Representatives of the European Students’ Union in the Armenian Parliament.

On February 28 Artak Davtyan, Chairman of the RA NA Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport met representatives of the European Students’ Union, Marek Barinsky, representative of the Committee on Polish Students’ National Unions Development, Daniela Alexe, Chairperson of the Romanian Students’ National Union and Yuri Salene, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Finnish Students’ Association. Sargis Asatryants, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Armenian Students’ National Association was also attending the meeting.

As the guests informed those present, they visited Armenia to study the educational system of Armenia, clarify the degree of the students’ involvement in the administration process of the higher educational institutions, their problems, and the degree of correspondence of the Armenian educational system with the European Students’ Union standards.

35 countries join the European Students’ Union, which has 45 representatives. Every country in the Union can have 2 members. Georgia and Azerbaijan are members of the structure.

The guests said that in 2008 the Armenian Students’ National Association had applied to the European Students’ Union with a request, which however, had been refused, as, according to the implemented studies, certain problems had been.

Welcoming the guests’ visit to Armenia Artak Davtyan has noted the Committee led by him is involved in the issues relating to the youth and education.

Mr Davtyan has noted that a number of legislative reforms have been implemented: the Bologna process is in the focus of the changes made in the sphere of higher education, which supposes students’ and lecturers’ free move. Besides that, in practice, the credit system has been invested, and the 25 per cent of the administration councils are students, who take part in the discussion of important issues.

Mr Davtyan has informed the guests that Youth Parliament enclosed to the Committee functions.

The Committee Chairman expressed willingness to support at best the Armenian Students’ National Association on joining the European Students’ Union.