YSU Academic Council holds final session of 2025–2026 academic year

The Academic Council of Yerevan State University held its regular meeting, marking the final session of the 2025–2026 academic year. A number of important issues related to the university's educational, scientific, and organizational activities were discussed and approved during the session. The council approved decisions on the election to the titles of associate professor and professor. It also adopted a new procedure for filling vacant academic staff positions and for the certification of employees. In addition, several scientific and educational publications were recommended for publication. The council also addressed structural changes and initiatives related to the development of university infrastructure.

The Chair of the YSU Academic Council Competition Committee, Professor Poghos Vardevanyan, Doctor of Biological Sciences, presented the list of YSU staff members applying for the academic title of associate professor.

Based on relevant legal provisions, the YSU Academic Council regulations, and the results of a closed secret ballot, the Council decided to award the academic title to the following applicants:

Arshakyan Edgar (Assistant, Chair of Russian Literature); Baghdasaryan Gevorg (Assistant, Chair of Criminal Procedure and Criminology); Yarmaloyan Marine (Assistant, Chair of Social Work and Social Technologies); Petrosyan Tigran (Assistant, Chair of Theoretical and Mathematical Physics); Vardanyan Evghine (Assistant, Chair of Social Work and Social Technologies); Virabyan Gevorg (Assistant, Chair of Theory and History of State and Law); Tsutsulyan Smbat (Assistant, Chair of Tourism Management and Cultural Studies, Ijevan Branch of YSU).

YSU Rector Hovhannes Hovhannisyan then presented a report on the approval of decisions adopted by structural units' academic councils regarding open competitions for vacant professorships. Based on the university charter and the results of the open vote, the Academic Council approved the election results, whereby the following scholars were awarded the academic title of professor, effective September 1, 2026:

Varuzhan Atabekyan (Chair of Algebra and Geometry); Maria Zaslavskaya (Chair of Applied Sociology); Andranik (Anushavan) Zhamkochyan (Chair of Theology and History of the Armenian Church); Galina Hovhannisyan (Chair of Genetics and Cytology); Karen Ghambaryan (Chair of Materials Science and Nanotechnologies); Liana Matevosyan (Chair of Russian Linguistics, Typology and Communication Theory); Albert Makaryan (Chair of History and Theory of Armenian Literature named after Academician H. Tamrazyan); Firuza Mayilyan (Chair of Economics and International Economic Relations); Gayane Muradyan (Chair of English Philology); Alvard Jivanyan (Chair of English Philology).

The rector also presented for approval the results of the competitive election for the head of the Chair of Civil Law at the Faculty of Law. Based on the established procedures and the results of the open vote, the Academic Council approved the election of Dr. Armen Haykyants as head of the chair, effective July 1, 2026.

YSU Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Rafayel Barkhudaryan then presented the draft regulation on filling vacant academic positions and staff attestation procedures at Yerevan State University. He outlined recent legislative amendments and their necessity, and answered questions from council members regarding publication certificates, validity periods, annual workload calculations, and procedures for regular and extraordinary attestations.

Following the discussion, the Academic Council approved the regulation on filling vacant academic positions and conducting staff attestation.

YSU Publishing House Director Karen Grigoryan next presented a list of academic publications reviewed by the Publishing Council for approval. The approved titles include:

In Law: monographs on corruption crimes qualification issues and the protection of legitimate expectations in administrative law, as well as a textbook on Criminal Law (General Part of the Republic of Armenia).

In Mathematics: a textbook on Mathematical Analysis.

In Sociology: a monograph titled Youth of Armenia at the Crossroads of Uncertainty and Hope.

At the Institute for Armenian Studies: a monograph on The Seljuk Conquest of Asia Minor (in Russian).

It was also noted that at all stages of the publishing process—discussion, peer review, editing, and publication—the professional opinions of all participants are taken into account. The Publishing Council ensures that final decisions are based on collective expert evaluation, aiming to produce relevant academic and educational literature for students, researchers, and the wider public. Published works are made available in the Publishing section on the university's official website to support educational and research needs.

Another item on the agenda concerned the dissolution of the Chair of Foreign Literature at the Faculty of Romance and Germanic Philology. Following consultations with faculty staff, it was decided to submit the matter for approval by the university's Board of Trustees. Employees of the chair will be transferred to related chairs or faculties, with their employment rights preserved.

Among other agenda items, Dean of the Faculty of Oriental Studies Ruben Melkonyan proposed renovating and equipping classroom 308 and naming it after Archbishop Sepuh Chuljyan (1959–2020), with funding provided by the Sepuh Archbishop Foundation. Chuljyan, a native of the region, served as Primate of the Gugark Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church and made significant contributions to the development of Turkish studies at YSU, authoring several Turkish-language textbooks.

The room is intended to be transformed into a modern classroom-library space for students and faculty, equipped with new resources and facilities. The Academic Council approved the proposal.