M. Otaryan, Chair of the Academic Council and Director of the YSU Ijevan Branch (YSU IB), reported that, in accordance with Decision No. 92/4 of the YSU IB Academic Council dated September 25, 2026, and his own Order No. 148-§1 dated October 1, 2026, titled "On Announcing a Competition for the Positions of Faculty Deans and Organizing the Election Process", a competition for the aforementioned vacant positions was announced on the official YSU IB website.

The nomination process for candidates commenced upon the publication of the announcement and, in accordance with the established timeline, concluded on October 23, 2026.

Pursuant to the Director’s order, and in order to avoid any conflict of interest, the submission of documents was handled by A. Makaryan, Advisor to the Director of YSU IB.

It was noted that, within the prescribed timeframe, the following individuals submitted applications for the position of Dean: 

1. For the position of Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences: Mher S. Atoyan, Candidate of Physico-Mathematical Sciences, Associate Professor.

2. For the position of Dean of the Faculty of Applied Arts: Vahan A. Aghababyan, Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor.

Both candidates nominated themselves. Their documentation fully complies with the minimum requirements established by Point 3 of the election procedure for the position of Faculty Dean at the YSU Ijevan Branch (YSU IB), as well as the requirements set forth in the competition announcement. The application packages submitted by the candidates contain all necessary documents, and all legal grounds exist to proceed to the next stage of the election process. Accordingly, the floor was given to the candidates to present their proposed programs.

Following the presentation of the faculties' development plans for 2026–2031 by the candidates, members of the Academic Council asked questions to them.

Guided by Sub-point 10 of Point 23 of the YSU Ijevan Branch (YSU IB) Charter and Sub-point 10 of Point 4 of the Rules of Procedure of the YSU IB Academic Council; taking into account Points 26 and 27 of the procedure for the election of faculty deans at the YSU IB, as approved during the meeting of the Branch’s Academic Council on May 27, 2016, as well as Protocols No. 1 and No. 2 of the Counting Commission regarding the results of the secret ballot, the YSU IB Academic Council resolved to approve the protocols presented by the Counting Commission (formed during the Scientific Council meeting) concerning the voting results for the election of faculty deans. Based on the results of the secret ballot, Mher S. Atoyan was elected Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, and Vahan A. Aghababyan was elected Dean of the Faculty of Applied Arts, both for a five-year term. On this occasion, on behalf of the leadership and the entire staff of YSU Ijevan Branch, we extend our sincere congratulations to them and wish them an active and productive tenure.