With support from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, YSU Library is expanding its collection with up-to-date specialized, scientific and educational literature.
Four programs have been selected through a recently announced competition, all aimed at using these books as a basis for discussion, critical reading, knowledge exchange and non-formal learning.
Explore the four programs below, choose one or more that interest you and complete the application forms to take part in these educational activities.
Participation is free of charge.
Please submit an application only if you are certain that you can:
Attend all sessions.
Read the assigned literature in advance (a significant portion of the materials is in foreign languages).
Complete the exercises and assignments.
Program 1: "AI Reality Check: How to Understand, Verify and Evaluate AI Responses"
Edmon Abrahamyan
Objective: Develop participants' skills in critically evaluating AI-generated responses, verifying their accuracy and making informed decisions.
Content: Participants will learn the basic principles and limitations of generative AI, how to identify seemingly credible but inaccurate information, verify claims using reliable sources and understand the need for human oversight.
Who can participate? Anyone, regardless of whether they are a YSU student or faculty member. No prior knowledge or experience working with AI is required.
Schedule: Three sessions on Fridays, November 6, 13 and 20, at 16:00, at YSU Library. Each session will last 1.5 hours.
Program 2: "Blind Spots of the Mind"
Mari Melikyan
Objective: Explore the processes of perception, memory, subjective experience and judgment that often escape our attention.
Content: Through small-scale experiments, discussions and readings, participants will explore the "blind spots" in their own thinking, behavior and perception, learning to distinguish more carefully between facts, assumptions and interpretations.
Who can participate? Third- and fourth-year bachelor's students, master's students and faculty members from the YSU Faculty of Philosophy and Psychology and related disciplines. The main requirements are an interest in the human mind and thought processes, along with a willingness to participate actively in the sessions.
Schedule: Six sessions on Wednesdays and Fridays, November 4, 6, 11, 13, 18 and 20, at 18:00, at YSU Library. Each session will last 1.5 to 2 hours.
Program 3: "From Gossip to TikTok: How Information Becomes News"
Grisha Gasparyan
Objective: Develop participants' media literacy and critical thinking skills by examining how information is communicated and transformed, from interpersonal communication to journalism, social media and artificial intelligence.
Content: Participants will learn to distinguish between gossip, information and news, analyze how information spreads, identify manipulation techniques and critically evaluate digital content.
Who can participate? Anyone, regardless of whether they are a YSU student or faculty member. No prior professional knowledge is required.
Schedule: Four sessions on November 11, 12, 18 and 19, at 16:00, at YSU Library. Each session will last 1.5 hours.
Program 4: "AI at the University: Read, Challenge and Act Responsibly"
Arman Gharagulyan, Serob Khachatryan, Areg Tadevosyan
Objective: Develop participants' understanding of AI ethics, critical thinking skills and ability to use AI tools responsibly.
Content: By the end of the program, participants will be able to distinguish between the actual capabilities and limitations of AI, identify questions of values arising from its use and critically analyze cases involving AI in university education. Participants will also jointly develop an "AI Ethical Compass," a set of practical recommendations for students and faculty members.
Who can participate? Anyone, regardless of whether they are a YSU student or faculty member. No prior specialized knowledge of artificial intelligence or ethics is required.
Schedule: Three sessions on Tuesdays, November 3, 10 and 17, at 15:00, at YSU Library. Each session will last 1.5 to 2 hours.
