In addition to wines and cheeses, the participants enjoyed also delicious chocolates from Arcolad Company as well as local fruit juices.
The ATC students said they liked almost everything presented but the products that they liked most of all are Alpine cheese produced by Golden Goat as well as Getnatun and Tushpa wines. They are not sure which wines and cheeses Ambassador Heffern likes but they said he was really excited to participate in the event which was his first time.
In its recent edition, AgroLratu newspaper wrote. “The tasting event was specially flavored by the students of the Agribusiness Teaching Center who were assisting the marketing department employees of CARD by simultaneously serving and providing explanations on the presented products.”
Naira Mkrtchyan, CARD Marketing Manager sent a letter of appreciation to the ICARE/ATC Director Vardan Urutyan that reads, “On behalf of our team I would like to express our thankfulness to ATC students for their hard and dedicated work at Wine and Cheese tasting event. They were really special and the success of the initiative was largely connected with their presence.”
CARD is now working with 36 dairies and 12 wineries in Armenia and is seriously and professionally involved in improving the quality of their products and making it competitive in the local and international market.
December 2, 2011
How to apply and succeed in U.S. graduate schools
Former ATC instructor Vahé Heboyan, PhD in Applied Economics, the University of Georgia, met with the ATC seniors at a regular Friday seminar on December 2 to advise on how to apply and succeed in American graduate schools. Dr. Heboyan was on a short-term mission in Armenia and was happy to speak to the current students and see the progress the school has achieved over the recent years.
Dr. Heboyan provided hands-on advice on: timing, requirements, university screening and the application process itself that he divided into four major parts: initial inquiry to the department, graduate school application, departmental application, and immigration matters. Two of Dr. Heboyan’s main recommendations to those planning to go to the U.S. graduate schools were departmental approach in application process and preference of assistantships rather than scholarships in looking for desirable financial support. As to the issue on how to succeed once they are in a U.S. grad school, he advised to start early, set the right goals, select the right advisors, diversify the knowledge, and get actively involved in scholarly activity and cultural emersion.
Dr. Heboyan told about his own experience going through all these processes 11 years ago. Then he was selected by the USDA Marketing Assistance Project to study in the U.S. among the six best Armenian State Agrarian University graduates. After his MS degree at the University of Georgia, he came back to Armenia and taught at the ATC for three years, followed by PhD studies back in Georgia. Dr. Heboyan is an instructor and researcher at UGA and combines this activity with advisory work in industry.
November 14, 2011
ATC Faculty Development Workshop with Georgian colleagues
Another group of faculty from the Akaki Tsereteli State University and Shota Rustaveli State University, Republic of Georgia had their experience exchange visit /faculty development workshop with the ATC on November 10-11, 2011. This was the fifth such workshop participated by the Georgian colleagues this year vs. the three in the previous years attended by faculty groups from respectively the Georgian State Agricultural University Tbilisi, Shota Rustaveli State University Batumi and Akaki Tsereteli State University Kutaisi.
As always, the workshop was very useful for the Georgian colleagues; they said they were happy to use this chance to learn some of the teaching methods and curriculum development principles as well as career development and research activities at the ATC. They also mentioned that the ATC is not only a place for their students to study and for themselves to come for faculty development but also a place where they renovate and develop thousands of years old friendship between the two brotherly nations.
After the Georgian colleagues received their certificates of completion, there was an opportunity to exchange ideas between the Georgian and Armenian colleagues, with the Georgian students as well as exchange students from Portugal and Latvia participating. Oksana Khizanishvili’s teacher at Akaki Tsereteli University was proud to hear about her performance here at the ATC. Then he asked what Armenian colleagues thought about her excellent guitar playing skills. But this was a surprise to everybody. “I don’t have time for playing guitar; study takes all my time here,” Oksana said.
November 8, 2011
ATC graduates received diplomas and certificates
The graduation ceremony honoring the 30 graduates of the ATC took place on November 8 in the large assembly hall of the ASAU full of students, faculty, and relatives. The graduate class includes 27 students from Armenia and 3 from the Republic of Georgia. Rector of ASAU Arshaluys Tarverdyan opened the ceremony following the anthems of the U.S. and Armenia. He welcomed the graduates and said in particular that the ATC is a unique laboratory for Armenia’s entire higher education system. Prof. Tarverdyan informed that the most important event in the life of the ATC this year was the very positive evaluation of the ATC activity by the academic review team consisting of prestigious professors from different U.S. universities.
The USDA FAS CADI project coordinator Greg Booth evaluated the exciting time of graduation when Georgia, Armenia and other countries in the region are starting to join their efforts in developing agriculture and related fields and work together to solve complex problems. He called on the graduates to demonstrate creativity and perseverance in achieving their career development goals. Deputy Minister of Education and Science Harutyunyan and Deputy Minister of Agriculture Makaryan also congratulated the graduates and expressed confidence that this group of ATC graduates will find their worthy place in the job market like the previous graduates did.
Dr. Nichols, Texas A&M, also was pleased with the positive report by the review team and appreciated the contribution of current and former ATC students and the curriculum of the ATC in creating that positive opinion. The Director of ICARE/ATC Vardan Urutyan appreciated in his speech the achievements of the graduating class and called on to always remember the ATC family and those who made their high level education possible. Dr. Urutyan was happy to extend the best wishes on behalf of Hayk Khachatryan, the President of the U.S. Chapter of the ATC Alumni Association, University of Florida. The valedictorian of this year was Mariam Meloyan, one of the 3 top ranked students of the graduating class. She thanked the ATC, ASAU, Texas A&M, and USDA FAS for the high quality education and experience they have received and promised on behalf of the graduating class that their education will never end, that rather than going through open doors they will open doors for themselves the knowledge, experience, friends and good relationships that they gained at the ATC.
Rector Tarverdyan and Dr. Nichols handed out the ASAU Diplomas and Texas A&M University Certificates to the graduates.
October 25, 2011
ICARE sponsored and participated at AEA first annual meeting
ICARE sponsored coffee breaks during the first day of the Armenian Economic Association (AEA) Annual Meeting held in the Yerevan State University on October 22-24 and, more importantly, contributed to the Meeting with expertise of and reports by ICARE Director Vardan Urutyan, Head of MAB Department Armen Asatryan and Instructor/researcher Tatevik Zohrabyan. Dr. Urutyan reported at the Industrial Organization session on “Farmers Markets in Armenia: Lessons Learnt” at the Industrial Organization/Industry Studies session. The other topic that Dr. Urutyan presented at the Agricultural Economics/Agribusiness session covered RISE model of farm level sustainability assessment. The presentation highlighted the main findings of the joint research project “Sustainability of Agricultural Production in Armenia – analysis of the current situation and improvements through farm advice and facilitation of policy action to adapt framework conditions using the RISE (Response Inducing Sustainability Evaluation)” of the ATC/ICARE and Swiss College of Agriculture. The model is well accepted and successfully being used in 17 countries including Armenia.
Dr. Zohrabyan presented “Socio-Economic Impact of Illegal Logging on Rural Population of Armenia” revealing interesting outcomes of the ICARE comprehensive surveys conducted this year, with the volume of illegal logging exceeding multiple times the publicized official data. Dr. Asatryan presented a totally new and nearly untouched topic in the country: “Marketing Board: Will It Work in Armenia” as well as his pros and cons resulting from the recent ICARE research pursuant to the Government’s request.
The AEA Meeting was the first attempt to bring together domestic and Diaspora Armenian economists to address the country’s economic problems. The RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan highlighted the necessity of such a platform and the use Armenia’s and Diaspora’s research potential to resolve a number of challenges in economy that require professional approaches.
September 17, 2011
SPARK gives students valuable skills for life
By Sos Avetisyan
PR Specialist, ICARE
I am communicating this message to the ATC students from Guelph, Ontario, Canada where I am currently enjoying my busy time of professional development and will participate in the IFAJ Annual Congress shortly. However my development is not the point at the moment. What I would like to transfer first as food for thought for our students is the unique student initiative within the U of G called SPARK - Students Promoting Awareness of Research Knowledge. This is where the students here gain a valuable experience in written communications. The SPARK program, started 21 years ago, now involves 10 participants per year, as explained Bruce Sargent, a Guelph student who has his own graphic design, web development and video production business.
Bruce led the tour for a group of Master Class participants from different countries in his university on September 12. Bruce and his other young colleagues shared some of their activities. This wonderful program provides the students the opportunity to develop their communication and professional writing skills while producing stories for a large number of publications throughout the region and the country. This is an excellent example of student development in a creative environment that on the one hand exposes the students to real agricultural research world and on the other hand trains them as journalists and communicators.
This year’s IFAJ (International Federation of Agricultural Journalists) congress drew more than 260 delegates from over 30 countries. I am here thanks to the organizational and financial support from the Dutch Agriterra as well as the Pioneer Hi-Bred.
Training course for the first group of insurance menegers successfully completed
Participants of the training course for Insurance Managers received certificates of completion on August 11: Among those receiving certificates were: A. Karakhanyan and A. Harutyunyan from ArmenTel CJSC, auditors from Grant Thornton Armenia auditing company T. Kirakosyan and L. Avagyan, insurance agent from Rossgosstrakh-Armenia insurance company A. Saribekyan and S. Davoyan who is an unemployed university graduate. They performed well with excellent marks and successfully completed the two-month course under the “Training Program for Insurance Specialists”.
The participants overall appreciated the high level of the training course jointly organized and implemented by ICARE and Individual Entrepreneur K. Kirakosyan’s Training Center. ICARE Director Vardan Urutyan welcomed the awardees and stated that ICARE, through the Career Development Center, will support those listeners of the insurance course who are seeking jobs, since one of the important targets of this program is to provide high-level professional education to university graduates as well as support in their job placement.
July 21, 2011
Presentation of "Agricultural Cooperatives" book at ICARE
On July 21, presentation of the “Agricultural Cooperatives” book by ICARE/ATC Director, PhD in Economics, Texas A&M Associate Professor Vardan Urutyan and Professor, Doctor of Economics Samvel Avetisyan took place at ICARE. The book can serve as a guide for farmer groups intending to start/develop a cooperative business, local and international agencies involved in cooperative movement, existing cooperatives, the RA Ministry of Agriculture, the National and the Regional Agriculture Support Centers (ASC), and universities. The publication was recommended by the National ASC and supported by ICARE and the Federation of Agricultural Associations.
The authors accepted congratulations and positive feedback on the book’s practical value from the participants of the presentation: ASAU professors, representatives of the Ministry, ASCs, FAO Armenian Representation, FREDA, GIZ, FAA, Farm Credit Armenia and other international and local agencies. The four main sectors of the book cover the definition of cooperatives, necessary preconditions to establish cooperatives, eight basic steps to create an agricultural cooperative, and some statistic data on cooperative movement in different countries.
Materials on development of coops from Agromisa, Agriterra, IFAP, FAO as well as those of Armenian agencies such as FAA, the ATC Agricultural Cooperatives course, results of ICARE research works and personal experiences of the authors were used.
July 1, 2011
ATC MAB students at an international case study competition
Four ATC MAB students, Vahan Melkumyan, Anahit Papikyan, Irina Mkrtchyan, and Ashot Sahakyan, participated in Student Case Competition within the International Food and Agribusiness Management Association (IFAMA) 21st Annual World Forum & Symposium held in Frankfurt, Germany on June 20-23.
During four hours, they were to analyze a business case and propose a solution to the identified problem. The case was Grameen Danone Foods, which is a dairy marketing company in Bangladesh and exports yogurts to the U.S.
This was the first time for an ATC student team to participate in such a high-ranking international student research event, and they were very successful for newcomers. Coached by Vardan Urutyan, ATC/ICARE Director, Anahit, Ashot, Irina, and Vahan demonstrated excellent understanding of the problem and proposed many options for solution, “way too many”, as Irina said, for the company to not only meet the critical sales targets across the current supply and distribution chain but also address some social responsibility issues.
The event was participated by eleven groups from well-known U.S., European, South African, Canadian and South American universities. It was an outstanding international experience for our students as agribusiness researchers.
June 24, 2011
Insurance training course underway
A training program for insurance specialists, university students and graduates as well as for interested specialists from other industries, launched by ICARE and Private Entrepreneur K. Kirakosyan's Training Center, is underway.
As expected, composition of the participants represents diversified groups, among them - employees of corporate insured ArmenTel CJSC, specialists from Grant Thornton Armenia auditing company that renders services to insurance companies, insurance agents and university graduates, who aim to work in the insurance field.
The training program covers topics like organization of activities of insurance manager and agent, underwriting (conclusion of insurance agreement), settlement of insurance claims, accounting of insurance operations and others. The program focuses on a limited number (no more than 12-14) of selected participants to ensure high quality insurance education for a target group who really need the new knowledge and experience in their further career.
The program is conducted by Dr. Karen Kirakosyan, as well as other qualified specialists from known Armenian insurance companies.
Some of the listeners are pleased to enhance their qualification being exposed to the latest developments in the industry, while others who are seeking jobs will use this opportunity to acquire professional knowledge and skills to be more competitive in the job market.
After completion of this training course, a followup program is expected, with topics to cover specific insurance specialties. Potential new listeners can follow the announcements and download the application form here and learn more details on the program.
June 13, 2011
New ATC facilities please the students
The opening ceremony of the new ICARE/ATC office took place on May 13 after the renovation of the three floors of the Armenian State Agrarian University building formerly occupied by CARD foundation. New classrooms, a videoconferencing room, offices for the faculty and staff, a library, a computer center, a kitchen and other facilities caress everybody's eyes.
The ceremony was participated by Arshaluys Tarverdyan, Rector of ASAU, Daniella Maor, USDA FAS CADI Program Manager at Washington D.C., Director of CADI Fred Johnston, other ASAU and USDA officials, representatives of cooperating firms and NGOs, and current and former ATC students.
Dr. Dan Dunn, the Founding Director of the ATC who was on vacation after completion of his agricultural development mission in Iraq welcomed everybody and appreciated the 12-year long successful cooperation. Rector Tarverdyan thanked USDA FAS, Texas A&M for the long and fruitful cooperation and said the University will make further efforts to maintain the high status of the ATC and its leading role as a laboratory for ASAU and the entire Armenian higher education system. ICARE/ATC Director Vardan Urutyan thanked all parties of the cooperation and especially the ATC graduates for their success in different fields of economy of Armenia and Georgia. Dr. Urutyan and the students led a tour through the classrooms. The students are proud and happy with the new facilities, and the graduates said they are happy for the current students who have more and better facilities than they had.
June 1, 2011
Review Team at ATC
A team of three professors from the U.S. and one from Australia visited Armenia in late May for a review mission following the ten years of the ATC activity. The Review Team was led by Professor Kerry Litzenberg, Texas A&M. Professor Tony Dunne, University of Queensland, Australia, Professor Chris Peterson, Michigan State University, and Professor Allen Wysocki, University of Florida were in the Team. They visited with the ATC faculty and staff, current students, graduates of different years, and spent a considerable portion of their time on meetings with a number of companies employing ATC graduates. The Review Team used also the Self-Study of the Academic Program Review in the ATC that included description of the undergraduate and graduate programs, the Strategic Plan, program administration, faculty and staff development, student enrollment, SWAT analysis, fiscal resources, and proposed actions.
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