New cooperation phase between YSU and QS focuses on enhancing university's international visibility

New cooperation program with QS

The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of the Republic of Armenia, the Higher Education and Science Committee, and the Academic City Foundation have launched a cooperation program with QS Quacquarelli Symonds, one of the world's leading organizations in university rankings. The program includes three universities: Yerevan State University, Yerevan State Medical University, and the National Polytechnic University of Armenia. 

The cooperation was launched at an event in Yerevan on September 15, where the next steps to strengthen the international standing of Armenia's higher education sector and universities were presented. The program will span several years and focus on improving universities' internal processes, enhancing international visibility, and improving performance on ranking indicators.   

As part of the initiative, QS experts visited Yerevan State University to meet with representatives from across the university units and discuss YSU's development priorities, the international visibility of its research output, mechanisms for building academic reputation, and areas of future joint work. 

YSU research output and international visibility 

At the start of the meeting, YSU Rector Hovhannes Hovhannisyan presented the university's ongoing work and research capacity.

Turning to YSU's research performance, Hovhannisyan highlighted the growth in the number of publications indexed in international databases. According to him, around 450 publications were indexed in Scopus and Web of Science in 2024, with the number rising to about 710 a year later. In addition, more than 100 publications by YSU authors have already been published in Q1 journals this year.       

YSU representatives also briefed the QS delegation on reforms underway at the university, including the review and accreditation of academic programs. They noted that YSU has made progress across a range of indicators in recent years and stressed the importance of presenting these results more effectively and increasing the university's visibility within the international academic community.   

Hovhannisyan stressed that the effectiveness of the cooperation depends largely on the university's own efforts. While QS partners are ready to support the process, he said, the university itself will carry out most of the work and bear the main responsibility. 

QS experts discuss YSU's development and next steps

QS Principal Consultant Isobel Rossiter highlighted the extensive participation of representatives from different university units in this meeting. She said such broad representation is important because collaboration across different units can support more effective implementation of the program.  

"Although this is our first visit to YSU, I am sure it will not be the last. We look forward to our cooperation with you and to working together throughout this process," Rossiter said. 

QS Consultant Dara Bukhtoyarova noted that the organization has implemented several collaborative programs in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Hungary, Australia, and Indonesia in recent years. 

"We are very excited to support this initiative," Bukhtoyarova said as she outlined the program's next stages. She said the first six months will involve an in-depth analysis of Armenia's higher education system, after which the focus will be on the three universities included in the program.  

According to Bukhtoyarova, the work with YSU will include assessing the university's strengths, opportunities for development, and existing challenges, as well as analyzing its research output, international partnerships, and key academic areas. The aim is to make these more visible, strengthen the university's international reputation, and develop a roadmap for further growth.  

Jacques de Champchesnel, Head of Consulting and Insights at QS Quacquarelli Symonds, stressed that his team's purpose is not to impose ready-made solutions on the university, but to support YSU in implementing its own strategy. 

"We are not here to teach you anything. Our goal is to support your strategy. We provide the university with analysis and recommendations by bringing together our data, expertise, and best practices," he said, describing this as the core of their work.  

QS representatives said the first phase of the cooperation will involve an in-depth analysis of Armenia's higher education system, followed by a detailed analysis of YSU's activities. This will be followed by regular workshops and seminars in various areas over the next three years.   

Following the meeting, QS representatives toured Yerevan State University to learn more about its infrastructure and academic and research environment. They visited the YSU Sargis and Marie Izmirlian Library, laboratories at the Institute of Physics, and the data center, where they learned about the university's educational, research, and technological capabilities.