International students’ life in Yerevan state medical university

Our guest is the dean of international students’ education department, MD, phD Anna Sargsyan.

First of all I would like to ask you to present in some sentences your students.  Which countries are they from, and how do they live here.?

- Well, this is the international students’ dean office, we have students from different countries, more from India and Iran, but recently the number of students from Diaspora is increasing, they come here to study in English and it’s a fact that they know English very well, I would say they speak perfect English. 

Each year about 150 foreigners enter our University, but this passing academic year we had more students and the reason is obvious, we didn't have local students entering YSMU in 2012 and as a result we had about 350 Indian students.

I guess the great number of the foreigners entering here is because the educational content is high and the fees are rather low. Am I right?

- Certainly it plays its role, as the medical education has rather high prices in the international sphere and its incomparable with our university, I mean the price system and saying more the quality doesn’t concede. Concerning the Diaspora students, of course the fees play great role for them but there is another factor.Most of the parents of those students graduated from this University, and they were satisfied with the educational quality and their children as if keep to the traditions. We have of course arabians, assyrians who heard about the good reputation of our University, about the education in English Language and came here to study. And during these last 3 years international students ar really very nice students. They have nice behavior and I am rather satisfied.

Are there students who draw attention positively and negatively or any students who initiate some events by themselves or take part in the works of Students Parliament?

- Oh, yes yes. Anna Shukuryan, Abraham Baghjagulyan, Rahul Sethi, Christine Sabagulyan collaborate with the Students Parliament. We have very active students, Andranik Bedros, Salim Anton, Hanna Anton. We have also our, International Students’ Parliament, which is ruled by Ruben Hambardzumyan. He is very organized guy, and organizes different kinds of meetings and events, for example he takes foreigners to the sights of Armenia, and makes them aware of our ancients values. Recently we had a student conference about Euthanasia, that was organized by the Students Parliament, together with the Indians. It was a great success, it was an interactive meeting, they represented the topic from its history and finished up with debates and also the audience was an active participant. They take part also in the holiday celebrations, when different nations represent their traditions, food and so on.It is sponsored by the University. and Students’ Parliament but our students very actively take part in all those. They are also active participants of cultural -creative meetings, devoted to the Armenina Language day, April 24 and so on.

In general do you consider the results for this semester satisfactory ? I would like you to speak a bit about the problems.

- Well the year was as usual, like the previous ones. The main problem of our students is connected with freshmen, as it requires time to be adapted both to our system and to our living. We had absences both excused and unexcused. This problem has always existed and is the main one. We must take into account that the climate here is rather cold and they are not used to dressing warm enough though the University is heated in a quite proper way, but of course a lot of illnesses occur, some infections, flu and other illnesses. One of the possible solutions is that the rules have undergone some changes and now there exists a law that students are expelled if they have more than 70 hours absences. We have a number of expellings, there is not a month when we don’t expel at least one student. Certainly the existence of illness is taken into account.There were some cases when the students weren’t able to cover the program and

the reason for that was that they entered the University later.

Well the educational process requires long time and hard work, the exams are organized transparently and are open so that the students themselves get assured that here only knowledge is the value. We had students who couldn’t pass the exams but according to the new law given by the RA Ministry of Education and Science they can repass them later and it is really very helpful for them.

All right.And what expectations do you have in future. What improvements both technical and in the educational content do you expect?

- Now our University is very much concerned to acquire every innovation and implement it a soon as possible. Progress is not passing by. Looking at Europe we try to do every step according to their criteria.The same computerized examinations that will 

be organized experimentally for local students, will be done for foreigners too. Everything is for lessening the human factor and for the good of the students.Of course I think the work with foreigners is rather hard and it needs time to pass them all the knowledge and content.

The students take part in the conferences organized by the departments. For example there was a conference organized by the Conservative Dentistry Department and I was really impressed by the students’ level of knowledge and it’s interesting to note that as English speaking students don’t have the language barrier, of couse they can get the newest information and innovations and thus what they represented was the utmost new which was very impressive.

And do you have any students who get scholarship ?

- Well no we don’t have students who get sponsored but in the last two years we have a foreign sponsor, the cousin of Ruben Sevak who had the desire to sponsor the one from Diaspora who studies well and is aware of the creative life of Ruben Sevak. Last year we chose the best among Diaspora students and she was granted the scholarship. This year also the selection is in the process.We have chosen 4 students from the last course and the final selection will be made by the sponsor and RA Minister of Diaspora H.Hakobyan. Also I must note that our students can take part in international programs, and there are no limitations. They actively participate in summer exchange programs.

I would also like to thank your editorial for paying so much attention to our foreigners and it is really very helpful and I hope that you’ll continue in the same spirit.

Thank you so much Dr. Anna for your time and for giving very informative answers to all our questions and we wish you success and improvements and all the best.

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