SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITY
The main goal of scientific research activities at RAU is to improve the quality of education, prepare highly qualified personnel, and develop new technologies. and the use of the educational, scientific-technical and innovative potential of the University for the technological modernization of the economies of the founders.
Achieving the set goal is done by solving the following tasks:
- Strengthening the status of the Russian-Armenian University (RAU) as a Russian-national (interstate) university jointly managed by the Russian Federation and the Republic of Armenia. Granting RAU the status of an intergovernmental research university.
- Strengthening the university platform as the main scientific, educational, and humanitarian center of Russian-Armenian interaction, as well as establishing a regional innovation center based on RAU.
- Forming the intellectual potential of scientific and creative youth in the interests of both countries and peoples in the context of strengthening and developing the Russian-Armenian strategic partnership.
- Internationalization of scientific and educational activities of RAU and the use of the best global practices of university education in training specialists and entering the ranks of the world's leading universities.
- Creation of the Center for Shared Use of the Scientific Laboratory Base on the RAU Platform.
- Formation of a unified scientific, scientific-technical, scientific-educational complex of the Russian-Armenian university with leading partner universities (mainly national research universities of the Russian Federation) and institutions of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia and the Russian Academy of Sciences.
- Expansion of cooperation with leading global educational, scientific centers and organizations.
- Creation of advanced scientific, technical and technological groundwork in priority areas of scientific and technological development that represent mutual interest of the Russian and Armenian sides.
- Formation of scientific potential in various fields of science and establishment of interdisciplinary research centers on current issues of economic and social development with the involvement of leading scientists from Armenia and the Armenian diaspora of different countries in the world, as well as Russian scientists.
- Institutional development of the sector of joint scientific research and development of scientists from Russia and Armenia, improvement of its structure, management and financing systems, integration of science and education.
Here are some important performance indicators of the SRW:
In RAU, more than two dozen scientific groups created within the framework of basic and thematic scientific funding programs function effectively on scientific and technical activities funded from the budget of the Republic of Armenia by the State Committee for Higher Education and Science. Financing for three scientific projects led by G. Asatryan, A. Sarkisyan, and T. Zolyan under the leading research support program of the RA MES for the period of 2021-2026 was obtained. Active scientific research activities were implemented, in particular, thanks to participation in the laboratory support program and the creation of new scientific groups. Three scientific projects received funding, which today already declare themselves as established laboratory structural units of the RAU, among them:
Compiler technologies and program analysis (supervisor S. Sargsyan); Modeling of quantum systems (supervisor D. Hayrapetyan); Genetic and cellular engineering (Head R. Zakharyan). Due to the fundamental nature of the developments being carried out, all the mentioned projects have been transferred to the category financed by means of basic funding.
The traditional participation of S. Sargsyan and A. Agaronyan in the program to support dual-use research is of particular importance to RAU. Also the participation of our talented personnel in the program "Experimental Development Projects" under the guidance of A. Darbinyan. Over the past three years, scientific groups have been formed that have received funding for research activities under the joint funding program of MOESCS OF RA - RFBR – 2020 and the joint Armenian-Italian program for the photophysical study of semiconductor quantum dots.
Scientific growth of young staff at RAU is evident. As of today, six scientific projects funded by the Committee for Higher Education and Science Support Program are being implemented at RAU Research of young scientists of GKN RA. In addition, for the umpteenth time, RAU graduate students receive funding under the program to support research of graduate students and young applicants. Funding continues within the grant programs of Phillip Morris and the Enterprise Incubator of RA, as well as Horizon 2020.
New sources of funding were obtained thanks to participation in the funding program of the Ministry of High-Tech Industry of the Republic of Armenia Progress in space technology and robotics in Armenia. The Center for Advanced Software Technologies at RAC continues to successfully carry out scientific research activities in fulfilling contracts with the company Huawei. In addition to the natural science direction at RAU, scientific projects in the humanitarian scientific block are actively being implemented.
Among them is a joint Armenian-Belarusian project that explores, among other things, the processes of accelerating digitalization in the field of education, related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and which has been successfully completed in 2023.
In December 2021, RAU and the State Institute of the Russian Language named after A.S. Pushkin signed an agreement to establish a joint scientific research and practical laboratory at RAU. The laboratory is engaged in preparing joint projects, organizing academic exchanges, programs of scientific and methodological internships for students and lecturers of the RAU and Pushkin Institute (In full-time and distance learning formats). The department "Pushkin Institute" is open at the laboratory - a platform for implementing educational projects aimed at strengthening the position of the Russian language in the Republic.
In 2023, the Center for Russian Studies was established at RAU. The goal of the Center for Russian Studies at RAU is to create a regional and international scientific, educational, and organizational-methodological platform for implementation of programs for research, teaching, and popularization of the Russian language, comprehensive development of scientific and cultural relations between Russia and Armenia. To achieve this goal, scientific research will be organized to analyze the functioning of the Russian language in Armenia in the context of its functioning in the world, and research will be conducted and educational programs for additional professional education in the field of teaching Russian as a non-native and foreign language will be implemented Including courses in Russian as a foreign language, courses for the professional retraining of teachers, and courses for the professional development of teachers in secondary schools as well as university professors in RA. International scientific and practical conferences, including student conferences, seminars, webinars, and others, are also planned to strengthen and expand cooperation with Russia. (GIRAP, RSUH, RUDN, SPbPU, etc.) and other foreign universities, as well as organizing educational events to promote and popularize the Russian language and culture. International scientific and practical conferences, including student conferences, seminars, webinars, etc., are also planned to strengthen and expand cooperation with Russia (branch in St. Petersburg) and other scientific centers of the Russian Federation in priority areas of science, technology, and technology development, as well as in the field of social and humanitarian sciences taking into account modern trends. Integration processes, including within the framework of the EAEU (Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, MGIMO, ANOO VPO Interregional Institute of Economics and Law under the Ministry of Public Administration of the Eurasian Economic Union (St. Petersburg), Russian National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations named after E. M. Primakov, Southern Federal University, North Caucasus Federal University, etc.
At RAU, the Institute of Oriental Studies is actively engaged in Iranian Studies, Arab Studies, Turkology, and Indology. The institute conducts research jointly with the Tehran Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies, the Islamic Azad University, and the branch of the Higher School of Economics (HSE) in St. Petersburg. It is also important to note that joint active research continues with research groups collaborating with the Institutes of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia (Institute of Physical Research, Institute of Molecular Biology, Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Institute for Informatics and Automation Problems).
Under the overall supervision of the Department of Science, activities continue to organize research projects for students both within the institutes of RAU and through the Student Scientific Society. In 2021, a series of scientific conferences were organized, which have become traditional events. Support and encouragement were provided to the most active students in scientific activities through competitions for scientific scholarships, as well as contests for the best undergraduate and best master's scientific works.
The Student Scientific Society (SSS) operates actively within the university. The SSS aims to systematically organize collective creative work among RAU students on the most relevant scientific and industrial challenges in various natural sciences and humanities fields. Its goals include enhancing the level of scientific training, facilitating teaching and organizational experience, involving students in research groups and various programs, publishing student scientific papers and other materials, establishing connections with other student scientific centers, and exchanging information with them. The work of students in the SSS is integral to the educational process at RAU, contributing to its development and enrichment.
Main areas of activity of the student scientific society:
In the field of scientific research:
- Conducting scientific-practical seminars and conferences.
- Formation, preparation, and implementation of research programs with educational institutions of Armenia, the Russian Federation, and other countries based on inter-university agreements and contracts of the University.
- Organizing competitions for research papers and programs.
In the field of educational activities:
- Facilitating organizational and methodological support for the activities of the Student Scientific Society (SSS) and students' research work.
- Implementing joint projects with educational institutions in Armenia and the Russian Federation based on inter-university agreements and contracts of the University.
- Conducting optional theoretical courses on natural and humanitarian disciplines, practical knowledge expeditions, and educational-research seminars for members of the SSS.