On October 16, the Armenian State Pedagogical University (ASPU) hosted Markus Leimbach, Head of the Central, Southeastern, and Eastern Europe Department at the Catholic Academic Exchange Service (KAAD) in Germany; Program Officer Alwin Becker; and Dr. Anna Aleksanyan, a member of the KAAD committee and a lecturer at the University of Graz.

During the meeting with the ASPU leadership and members of the Center for International Cooperation and Project Management, the guests presented the Organization’s scholarship programs and opportunities for international academic mobility, and discussed prospects for cooperation in the fields of education and research.

Acting Rector of ASPU Lilit Mkrtchyan, emphasized the role of international partnership in the development of higher education, in that context highlighting the importance of expanding academic ties, exchange of scientific and educational experience, and creation of new opportunities for the professional development of lecturers and researchers.

The parties laid particular emphasis on raising awareness about scholarship programs, as well as on the involvement of students and lecturers in international educational and research initiatives. They also discussed potential areas for cooperation which will further enrich the international experience of ASPU lecturers, young scientists, and researchers.

Markus Leimbach presented the activities and scholarship programs of KAAD, noting that they offer opportunities to study at higher education institutions in Germany, conduct research, enroll in doctoral programs, and plan short-term study visits. The programs cover various professional fields, with the exception of theology.

KAAD (Catholic Academic Exchange Service) is a Germany-based organization which for 65 years has been providing scholarships to doctoral students, young scholars, and researchers from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe, including countries in the South Caucasus, thereby fostering their academic advancement and professional development.