The session discussed issues related to student participation in the teaching process, applicants from general education schools to YSU IB, the 2nd mid-term exams and tests of on-site learning and the 1st mid-term exams and tests of off-site learning, preparation and conduct of the examination period, organization and results of training courses for teachers subject to regular attestation and those who have not passed voluntary attestation, the process of re-submitting accumulated academic debts of up to 12 credits, and the expulsion of students from YSU IB.

The first issue was reported by the Deputy Director of the YSU IB M. Otaryan, particularly noting that in the first semester of the 2024-2025 academic year, there are quite a lot of students in various courses of on-site and off-site learning (especially in the first and final years) who have exceeded the permissible limit of absences, with whom meetings have been organized, and advisory and explanatory work has been carried out towards improvement. Unfortunately, due to unexcused absences, there are also students subject to expulsion from the YSU Ijevan branch, whom the Educational and Methodological Department will present next, within the framework of the current issue.

In order to make the status of student participation in the classroom process more controllable and reduce violations of the permissible limit, the principal instructed the deans to continue submitting reports on student absences on a weekly basis.

A report on applicants from general education schools who applied to YSU IB (2024) was presented by L. Beginyan, Head of the YSU IB Internship Organization and Stakeholder Cooperation Department. It was noted that from April 15 to May 10 2024, 731 applicants (991 graduates) from Tavush region filled out an application on the website of the Assessment and Testing Center dimord.am, which made up 74% of the graduates of the 2023-2024 academic year. 509 of the applicants (70%) were admitted to the main stage of the competition.

During the 2024 admission, the branch had 217 applicants, out of which 212 were graduates of Tavush region (29% of applicants from Tavush region), 5 applicants applied from Gegharkunik, Ararat and Kotayk regions. This means that the main flow of applicants to the branch was from schools in Tavush region (97.6% of total applicants). 176 of them (81.1%) were admitted as a result of the admission competition. 

The speaker presented the number of applicants who applied to YSU IB and the results of the admission competition for the last four years, by general education schools.

It was noted that the Department of Internship Organization and Stakeholder Cooperation visits almost all schools in Tavush region and Gegharkunik region every year, introduces the activities of the branch, admission specialties, educational programs and opportunities to 10th, 11th and 12th graders, discusses the preferences of graduates, organizes lectures and cognitive visits. 

The Director emphasized that in order to increase the flow of applicants to YSU IB from schools, it is necessary to strengthen and activate the university's ties with schools with both large and small flows of applicants through frequent and regularly held events ("Open Door Days", cognitive visits, introductory lectures, intellectual games, etc.).

The deans of the faculties and the Head of the Educational and Methodological Department A. Davtyan reported on the preparation and holding of the 2nd mid-term exams and tests of the first semester of the 2024-2025 academic year, the 1st mid-term exams of the first semester of distance learning, and the examination period. In particular, it was noted that the necessary preparatory work had been carried out to conduct them in a proper manner.

The 2nd mid-term exams and tests of the first semester of the 2024-25 academic year, according to the approved schedule, will be held in the period from December 21-28, 2024, and the examination period will be from January 7-25.

The 1st mid-term exams and tests of the 1st semester of distance learning of this academic year, according to the schedule, are scheduled to be held between December 10-21, 2024, and the 2nd mid-term exams and tests - between January 14-25, 2025. The examination period of the 1st semester of distance learning of the 2024-25 academic year will be held between February 4 and March 1, 2025.

After discussions in the chairs, the deans of the faculties submitted for approval the schedules for organizing current tests and exams, they were posted on the official website of the YSU Ijevan branch, and lecturers and students were informed. Other preparatory work has been carried out, based on which the branch is ready to properly implement the examination period of the 1st semester of the 2024-25 academic year.

A. Mkrtumyan, a specialist of the Department of Educational Reforms and Lecturer Training, reported on the organization and results of training courses for teachers subject to regular attestation and those who failed voluntary attestation. It was noted that the YSU Ijevan branch presented the training programs for “Teachers Subject to Regular Attestation” and “Teachers Who Showed 0-59% Results as a Result of Voluntary Attestation” developed by the Department of Educational Reforms and Lecturer Training to the RA Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in July of this year. In accordance with the order of the Minister of Education, Science and Technology of August 9, 2024, YSU IB was included in the list of guaranteed organizations.

From October 5 to November 1 of the current year, the regular training for teachers subject to certification was held at YSU IB, in which 146 teachers from 46 schools in Tavush and Gegharkunik regions participated. The training was organized in 3 modules: "Course and Lesson Planning", "Identifying Learner Needs" and "Professional Ethics, Democratic and Civic Competence".

The department conducted a training course for "Teachers who showed 0-59 percent results in the voluntary certification" from September 14 to October 30, in which 10 teachers from 6 schools in Tavush region participated (one teacher is unemployed).

The training courses were conducted by 6 trainers, 4 of whom are employees of the branch, and employment contracts were signed with 2.

Before the training courses began, the training schedules were sent to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and the Ministry of Education and Science. Separate paper registers were filled out for each group. At the end of the training courses, reports on the training courses conducted were sent to the ministry.

N. Arushanyan, Head of the Department of Planning and Control of the Academic Process of the Ijevan branch of Yerevan State University, reported on the issue of summing up the process of re-submitting academic debts accumulated up to 12 credits. In particular, it was noted that from November 1-27 of this year, the first stage of the process of re-submitting academic debts accumulated up to 12 credits for the 2024-2025 academic year was carried out at the YSU IB, and exams were held on November 21-27.

35 students applied for re-submitting academic debts, 19 of them were from the Faculty of Humanities (2 from on-site study, 17 from off-site study), 16 from the Faculty of Economics (from off-site study). The students who applied for re-submitting passed the exams positively.

N. Arushanyan also reported on the issue of the current expulsion of students from the branch. He noted that 4 students were presented for expulsion due to violating the internal disciplinary rules of the YSU IB, in particular, exceeding the permissible limit of absences (having 80/40 (60) unexcused absences). 2 of the 4 students are students of on-site study (Faculty of Economics), 2 are students of off-site learning (Faculty of Economics, Faculty of Humanities). At the meeting of the Board of Directors, it was decided to expel the 4 presented students from the branch.