American University of Armenia Foundation
Description
The American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private institution of higher learning, offering a global education in Armenia. AUA is affiliated with the University of California and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission. Founded in 1991, AUA provides a high-quality, graduate and undergraduate education that encourages civic engagement and promotes democratic values, fostering scholarship in a setting that values and develops academic excellence, free inquiry, integrity, leadership, and service to society. Besides offering academic programs (Master’s and Bachelor’s programs in nine fields of study) to more than 4060 students, it also has a number of research and policy centers, entrepreneurship and product innovation, and legal resource centers.
Below are descriptions of entities at AUA that will be engaged in the proposed action:
AUA Acopian Center for the Environment (ace.aua.am)
AUA Acopian Center for the Environment is one of the research centers of the University, which conducts a wide spectrum of research activities ranging from fundamental scientific research to policy research. The Center has extensive expertise in organizing innovation-oriented policy discussions and debates and stimulating policy dialog on different topics, such as mining, waste governance, forests, etc. Throughout more than 20 years its academic and evidence-based initiatives have been able to propel to center stage policy discussions on critical topics for in the country via engaging a wide range of stakeholders, such as policymakers, innovation-oriented SMEs, civil society organizations involved in the particular sector, relevant businesses, and academic institutions.
The AUA GIS and Remote Sensing Lab (gis.aua.am)
The AUA GIS and Remote Sensing Lab is a joint initiative of the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment and the AUA Zaven and Sonia Akian College of Science and Engineering. The Lab adds capacity in mapping and analysis of spatial data to AUA’s and Armenia’s research and academic initiatives.
AUA College of Science and Engineering (cse.aua.am)
AUA College of Science and Engineering (CSE) is one of the founding Colleges of AUA, with Master’s degree programs in Computer & Information Science (CIS) and Industrial Engineering & Systems Management (IESM) and Bachelor’s degree programs in Computer Science (CS) and Engineering Sciences (ES) and Data Science (DS). The IESM program is designed to provide a broad-based education in the areas of industrial and operations management, production systems, information technologies, and communication. Through a set of core courses, students learn the basic methods of formulating and solving problems. Attention is given to the changing nature of demands and capacities, principles of decision-making under uncertainty, effective use of information technologies, modelling and analysis of large systems, and techniques for finding optimal solutions applicable to businesses today. The CIS program is an applied program to help students gain the necessary skills required to be productive and innovative leaders in the computing and related industries. As such, the graduates gain broad training in the technical areas of the field, as well as in the supplemental areas of business, management and entrepreneurship.
AUA Entrepreneurship and Product Innovation Center (epic.aua.am)
The Entrepreneurship and Product Innovation Center at AUA is a platform for promoting innovation, entrepreneurial education, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and start-up venture incubation. EPIC develops knowledgeable, innovative and efficient solutions to address the needs of Armenia and the world beyond. EPIC provides an ecosystem for AUA’s emerging entrepreneurs, consisting of first-class facilities and collaborative workspaces, programs and events, and a network of mentors, advisors, and investors. EPIC also sponsors lectures, start-up conferences, hackathons, and maintains a sophisticated prototyping laboratory in the basement of AUA’s main building.
Role In Project
• Project Partner
• Policy Impact Facility Work Package Lead (WP 8) Participant in several Work Packages