OREANDA-NEWS. March 12, 2009. The official opening of the videoconferencing hall of the American University of Armenia was held. The videoconferencing hall was sponsored by VivaCell-MTS. 

VivaCell-MTS has provided AMD 60.6 mln of support for the videoconferencing facility, which will be named for VivaCell-MTS.

The videoconferencing room comprises a set of interactive telecommunication technologies which allow students and professors in different locations to interact via two-way video and audio transmissions simultaneously. Thanks to this innovative technology, students and faculty of AUA can benefit from guest lecturers ‘brought’ into a class from another university though videoconference.

The official launch of the room was marked by the first videoconferencing lecture in the new Paramaz Avedisian Building by Dr. Michael Thompson from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, for students of the College of Health Sciences.

Through videoconferencing students can visit another part of the world to speak with others which brings opportunities to students and faculty from diverse communities and backgrounds to come together. Scientists can collaborate with colleagues at other universities on a regular basis without loss of time due to travel.

“Bringing Armenia to the world and the world to Armenia is our aim. We are responsible for developing highly skilled and flexible human capital in Armenia. Application of up-to-date technologies in education today is necessary if we want to compete effectively in global markets. Nowadays we should be able to think globally. And videoconferencing allows students from Armenia and their peers in other countries to explore, communicate, analyze and share information and ideas with one another”, - VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian mentioned during the official opening.

“The support of VivaCell-MTS for the videoconferencing hall in the University’s brand new state of the art campus building is appreciated by the whole University community. The VivaCell-MTS commitment to education in Armenia is exemplary and demonstrates its direct continued support of the community," said AUA President Haroutune Armenian.
Support for the videoconferencing equipment was provided by USAID in an earlier grant to the University.